Integral product explosion protection

Contact: Corado Mattiuzzo (mattiuzzo@kan.de)

Integral product explosion protection is governed by directive 94/9/EC (ATEX 95), “Equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres”. Products may be distributed only if they comply with the essential safety requirements detailed in Annex II of this directive.

In co-operation with OH&S experts, KAN reviews whether the essential safety requirements of the directive are adequately formulated in the existing European and international standards and draft standards.

For further information on the subject, see:

• KAN Report 33: Standardization pursuant to Directive 94/9/EC (ATEX)
• KANBrief 2/04: Standardization pursuant to Directive 94/9/ EC (ATEX 95)

Explosion protection in the context of health and safety at the workplace

In the past, national OH&S legislation in the sphere of explosion protection made reference to the state of the art as described by standards. National standards containing requirements governing the organization of the working environment or intended directly for employers and employees were in line with the statutory framework, and were the norm.

Directive 1999/92/EC (ATEX 118a) governs the health and safety of workers at the workplace and is transposed into national law by the German Workplace Safety Regulations (Betriebssicherheitsverordnung). At European level, a guide exists for directive 1999/92/EC which facilitates its application. From the perspective of occupational health and safety, the exclusion from standards of provisions within the sphere of health and safety at the workplace, in accordance with the European legislative principles, is also to apply to the sphere of explosion protection. In co-operation with OH&S experts, KAN reviews whether the European and international standards and draft standards existing in this area fulfil this requirement.