Explosion protection document and ATEX zoning

Refinery lit up at night, an industrial site with explosion risk

Before choosing an enclosure, you need to know where it will be installed. That is the purpose of area classification, which is the site operator’s responsibility.

Two directives, two responsibilities

  • Directive 2014/34/EU: it applies to equipment manufacturers like us. It covers design, certification and marking. See ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU: who is responsible for what?.
  • Directive 1999/92/EC: it applies to the employer and protects workers. It requires risk assessment, area classification and the selection of suitable equipment.

The explosion protection document (DRPCE)

Pipework in an industrial technical gallery

In France, the employer must draw up an explosion protection document (DRPCE), included in the company’s single risk assessment document. It contains in particular:

  • identification of flammable substances and sources of release;
  • the zoning plan (zones 0, 1, 2 and 20, 21, 22);
  • prevention and protection measures;
  • the list of installed equipment and its suitability for the zones;
  • rules for work, hot work permits and training.

It must be updated whenever the installation is modified.

From zoning to the right equipment

The zoning plan gives the zone; the substances present give the gas or dust group and the temperature class. These three pieces of information, plus the ambient temperature and environment, make it possible to define the equipment’s category and marking:

ZoneMinimum category
0 / 201G / 1D
1 / 212G / 2D
2 / 223G / 3D

See ATEX zones and gas groups and temperature classes.

How we help you

Area classification remains your responsibility. But with your zoning plan and the list of your substances, our design office defines the right enclosure, with the correct marking and the documentation for your explosion protection document.

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