‘CE’ Marking and the 94/9/EC ATEX Directive on equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres.

ATEX is named after the French “ATmosphere EXplosible”.

‘CE’ marking has been introduced as part of the European Union’s new approach to technical harmonisation as a means of identifying products that comply with all relevant EC directives.

Subject to certain safeguards, products bearing the ‘CE’ mark are permitted to be sold throughout the EU without interference from national regulatory authorities. The Directives have been put in place in order to remove artificial trade barriers within the European Union previously caused by individual countries’ national standards, a secondary function is as a means of regulating safety.

The Explosive Atmospheres 94/9/EC ATEX (Equipment) Directive came into force on 1 March 1996. The Directive was in transition, where product compliance was optional, until 1 July 2003 when it became mandatory.

On this date the previous Explosive Atmospheres and Gassy Mines Directives was repealed. Now only equipment and systems ‘CE’ marked as compliant with the ATEX Equipment Directive (and all other relevant mandatory directives) may be placed on the market within the EU.

The Directive applies to all equipment and systems for use in potentially explosive atmospheres within the EU. The scope of the directive includes electrical and mechanical equipment for use in Group I (mining) or Group II (industrial) applications, both on and offshore and considers risks of ignition of potentially explosive gas, vapour, mist and dust atmospheres. In addition, devices intended for use outside potentially explosive atmospheres that contribute to the safe functioning of equipment and systems with regard to explosion risk are also included.

Compliance of products to the ATEX Equipment Directive, through conformity assessment, takes a modular approach, and is generally in two stages; design and production.

A common route to product design compliance is to apply to a Notified Body (Ex. Test House) for an EC Type Examination Certificate. To comply, the equipment or system must meet the Essential Health and Safety Requirements (EHSRs) listed in the Directive. Harmonised EU standards have been adopted by CENELEC and CEN, relating to the design, construction and testing of equipment; a product complying with these standards is deemed to meet the EHSRs to which the standards relate.

The production quality stage of the conformity assessment procedures ensure continued product compliance in manufacturing. Typically a manufacturer should have a certified ISO 9000 quality management system and comply with one of the quality modules in the ATEX Equipment Directive, however this will vary depending on product equipment category; equipment used in higher risk areas will require more onerous conformity assessment procedures to be applied.

In addition to the 94/9/EC ATEX (Equipment) Directive, products for use in potentially explosive atmospheres may require to be compliant with other directives including the 89/336/EEC Electro-Magnetic Compatibility (EMC) Directive, which became mandatory on 1/1/96. This Directive applies to virtually all electrical and electronic apparatus potentially able to generate interfering emissions or exhibit an undue sensitivity to interference sources.

Once compliance with the relevant directives is complete and an EC Declaration of Conformity issued by the manufacturer, the ‘CE’ mark may be applied and the product placed on the market.

You must compare the equipment’s T-Code and Group rating together as they are not mutually exclusive.