European Directives from explosive atmospheres

These regulations illustrate a trend that is occurring in safety legislation, which is now starting to move from a prescriptive approach with definitions of what has to be done in specific situations to a more risk-based approach where the precautions and actions taken are left to the individual user provided they meet certain risk-based criteria. A proposed European Directive concerning minimum requirements for improving the safety and health of workers potentially at risk from explosive atmospheres extends this concept to all work places where flammable atmospheres may be formed. When adopted, this will require all employers to carry out a hazard assessment to identify whether a flammable atmosphere is likely to exist and, where so, to demonstrate that appropriate technical, organisational and other measures appropriate to the nature of the operation have been taken to minimise the risk. 

Directive 99/92/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 16 December 1999 on minimum requirements for improving the safety and health protection of workers potentially at risk from explosive atmospheres, last corrigendum of 7 June 2000. Off. /. EC, 134, 36. 

The title of this chapter refers to the requirements on vacuum pumps intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres which result from the European Directives 94/9/EC [1] (ATEX 95 i) and 99/92/EC [2] (ATEX 137 ). 

Polyester and glass fibre reinforced polyester bodies are a popular choice for industrial plugs and sockets especially those destined to be used in hazardous environments where ATEX (from the French ATmospheres EXplosible ) directives apply. The relevant Directive 100a ATEX Directive (94/9/EC) was issued by the European Commission in 1994 and became law on July 1st 2003. 

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