Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 (Act No. 85 of 1993)

Code of Practice

National Code of Practice for Electrical Machinery in Hazardous Locations

Regulatory requirements for explosion-protected apparatus

6. Other certification schemes - Operation and acceptability of certificates
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6.1ATEX Directive - European Union

 

6.1.1The European Union's product certification scheme for explosion-protected apparatus under the New Approach  Directives is defined in the ATEX Directive (Directive 94/9/EC). The ATEX Directive requires compliance with the so-called essential health and safety requirements that may be partly demonstrated by compliance with the harmonized EN 60079 series. Only apparatus certified according to the ATEX Directive may be sold in the European Union as from 1 July 2003.

 

NOTE  The ATEX Directive was preceded by Directive 76/117/EEC (equipment for surface plants) and Directive 82/130/EEC (equipment for gaseous mines).

 

6.1.2Test results covered by ATEX certificates issued by European Notified Bodies shall be acceptable for certification purposes in South Africa under the following conditions:
(a)All equipment shall be third-party certified; self-certified apparatus for zone 2 (for example, Ex nA apparatus) and zone 22 (for example, Ex tc apparatus) shall not be accepted.
(b)All apparatus shall comply fully with the relevant standards, i.e. apparatus certified only in accordance with the essential health and safety requirements of the ATEX Directive shall be locally assessed and certified as specially protected (Ex s).
(c)Suppliers shall obtain,and supply at least the following documentation to the ATL for the issue of an IA certificate:
(1)an EC-type examination certificate prepared by a notified body; and
(2)a valid quality assurance notification, issued by a notified body.

 

Importers or suppliers (or both) are required to keep such documentation in their possession for as long as the items are in service. ATLs are required to keep such documentation for a period of at least two years after the expiry of the IA certificate.

 

NOTE  Category 3 (zone 2 and zone 22 according to the ATEX Directive) explosion-protected apparatus may be self-certified under the ATEX Directive,but self-certified apparatus is not acceptable in South Africa (see 4.6).

 

In order for apparatus (other than dust-ignition-protected apparatus listed in SANS 10108) to be used in zone 20 and zone 21 locations, its certification generally needs to include such intended use.

 

6.1.3In cases where the equipment protection is not fully covered by a standard or standards (as given in annex B) from the EN 60079 series due to, for example, technological advancement, certification in accordance with the essential health and safety requirements is allowed under the ATEX Directive, but only apparatus that is fully compliant with an EN 60079 series standard or standards is acceptable for certification in South Africa (see 4.7).

 

6.1.4The manufacturer shall be represented within the European Union. The manufacturing process shall meet one of four possible product/production control factors as detailed in the ATEX Directive (Directive 94/9/EC).

 

6.1.5Test laboratories and certification bodies are appointed as Notified Bodies in each member country of the European Union. The Notified Bodies in the European Union (appointed under the ATEX Directive) include, but are not limited to, BASEEFA 2001, CESI, DEMKO, DMT, INERIS, ISSeP, LCIE, LOM, NEMKO, PTB, SCS, SP and certain branches of TÜV. The website of the European Union shall be consulted for thelatest list of Notified Bodies and their accreditations.

 

6.2UL, FM and CSA listing - North America

 

Once the apparatus has been type tested to a UL, FM or CSA standard, a manufacturer can apply for the listing mark.

 

NOTE 1  Some IEC standards have been adopted in the United States of America.

 

NOTE 2  Historically, selected North-American certificates have been accepted in South Africa.

 

6.3IECEx certified equipment scheme - International

 

6.3.1Participating countries may nominate national test laboratories (ExTLs) or certification bodies (ExCBs) for assessment and accreditation under the scheme (which is part of the IECEx System). The IEC 60079 series of standards (gases and vapours), IEC 61241 series of standards (dusts) and recently also the ISO/IEC 80079 series of standards (requirements  related to non-electrical Ex equipment or to both electrical and non-electrical Ex equipment) are used for assessment and testing.

 

6.3.2South Africa participates in the scheme and therefore every effort shall be made to accept IECEx reports and certificates without further testing.

 

6.3.3Countries that have adopted or are adopting the IEC Ex standards include, but are not limited to, most of the European countries, eastern countries, Australia,the USA, and Canada. The degree to which IEC standards are adopted varies greatly, but the ultimate goal is for them to replace national standards, and in so doing, remove barriers to trade. In South Africa, the IEC 60079 and IEC 61241 series of standards are adopted technically unchanged as far as is practicable, but their legal status is determined in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Act 85 of 1993.

 

6.4Australia and New Zealand

 

6.4.1Standards Australia (AS) is an independent body and is the officially recognized National Standards Body in Australia. Standards are developed and written using procedures similar to those used in South Africa. Standards are often jointly adopted by Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand (NZS).

 

6.4.2In Australia, Ex equipment is authorized by the relevant government department regulating each state. This authorization is issued by a test house authorized to do so by the State Department. Examples are Test Safe for New South Wales and SIMTARS for Queensland.

 

6.4.3The process of adopting standards from the International Electrotechnical Commision (IEC) was started by the standards bodies of Australia (AS) and New Zealand (NZS), through their joint committee on electrical equipment in hazardous areas (EL-14); many of their standards are already fully aligned with the relevant IEC standards. The AS or NZS standards, however, are the ones in force in terms of regulations.

 

6.4.4From the end of 2005, all Ex equipment for use in Austral ia or New Zealand shall be certified in terms of the IECEx scheme, or the new ANZEx scheme (very  similar  to  the  IECEx  and ATEX schemes). In terms of equipment certified under the IECEx scheme, there is still a requirement for imported equipment to obtain a local certificate.