FAQ: What are the ATEX requirements for industrial dust collection?

ATEX is short for the French term ATompheres EXplosibles in the title of the 94/9/EC directive. ATEX is related to dust collection by providing guidelines for equipment and electrical components used in different levels of explosive environments. ATEX provides guidelines for end users or workplaces and equipment manufactures.

• ATEX 95 equipment directive 94/9/EC, Equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres;
• ATEX 137 workplace directive 99/92/EC, Minimum requirements for improving the safety and health protection of workers potentially at risk from explosive atmospheres.

Employers must classify areas where hazardous explosive atmospheres may occur into zones. The classification given to a particular zone, and its size and location, depends on the likelihood of an explosive atmosphere occurring and its persistence if it does.

Areas classified into zones (0, 1, 2 for gas-vapor-mist and 20, 21, 22 for dust) must be protected from effective sources of ignition. Equipment and protective systems intended to be used in zoned areas must meet the requirements of the directive. Zone 0 and 20 require Category 1 marked equipment, zone 1 and 21 required Category 2 marked equipment and zone 2 and 22 required Category 3 marked equipment. Zone 0 and 20 are the zones with the highest risk of an explosive atmosphere being present.

This chart (click thumbnail image) will help relate the equipment category to the equipment area or zone. An instruction manual for an ATEX classified dust collector can be requested/downloaded here.