The Commission of the European Union (EU) has published a list of standards that can be used to demonstrate conformity with the essential requirements of its directive concerning equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres, also known as the ATEX Directive.
The ATEX Directive applies to “machines, apparatus, fixed or mobile devices, control components and instrumentation…and detection or prevention systems which…are intended for the generation, transfer, storage, measurement, control and conversion of energy and/or the processing of material,” and “which are capable of causing an explosion through their own potential sources of ignition.”
The current ATEX Directive, 2014/34/EU, replaced the former version, 94/9/EC, as of April 20, 2016. While there were no changes to the Directive’s essential requirements and product evaluation procedures, the Directive’s Annexes were modified, and manufacturers are now required to reference the current Directive in product documentation and instructions. However, certificates previously issued under the former Directive remain valid under the current Directive.
