Explosive Atmosphere Certification (ATEX, IECEX)

Ensuring reliability in an evolving energy landscape.

In a world increasingly focused on safety and accident prevention, the verification of equipment intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres plays a crucial role. Ensuring that such equipment complies with strict safety standards is essential to prevent explosions and minimize risks to both people and the environment.

The adoption of internationally recognized regulations, such as the ATEX Directive in the European Union and the IECEx scheme at the global level, ensures that equipment is designed, tested, and certified to operate under the highest safety conditions. This compliance not only protects workers and facilities but also enables companies to operate legally in international markets, thereby contributing to a safer working environment and greater confidence in the products used.

In summary, the verification and certification of equipment intended for explosive atmospheres are not only regulatory obligations but also a commitment to safety, quality, and social responsibility.

CESI is Notified Body No. 0722, notified to the European Commission by the Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT, formerly MISE) under the ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU concerning equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. CESI is also approved as an Ex Certification Body (ExCB) and Ex Testing Laboratory (ExTL) within the IECEx certification scheme.

Authorization Decree to CE certification   according to Directive 2014/34/EU – ATEX 

Database of certificates issued by CESI in accordance with the ATEX Directive

Certified e-mail address for institutional communications related to the ATEX Directive (non-relevant communications will not be processed): atex.cesi@unapec.it

Compliance with the ATEX Directive is a necessary requirement for access to the European single market for CE-marked equipment and protective systems designed for use on fixed offshore platforms, in petrochemical plants, mines, mills, and other areas where explosive atmospheres may occur due to the presence of gases or combustible dust.

Available services

CESI offers Ex certification services for both products and systems, aimed at manufacturers seeking conformity assessment, production control, and/or independent certification of their products to demonstrate compliance with ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU (which replaces the former Directive 94/9/EC), or with the IECEx Scheme.

Compliance with the ATEX Directive is required for products to bear the CE marking and be placed on the European single market. This compliance confirms that all essential health and safety requirements set by the European Union are met through the adoption of recognized

harmonized standards and, depending on the risk category of the equipment, through verification by a notified body.

The standards and technical requirements used for conformity assessment under the ATEX framework are essentially the same as those adopted by the IECEx scheme. For this reason, a product can generally be assessed simultaneously under both certification schemes.

Reference Directives / Schemes
ATEX Directive – 2014/34/EU (replacing the previous ATEX Directive 94/9/EC).
IECEx International Certification System – Equipment: IECEx Certified Equipment Scheme.

Scope and exclusions of the ATEX Directive

• The ATEX Directive applies to:
  Equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres;
• Safety, control, and regulation devices used outside potentially explosive atmospheres but required for or contributing to the safe functioning of equipment and protective systems with respect to explosion risks;
• Components intended for incorporation into the aforementioned equipment and protective systems.

The following are excluded from the scope of the ATEX Directive (as they are covered by other directives):

• Medical devices intended for medical use;
• Equipment and protective systems where the risk of explosion results solely from the presence of explosive substances or chemically unstable materials;
• Equipment intended for use in domestic and non-commercial environments where potentially explosive atmospheres may occur only rarely, due to accidental leakage of combustible gas;
• Personal protective equipment covered by Directive 89/686/EEC;
• Seagoing vessels and mobile offshore units, including onboard equipment;
• Means of transport (e.g., vehicles and trailers designed solely for transporting passengers by air, road, rail, or water), including those used for transporting goods on public networks, except vehicles intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres;
• Equipment covered by Article 346(1)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

Basic Technical Concepts
Hazardous areas (potentially explosive atmospheres) are created by the presence in the air of flammable gases or vapors, or by the presence of combustible dusts, either as layers/deposits or in suspension (clouds). These areas are classified into Zones according to the relevant IEC (for IECEx) and EN (for ATEX) standards, based on the expected frequency and duration of the presence of the explosive atmosphere.

In addition, hazardous areas are classified according to gas or dust groups, based on their characteristics and the minimum auto-ignition temperature of the explosive atmosphere.

Correspondence between the maximum surface temperature reached by the equipment and its Temperature Class, based on the maximum ambient installation temperature (for gases)

For dusts, the Maximum Surface Temperature is instead indicated in °C (e.g., T110°C).

Equipment intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres is identified by a group and a specific category (ATEX), or by an Equipment Protection Level / EPL (IECEx), which determine the level of safety and the suitable zone of use.

The Group and Category or the EPL of the equipment, as well as the gas or dust Group and the temperature class or maximum surface temperature, are part of the equipment marking, which also includes the type(s) of protection applied against explosions.

Common Standards
The following standards define the main protection requirements necessary to achieve the required level of protection for both electrical and non-electrical equipment.

(*) Group and Category valid only for the ATEX Directive

Product Categories Covered:

• Electrical rotating machines
• Junction boxes and enclosures
• Generators and transformers
• Switchgear components (HV, LV)
• Power supply units
• Process control equipment
• Sensors and transducers
• Control stations
• Lamps and luminaires
• Heaters
• Wireless and ITE equipment
• Accessories, adapters, bushings
• Batteries and cells
• Solenoid valves and coils
• Spray guns
• Fuel dispensing nozzles
• Pumps and ventilators

Applicable CESI Certification Schemes

• CESI-ATEX Regulation
• CESI-IECEx Regulation

Other Services
In addition to accredited activities, KEMA Labs provides other inspection and second-party quality assurance services related to the quality control of electrical components:

• Verification of project compliance with contractual requirements
• Assessment of company organization
• Quality assurance of production process control
• Inspection for type testing and factory acceptance testing (FAT) according to internationally recognized standards and customer specifications
• Qualification and monitoring of subcontractors