Glossary · ATEX
What is ATEX?
The European directive setting requirements for equipment used in explosive atmospheres; the name comes from the French ATmosphères EXplosibles.
There are two directives: 2014/34/EU for manufacturers, covering how equipment is designed and certified, and 1999/92/EC for site owners, covering area classification and worker protection.
On the nameplate the ATEX part follows the hexagonal Ex symbol, for example II 2G: group II (non-mining), category 2 (suits Zone 1), and G for gas.
Related terms
- IECEx
- The international certification scheme for equipment in explosive atmospheres, run by the IEC and based on the IEC 60079 series of standards.
- Equipment Protection Level (EPL)
- The equipment protection level states how safe a device is as an ignition source, and maps directly to the zones where it may be used.
- Hazardous-area zones (Zone 0, 1, 2)
- Dividing a site by the likelihood of an explosive atmosphere: Zone 0 continuously or for long periods, Zone 1 likely in normal operation, Zone 2 rarely and briefly.