Mailing ListHarmonization of Hazardous Location Equipment Standards
Written by John Astad
Topic: General
Date: July 24, 2008 04:19
Director, Combustible Dust Policy Institute, Santa Fe, TX, USA Currently work in the Oil and Gas Industry on the Texas Gulf Coast as a Loadingmaster-PIC while maintaining regulatory compliance on the docks between the marine terminal, red flag barges and tanker ships. B.S. Business and Public Administration-Environmental Management Major University of Houston-Clear Lake 2002
Had an interesting phone call from Steve today inquiring if I knew of any resources here in the United States that could assist in obtaining ATEX/CE certification so his company could market their coal mining equipment in the EU under the ATEX directive. I really didn’t know anyone here in the USA in an ATEX consultant capacity that could help. But that did get the wheels turning and I did find some valuable resources on the web.
The ISA, which was founded in 1945 and located in North Carolina hosts the ISA12, Electrical Equipment for Hazardous Locations Committee. Currently the committee is developing standards for electrical equipment in hazardous locations with the close cooperation of the Underwriters Laboratories standards technical panel (UL STP 60079).
IEC 60079 (edition 5) Explosive Atmospheres, specifies the requirements for Ex electrical equipment located in areas of potential explosive atmospheres that also includes combustible dust. To seamlessly achieve global continuity the U.S. National Committee of the International Electrotechnical Commission (USNC/IEC) is a committee of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and is the U.S. link to the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
Through the dedicated committee work of ISA12 Standards Committee, the differences in U.S. adoption of the IEC standards used for U.S. certification will be reduced. This will go a long way in assisting United States manufacturers in obtaining an EC Type Examination Certificate for ATEX/CE compliance
In a recent InTech article written by Ellen Fussell Policastro, Evans Massey from Baldor Electric Co. and a voting member of ISA 12 stated that NFPA is currently accepting proposals to revise the National Electrical code (NFPA 70), which will address explosion protection levels (EPL) that are encompassed in IEC 60079.
Additionally, the ISA 12 Committee is hosting a standards committee meeting for Electrical Equipment for Hazardous Locations to be held 6-10 October 2008 at the Hilton Savannah Desoto in Savannah, Georgia. The ISA 12 web page invites everyone to attend especially users groups. Contact ISA’s staff representative, Eliana Beattie for additional information.
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If an American manufacturer is interested on selling equipment to be used in hazardous locations to EU countries, he will need to get a “conformity certificate” valid in EU for his products.
Is to say, an “ATEX certificate”. Such certificates are issued by registered Notified Bodies.
Considering that UL bought an European Notified Body, UL USA has all information to guide the American manufacturer on how to get the ATEX certificate, using a mutual agreement with its European branch.
To have an “UL listed equipment” is not enough to sell it in Europe, but helps a lot to get the ATEX certificate. Some additional requirements will be necessary to comply with, but UL USA can help the manufacturer through this process.
By Estellito on 09.11.09 01:01
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