Explosions are rare, but the consequences can be catastrophic. The risk is not only found at refineries and chemical plants – an explosive atmosphere can also occur at, for example, feed mills, sawmills, paint shops, wastewater plants and petrol stations.
What does ATEX mean?
ATEX comes from the French ATmosphères EXplosibles and is the common name for the EU rules on equipment and work in areas with an explosive atmosphere. The rules protect the employees who work in these areas.
When is there a risk of explosion?
An explosion requires three things at the same time:
- A flammable substance – gas, vapour, mist or dust
- Oxygen – from the air
- An ignition source – such as sparks, hot surfaces, static electricity or open flames
Remove one of the three, and an explosion cannot occur. That is the basic idea behind all prevention.
Gas and dust
Many people only think of gas, but dust from flour, grain, wood, sugar, plastic and metal can also explode when it is stirred up into the air. A thin layer of dust on a shelf can be enough to cause a powerful secondary explosion.
The employer’s responsibility
The employer is responsible for ensuring that areas with an explosion risk are assessed and classified into zones, that equipment suits the zone, and that employees have the necessary knowledge of risks and precautions. Read more at the Danish Safety Technology Authority.
What employees need to know
- Where the hazardous areas are and how they are marked
- Which ignition sources must be avoided – including mobile phones and ordinary tools
- Which equipment may be used in the zone
- How to avoid creating an explosive atmosphere, for example through spills and dust build-up
- What to do if something goes wrong
ATEX course online
Basic knowledge of explosive atmospheres – gas and dust – with a personal course certificate. In Danish, English and German.
