Guide to Hazardous Locations

Explosive Gas Atmospheres

Ex Marking

Protection Concepts

US (NEC 500) and CA (CEC Annex J)

Type of Protection
(optional except for I.S.)

Type of Protection
Code
General Requirements

Permitted Class

Explosionproof for Class I,

Division 1, Groups A, B, C, D T5
Permitted Division
(optional except for Division 2)

Increased Safety

Temperature Class
(T5 and T6 optional)
Permitted Group

Ambient temperature ranges other than standard (-25C Ta +40C) must be marked.

Non-Incendive
Non-Sparking

US (NEC 505)
American
National Standard

Explosionproof

Type of
Protection

Permitted Class

Temperature Class
Group

Flameproof

Class I, Zone 1, AEx d [ia] IIC T5 Gb

Explosion-Protected Gas Group Equipment
Protection Level
Permitted Zone
I.S. Output
(optional)

Ambient temperature ranges other than standard (-20C Ta +40C) must be marked.

EU and IEC
Temperature
Equipment
Class
Protection
Group
Level

Type of Protection

Enclosed Break

Ex d [ia Ga] IIC T5 Gb

Gas Group

Explosion-Protected
I.S. Output

Powder-Filled

Intrinsic Safety

Equipment
Protection
Level

Ambient temperature ranges other than standard (-20C < Ta < +40C) must be marked.
The Equipment Protection Level is not required to be marked if the type of protection code
includes the a, b, or c suffix as part of the type of protection designation, e.g. Ex eb
IIC T4 is equivalent to Ex e IIC T4 Gb.

Additional EU marking per 94/9/EC (ATEX)

CE Conformity Marking
Explosion Protection Marking
Type of Exposive Atmosphere:
G (for gas, vapor, mist)

II 2(1) G

1725

Category for I.S. Output

Category
Equipment Group 1 (for Zone 0)
I (for mines) 2 (for Zone 1)
II (for other than mines) 3 (for Zone 2)

Pressurized

EPL/Category
Definition

Typical Zone
IEC
EU (ATEX)
EPL Group Category Group of Application

Mines, very high

Ma
level of protection
Mines, high
level of protection
Gas atmospheres,
very high level
of protection
Gas atmospheres,
high level of
protection
Gas atmospheres,
enhanced level
of protection

M1
I

Mb

M2

Ga

1G

Gb

II

2G

N/A

0
II

3G

Level of protection assigned to equipment based on its likelihood of

becoming a source of ignition

Encapsulation

Oil Immersion

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Authorized by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the
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US
CA
US
CA
EU
IEC
US
CA
EU
IEC
EU
IEC
US
CA
US
CA
EU
IEC
US
CA
EU
IEC
US
CA
EN
IEC
EU
IEC
US
CA
EU
IEC
US
CA
EU
IEC
US
CA
US
CA
EU
IEC
US
CA
EU
IEC
US
CA
EU
IEC

FM 3600
CSA C22.2 No. 0
ISA 60079-0
CSA C22.2 No. 60079-0
EN 60079-0
IEC 60079-0
ISA 60079-7
CSA C22.2 No. 60079-7
EN E60079-7
IEC E60079-7
EN 60079-7
IEC 60079-7
FM 3611
CSA C22.2 No. 213
ISA 60079-15
CSA C22.2 No. 60079-15
EN 60079-15
IEC 60079-15
FM 3615
CSA C22.2 No. 30
EN 60079-1
IEC 60079-1
ISA 60079-1
CSA C22.2 No. 60079-1
EN 60079-1
IEC 60079-1
EN 60079-1
IEC 60079-1
ISA 60079-5
CSA C22.2 No. 60079-5
EN 60079-5
IEC 60079-5
ISA 60079-15
CSA C22.2 No. 60079-15
EN 60079-15
IEC 60079-15
FM 3610
CSA C22.2 No. 157
ISA 60079-11
CSA C22.2 No. 60079-11
EN 60079-11
IEC 60079-11
ISA 60079-11
CSA C22.2 No. 60079-11
EN E60079-11
IEC 60079-11
ISA 60079-11
CSA C22.2 No. 60079-11
EN 60079-11
IEC 60079-11

Class I, Division 1 & 2

Class I, Division 1 & 2
Class I, Division 1 & 2
Class I, Division 1 & 2
Category 1G, 2G, & 3G
EPL Ga, Gb, Gc
Class I, Zone 1
Class I, Zone 1
Category 2G
EPL Gb
Category 3G
EPL Gc
Class I, Division 2
Class I, Division 2
Class I, Zone 2
Class I, Zone 2
Category 3G
EPL Gc
Class I, Division 1
Class I, Division 1
Category 1G
EPL Ga
Class I, Zone 1
Class I, Zone 1
Category 2G
EPL Gb
Category 3G
EPL Gc
Class I, Zone 1
Class I, Zone 1
Category 2G
EPL Gb
Class I, Zone 2
Class I, Zone 2
Category 3G
EPL Gc
Class I, Division 1
Class I, Division 1
Class I, Zone 0
Class I, Zone 0
Category 1G
EPL Ga
Class I, Zone 1
Class I, Zone 1
Category 2G
EPL Gb
Class I, Zone 2
Class I, Zone 2
Category 3G
EPL Gc

AEx nC (or AEx nCc)

Ex nL
Ex nL (or Ex nLc)
Type X
Type X
Type Y
Type Y
Type Z
Type Z
AEx px (or AEx pxb)
Ex px
Ex px (or Ex pxb)
Ex px (or Ex pxb)
AEx py (or AEx pyb)
Ex py
Ex py (or Ex pyb)
Ex py (or Ex pyb)
AEx pz (or AEx pzc)
Ex pz
Ex pz (or Ex pzc)
Ex pz (or Ex pzc)

US
CA
IEC
US
CA
US
CA
US
CA
US
CA
EU
IEC
US
CA
EU
IEC
US
CA
EU
IEC

Class I, Zone 2
Class I, Zone 2
EPL Gc
Class I, Division 1
Class I, Division 1
Class I, Division 1
Class I, Division 1
Class I, Division 2
Class I, Division 2
Class I, Zone 1
Class I, Zone 1
Category 2G
EPL Gb
Class I, Zone 1
Class I, Zone 1
Category 2G
EPL Gb
Class I, Zone 2
Class I, Zone 2
Category 3G
EPL Gc

Protection
Principle

Area Classification
Flammable Material

Flammable Material Flammable Material

Present Continuously Present Intermittently Present Abnormally

IEC / EU
US (NEC 505)
US (NEC 506)
CA (CEC Section 18)
CA (CEC Annex J)

AEx nR (or AEx nRc)

Ex nR
Ex nR (or Ex nRc)
Ex nR (or Ex nRc)
AEx ma
Ex ma
Ex ma
Ex ma
AEx m
AEx mb
Ex mb
Ex mb
Ex mb
AEx mc
Ex mc
Ex mc
Ex mc
AEx o (or AEx ob)
Ex o
Ex o (or Ex ob)
Ex o (or Ex ob)
Ex oc
Ex oc

US
CA
EU
IEC
US
CA
EU
IEC
US
US
CA
IEC
EU
US
CA
EU
IEC
US
CA
EU
IEC
EN
IEC

Class I, Zone 2
Class I, Zone 2
Category 3G
EPL Gc
Class I, Zone 0
Class I, Zone 1
Category 1G
EPL Ga
Class I, Zone 1
Class I, Zone 1
Class I, Zone 1
EPL Gb
Category 2G
Class I, Zone 2
Class I, Zone 2
Category 3G
EPL Gc
Class I, Zone 1
Class I, Zone 1
Category 2G
EPL Gb
Category 3G
EPL Gc

ISA 60079-15
CSA C22.2 No. 60079-15
EN 60079-15
IEC 60079-15
ISA 60079-18
CSA C22.2 No. 60079-18
EN 60079-18
IEC 60079-18
ISA 60079-18
ISA 60079-18
CSA C22.2 No. 60079-18
IEC 60079-18
EN 60079-18
ISA 60079-18
CSA C22.2 No. 60079-18
EN 60079-18
IEC 60079-18
ISA 60079-6
CSA C22.2 No. 60079-6
EN 60079-6
IEC 60079-6
EN 60079-6
IEC 60079-6

No arcs,
sparks or
hot surfaces

Recognized product certification marks

U.S.
Canada

EU (ATEX)
FM Approvals can also issue IECEx Test Reports, Quality Assessment Reports and Certificates of Conformity.

US

US

Zone 1

Zone 2

Zone 0

Zone 1

Zone 2
Division 2

Zone 1

Zone 2
Division 2

Division 1
Zone 0
Division 1

Equipment Grouping
Typical gas
Acetylene
Hydrogen
Ethylene
Propane
Methane

Contain
the explosion
and extinguish
the flame

US (NEC 505)
CA (CEC Section 18)
EU
IEC

US (NEC 500)
CA (CEC Annex J)

Group IIC

Class I/Group A

(Group IIB + H2)

Class I/Group B

Group IIB

Class I/Group C

Group IIA

Class I/Group D

Group I*

Mining*

*Not within scope of NEC . Under jurisdiction of MSHA. Not within scope of CEC.

Temperature Class
Marking
450C
300C
280C
260C
230C
215C
200C
180C
165C
160C
135C
120C
100C
85C

Limit
energy of
sparks
and surface
temperature

US (NEC 505)
CA (CEC) Section 18)
EU
IEC

US (NEC 500)
CA (CEC Annex J)

T1

T1

T2

T2
T2A
T2B
T2C
T2D

T3

T3
T3A
T3B
T3C

T4

T4
T4A

T5

T5

T6

T6

Ingress Protection (IP) Codes

First characteristic Numeral

Second characteristic Numeral

Protection against solid bodies

Protection against liquid

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Keep
flammable
gas out

FM Approvals is your global conformity assessment solution

Market

Zone 0

IEC classification per IEC 60079-10-1

EU classification per EN 60079-10-1
US classification per ANSI/NFPA 70 National Electrical Code (NEC) Article 500 or Article 505
CA classification per CSAC22.1 Canadian Electrical Code (CEC) Section 18 or Annex J

ISA 60079-15
CSA C22.2 No. 60079-15
IEC 60079-15
FM 3620 (NFPA 496)
NFPA 496
FM 3620 (NFPA 496)
NFPA 496
FM 3620 (NFPA 496)
NFPA 496
ISA 60079-2
CSA C22.2 No. 60079-2
EN 60079-2
IEC 60079-2
ISA 60079-2
CSA C22.2 No. 60079-2
EN 60079-2
IEC 60079-2
ISA 60079-2
CSA C22.2 No. 60079-2
EN 60079-2
IEC 60079-2

Note 3: For associated equipment used with pressurized equipment, such as a pressurization control system installed within the hazardous
location, the symbol for the Type of Protection is enclosed within square brackets e.g. Ex d [p] IIC T4 Gb.
Note 4: The associated equipment not suitable for installation in a hazardous location, both the symbol Ex or AEx and the symbol p
are enclosed within the same square brackets, e.g. [Ex p]. In this case, a temperature class is not included.

Restricted Breathing
Gc

Standard

Note 1: For associated intrinsically safe apparatus suitable for installation in a hazardous location, the symbols for the type of protection
ia or ib are enclosed within square brackets, e.g. Class I, Zone 1, AEx d [ia] IIC T4.
Note 2: For associated intrinsically safe apparatus not suitable for installation in a hazardous location, both the symbol Ex or AEx and
the symbol for the type of protection ia or ib are enclosed within the same square brackets, e .g. [AEx ia] IIC; in this case, a temperature
class is not included.

Limited Energy

Identification Number of Notified Body

Involved in Production Control Stage

AEx
Ex
Ex
Ex
AEx e (or AEx eb)
Ex e
Ex e (or Ex eb)
Ex e (or Ex eb)
Ex ec
Ex ec
(NI)
(NI)
AEx nA (or AEx nAc)
Ex nA
Ex nA (or Ex nAc)
Ex nA (or Ex nAc)
(XP)
(XP)
Ex da
Ex da
AEx d (or AEx db)
Ex d
Ex db
Ex db
Ex dc
Ex dc
AEx q (or AEx qb)
Ex q
Ex q (or Ex qb)
Ex q (or Ex qb)
AEx nC (or AEx nCc)
Ex nC
Ex nC (or Ex nCc)
Ex nC (or Ex nCc)
(I.S.)
(I.S.)
AEx ia
Ex ia
Ex ia
Ex ia
AEx ib
Ex ib
Ex ib
Ex ib
AEx ic
Ex ic
Ex ic
Ex ic

Market Application

No protection

No protection

Objects greater than 50mm

Vertical (90) dripping water

Objects greater than 12mm

75 to 90 dripping water

Objects greater than 2.5mm

Sprayed water

Objects greater than 1mm

Splashed water

Dust-protected

Water jets

Dust-tight

Heavy seas
Temporary immersion
Continuous immersion
High pressure/temperature water jet

Approximate U.S. enclosure type equivalent to IPXX

Type

IP

Type

IP

Type

1 10

3S 54

6 and 6P 67

2 11

4 and 4X 55

12 and 12K 52

3 54

5 52

13 54

3R 14

Acronyms
ATEX
CA
CEC
EPL
EU
IEC
I.S.
MSHA
NFPA
NEC
US

Atmosphre explosible
Canada
Canadian Electrical Code (CSA C22.1)
Equipment Protection Level
European Union
International Electrotechnical Commission
Intrinsic Safety
Mine Safety and Health Administration
National Fire Protection Association
National Electrical Code (NFPA 70)
United States of America

IP