FEATURE Machine Safety
Safeguarding electrical installations in hazardous areas
By Darren Hugheston-Roberts, Head of Machinery Safety at TÜV SÜD, a global product testing and certification organisation
I
n the European Union there are two ATEX directives – one for the manufacturer and one for the equipment user. The ATEX
114 “equipment” directive 2014/34/ EU focuses on the responsibilities of manufacturers of Ex-rated machinery and other equipment. In the UK, it is implemented by The Equipment and Protective Systems Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2016, which is law.
The legislation’s function is to ensure that the design and manufacture of equipment intended for explosive atmospheres conforms with the essential health and safety requirements, to be met before anything is placed on the market. This is typically achieved by third-party testing and certifi cation by an Approved or Notifi ed Body. However, following machinery installation, how can you verify that conformity and compliance have been achieved? To ensure that, an intrusive inspection by a competent person should be carried out, described within the requirements of EN60079-17 as an ‘Initial Detailed Inspection’. Manufacturers spend thousands of pounds designing and testing equipment intended for explosive areas and, typically, the end user will pay a premium for them. So, if an installer compromises the manufacturer’s design, this invalidates the equipment and creates a potentially dangerous installation. As an example, they might discard cable gland internals and decide that the simplest way to hang an Ex-rated light fi tting is to drill through the casing to mount it, or they might drill and tap the lid of an Ex-rated enclosure to fi t an identifi cation label.
Also, assuming the issue is identifi ed,
there will be a signifi cant fi nancial cost to re-establish compliance. This is often the case when an end user takes delivery of, for example, a packaged skid assembly which has been manufactured off -site at a supplier’s premises. In such circumstances, Ex-related issues are only found during the
32 April 2023 | Automation
completion, inspection and commissioning processes. The consequence are delays to commissioning and start-up, alongside unplanned fi nancial costs.
Installer competency is often a key issue, as it is common for suppliers and installers to hire workers for ad-hoc projects. While keeping a core team of trades people as full-time employees is not always fi nancially viable, it does make the assurance of installer competency a diffi cult area to manage. However, the problem can be more
systemic and, looking at the bigger picture, questions arise: Did the supplier fully understand what they were asked to build and to what standard? Were the specifi cations and design documents supplied by the end user or designer adequate? Did they cover the required legislative areas correctly and suitably? Were the appropriate standards referenced? At this point in a project, disputes and frustrations are common, leading to further delays and cost – all of which can be avoided.
Employing competent, impartial and independent Ex inspectors to check installations and carry out detailed inspections prior to initial use, or in the case of the suppliers, prior to shipping, is a key element to detecting and rectifying problems early. Engaging a competent
inspector to monitor the build, off er advice and even mentor the installation is often overlooked. However, by doing so there is signifi cant potential to minimise or eliminate the need of rework after inspection. Another area that is commonly discounted is engaging an independent and impartial specialist to review the technical documentation and project deliverables with respect to the installation of Ex electrical and non- electrical equipment. Design reviews, alongside build monitoring and inspection during the whole lifecycle of the project, will ensure both compliance and quality are achieved fi rst time and on time.
It is clear that ensuring that the supplier or installer knows exactly what they are tasked with delivering is key to ensuring safe and successful delivery of new Ex installations. Specifying the scope and required level of competency is therefore vital, alongside the involvement of competent people in the design, procurement and installation in order to mitigate Ex compliance issues.
CONTACT:
TÜV SÜD
www.tuvsud.com
automationmagazine.co.uk
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