Explosion safety (ATEX)

The employer is obliged to ensure that an appropriate risk assessment is carried out. If the formation of an explosive atmosphere cannot be safely ruled out, the employer is obliged to draw up explosion protection documentation.

Accordingly, explosive substances must be identified on the basis of the safety data sheets for the substances stored and used on the plant’s premises. All substances used, stored or processed on the plant’s premises must be assessed.

Where explosive substances are handled, we need to be aware of the maximum temperatures and pressures reached during technological and manufacturing processes.

Where should explosion protection measures be implemented?

Explosion protection measures must be implemented where, under normal operating conditions, explosive substances + air one must take its presence into account.

This could be:

gas + air
steam + air
dust + air

We refer to normal operating conditions when the operating conditions (temperature, pressure, level, etc.) within our technological system remain within the design limits.

Explosion protection technology focuses on reducing the risk of ignition of explosive mixtures formed under normal operating conditions:

It must be determined which fire hazard class the materials used fall into under operating conditions.
Where materials are explosive, the technology must be designed in such a way as to ensure that working conditions are safe and do not pose a risk to health, in accordance with the relevant legislation and standards.
For a given technological system, it is necessary to determine the size of the volumes at risk of explosion and the spatial configuration of these volumes.
In practice, this zone calculationwe call it.

The operator’s main responsibilities

The design and effective operation of explosion protection systems.
Preparation of explosion protection documentation.
Ensuring that the necessary personnel, equipment and documentation are in place for operations.

Let us take care of your explosion safety requirements!

Services provided by IWS:

Free on-site survey if required
Quotation
Gathering information following an order
Preparation of explosion protection documentation
Handover of documentation – completion
Training as required

Explosion protection documentation

The explosion protection documentation must include:
- a general overview of the plant;
- a general overview of the technology;
- a list of flammable and explosive substances present;
- zone classification;
- the risk analysis and assessment of explosion hazards, with particular regard to workers;
- a description of the explosion protection concept;
- work organisation measures;
- educational requirements;
- a summary of the overall results of the risk assessment.

A more detailed description of the contents of the explosion protection documentation:

the likelihood and duration of an explosive atmosphere (zone classification),
the likelihood of their presence, including the activation and ignition of ignition sources, such as electrostatic charges,
the extent of the potential effects of the explosion.

In addition, the risks posed by explosions must be identified and assessed, the necessary measures for explosion protection must be summarised, and it must be determined to which units the organisational instructions apply.

- At any plant, the person responsible for the explosion protection documentation is the current plant manager.
- Regulatory and operational requirements for explosion protection documentation stipulate that it must consistently reflect the actual (current) condition of the plant.
- Its aim is to ensure that, by carrying out the tasks set out therein, the operation poses a tolerable level of risk to employees, operators and owners alike, and that the conditions for safe operation are met.
- Given that numerous maintenance and expansion processes (including some on a daily basis) take place throughout the plant’s entire life cycle, it is important to specify the intervals at which the explosion protection documentation must be updated.

Language as required: Hungarian, English, German, French.

Legal basis for the preparation:

Zone classification: In the Explosion Protection Documentation, zone classification is governed by MSZ EN 60079-10-1:2009 „Explosive atmospheres” – Part 10-1: Area classification.

Explosive gas mixtures: Zone classification is carried out in accordance with standard IEC 60079-10-1:2008 and Annex 1 of the Regulation.

Assessment and evaluation of explosion risks: The assessment and evaluation of explosion risks in potentially explosive atmospheres – which includes the factors giving rise to explosion risks – is MSZ EN 1127-1:2009 „Explosive atmospheres” Manufactured in accordance with standards for explosion prevention and protection.

Let us take care of your explosion safety requirements!

Why choose IWS?

We have a team of well-trained professionals with the relevant professional experience at your disposal.
We have comprehensive liability insurance cover.
Our group of companies operates in 50 countries, so we are able to offer local solutions even for sites in other countries.
Thanks to our wide range of products, we offer comprehensive solutions and discounted bundled services.
We offer our services and can produce documentation in several languages.

Our related services:

Inspection of electrical installations: Once the explosion protection documentation has been drawn up, it is recommended that electrical installations located in potentially explosive atmospheres be inspected; the requirement for such an inspection is laid down in the National Fire Safety Regulations (OTSZ 28/2011. BM, Section 560(c)).

Electrical safety inspection: The electrical safety inspection must be carried out in accordance with the zone classification specified in the Explosion Protection Documentation. Installed and connected electrical equipment must be inspected in accordance with the provisions of Decree 14/2004 (IV.19) of the Ministry of Finance. Electrical equipment must comply with the requirements set out in standard MSZ HD 60364, so that it does not cause any electrical or other accidents during use.

Measuring protection against static charge: Measurements of protection against electrostatic charging must also be carried out, as facilities classified under the OTSZ, where electrostatic charging could cause a fire, must be provided with protection against electrostatic charging. Protection against electrostatic charging is deemed to be in place if the design, installation, operation and maintenance are carried out in accordance with the relevant technical requirements, or in a manner providing at least equivalent safety, and the protection against electrostatic charging is deemed satisfactory by the inspector following the inspection. The purpose of the inspection is to verify the effective operation of the electrostatic protection. An electrostatic inspection must be carried out prior to commissioning.

RLC measurement: In the case of intrinsically safe circuits, RLC measurements are also essential. To assess the suitability of intrinsically safe circuits installed in potentially explosive atmospheres, it is essential to know the inductive and capacitive components of the circuits; the parameters required for this must be verified by measurement and calculation as part of this measurement.

Validity period/review dates:

The inspections listed above must be repeated every three years in areas at risk of explosion.

What regulations?

Key legal obligations

Joint Decree No. 3/2003 (11 March) of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Economy and Transport on the minimum health and safety requirements for workplaces in potentially explosive atmospheres.
Act XCIII of 1993 on Occupational Safety and Health
Decree No. 54/2014 (5 December) of the Ministry of the Interior on the National Fire Safety Regulations
Decree No. 4/2001 (23 February) of the Minister of Labour on the minimum standards for health and safety requirements to be implemented in mining operations

Our key references in this field:

Danone Kft.

IWS Environmental and Occupational Safety

Diana Seres

Head of the EHS Division

Ágnes Aszódi

EHS Product Manager,

ISO 9001, 14001, 27001, 45001, 50001

Dávid Berneczei

Senior Health and Safety Coordinator

Occupational safety

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Email

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