The European Directive No. 1999/92/EC also known as the ATEX Directive is concerned with the risks from fire and explosions arising from flammable substances used or stored at a place of work. This directive was transposed into Irish Law through statutory instrument No. S.I 299 of 2007.
This legislation applies to any company or industry that uses or stores substances with the potential to create an explosive atmosphere. In line with this legislation employers are required by law to undertake an assessment of the risk associated with the use and/or storage of flammable substances.
To comply with this requirement a Hazardous Area Classification Risk Assessment can be completed. A Hazardous Area Classification Risk Assessment is an effective, structured means of identifying, assessing and assigning appropriate safeguards and preventive measures to hazards. While historically a HAC was used to enable companies to determine and define the selection criteria for electrical equipment to prevent electrical ignition of flammable atmospheres, it is also now being applied in wider risk assessment work and utilised to mitigate a range of ignition sources, such as;
- Stray currents from electrical equipment
- Electrostatic discharge sparks:
- Lightning strikes.
- Electromagnetic radiation of different wavelengths
Our team of Validation Engineers will undertake this assessment to identify the area susceptible to fire or explosion. The output of which is a detailed report, providing you with verifiable data from which you can implement safeguards to eliminate or mitigate risk.
Benefits
- Compliance to legal and regulatory requirements.
- Accurate determination of the areas in which combustible atmospheres are/may be present.
- Complete documentation.
Our Process
- Assemble Team
- Compilation of Flammability Data
- Building Plant Layout
- Ventilation Evaluation
- Identification of potential release sources
- Ignition mixture determination
- Zone Classification
Why choose AVS?
AVS is Ireland’s only accredited, independent and impartial inspection body providing internationally recognised Inspection and Verification services to industry and installation contractors operating in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres. We have a team of highly experienced and qualified validation engineers, giving you direct access to the knowledge, experience and expertise of experts in Explosion Safety and ATEX.