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C A B L E G L A N D A N D C A B L E C O N N E C T I O N S P E C I A L I S T S
PURPOSE OF CERTIFICATION
Before products, equipment, or protective systems can be selected
for installation in a hazardous area they should first be certified as
being suitable for that application. A Certificate of Conformity for
equipment intended for use in Explosive Atmospheres is evidence
that the product, equipment or protective system conforms and has
been tested to a relevant standard. The Certificate of Conformity will
clearly show the standards to which the test were carried out, and
which edition of the standard was used, and it should also provide a
schedule describing the apparatus and any variations or
modifications that have been approved. The Certificate of Conformity
should endorse the type of equipment proposed to be used as being
safe for its intended use, with any Special Conditions for Safe Use, if
applicable, clearly spelled out within the document.
It should be noted that the certificate alone does not make an
installation safe, and there is an obligation on the part of the
installation contractor and / owner to ensure that the apparatus is
installed correctly, in a competent manner, and in accordance with
the manufacturers instructions, taking into account any special
conditions for safe use that may exist.
IEC EX CERTIFICATION SCHEME
IEC Ex 02 International Certification Scheme
In addition to the preparation of International Standards, the IEC
facilitates the operation of Conformity Assessment Schemes. One
such scheme is the IEC Ex 02 Scheme.
The IECEx 02 scheme is a single global certification scheme based on
the International Electrotechnical Commission's international
standards.
The IEC Ex Scheme comprises the following two Global Certification
Programs:
1. The IEC Ex Certified Equipment Program
2. The IEC Ex Certified Service Facilities Program
This IEC Ex Program is an International Certification Scheme covering
product that meets the requirements of International Standards
prepared by TC 31 e.g. IEC 60079 series.
Scheme Objective
The objective of the IEC Ex Scheme is to facilitate international trade
in equipment and services for use in explosive atmospheres, whilst
maintaining the required level of safety resulting in:
Reduced testing and certification costs to manufacturer,
Reduced time to market,
International confidence in the product assessment process,
One international database listing,
Maintaining International Confidence in equipment and services
covered by IEC Ex Certification.
The IEC Ex Certified Equipment Program provides both:
a) A single International Certificate of Conformity that requires
manufacturers to successfully complete:-
Testing and assessment of samples for compliance with
Standards,
Assessment and auditing of manufacturers premises,
On-going surveillance audits of manufacturers premises.
or
b) A fast-track process for countries where regulations still require
the issuing of national Ex Certificates or approval. This is achieved by
way of global acceptance of IEC Ex equipment Assessment and Test
Reports.
Certificates issued by the IEC Ex Certified Equipment Program are
issued as Electronic Certificates are live on the IEC Ex Website
(www.iecex.com). This enables full public access for viewing and
printing.
2. The IEC Ex Certified Service Facilities Program
This IEC Ex Program is an International Certification Scheme that
covers the assessment and the on-site audit of organizations that
provide a repair and overhaul service to the Ex industry. Like the IEC
Ex Certified Equipment Program, only Electronic Certificates are
issued via the On-Line system thereby giving industry full access to
both the viewing and printing of certificates.
Under the IEC 60079 series, IEC Ex and ATEX certificates cover the
approval of products and equipment to the same IEC based
standards, assuming that the products and equipment have been
approved to the latest standards. In some countries of the world it is
considered that IEC Ex certification, which complies with the ISO 5
system, is a superior form of approval, and that ATEX is not regarded
in the same light, as it involves self certification. It is true to say
that under the ATEX 94/9/EC Directive it is possible for manufacturers
to have Category 3 (Zone 2) apparatus certified when the type testing
was not carried out, and the corresponding test reports were not
written by an independent third party Ex Notified Body. In such cases
however, a third party Ex Notified Body is still required to provide the
ATEX Certificate of Conformity, but the responsibility for the safety of
the product rests entirely with the manufacturer. Many manufacturers
choose to have type tests conducted by the Ex Notified Body, so it is
not possible to generalise and say that all Category 3, Zone 2
products certified under the requirements of the ATEX 94/9/Ec
directive are self certified. Furthermore, this method of certification
cannot be applied to Category 1 (Zone 0) or Category 2 (Zone 1)
apparatus. The method of certification allowed for Zone 2 (Category
3) apparatus is not a new idea, this has been the case before the
ATEX directive became a compulsory force in the EC, but because the
practice was already in existence for quite some time, and without
any real difficulties being experienced, this was subsequently
included within the parameters of ATEX.
Similarities between IEC Ex & ATEX Approval
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