In oil, gas and process environments, the wrong piece of equipment can be a genuine safety risk. A single spark in an explosive atmosphere can be catastrophic — which is why hazardous areas demand devices that are certified, sealed and engineered to a different standard. That standard, in Europe and the UK, is ATEX.
What ATEX zones mean
ATEX classifies hazardous areas by how likely an explosive atmosphere is to be present. For gases and vapours, the key zones are Zone 0, Zone 1 and Zone 2.
Zone 1 covers areas where an explosive gas atmosphere is likely to occur in normal operation. Zone 2 covers areas where such an atmosphere is unlikely, and only for short periods if it does occur. There are equivalent zones (20, 21, 22) for combustible dusts.
Zone 1 vs Zone 2 equipment
Equipment is certified for the zone it can safely operate in. Zone 1-rated devices are built to a higher protection level than Zone 2, because the risk is greater. Specifying the right zone — along with the correct gas group and temperature class for your site — is essential.
Common protection concepts include explosion-proof (Ex d) enclosures that contain any internal ignition, and intrinsically safe (Ex i) designs that limit energy so ignition can't occur.
Getting it right
If you're unsure which classification applies to your site, that's exactly the kind of thing we help with. Take 2 Technology sources ATEX-certified, explosion-proof devices and Zone 1 & 2 CCTV from specialist manufacturers worldwide, and supports every deployment from the UK.