The ATEX Directive regulates and gives the technical requirements for equipment intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. The Directive applies to electrical and non-electrical protective devices and systems (surface and mining equipment) used in potentially explosive atmospheres and to items of equipment for use outside in potentially explosive atmospheres which have an impact on devices that are present in any such atmospheres.

The Third edition of the ATEX guidelines have been formally approved by the EC ATEX Working Group in June 2009, as the last consolidated version of the ATEX Guidelines, including all the update according to the results of the relevant ATEX working parties in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

The Directive entered into force on 1 July 2003.

The ATEX Directive is a New Approach Directive.

Orgalime's prime objective is to ensure that this complex legislation is usable by companies. Orgalime has a special task force with participants from both the electrical and the mechanical sectors. Orgalime participates in the Standing Committee and has also provided experts comments to the revision of the existing guidelines that took place in 2009 as referred to above.

In July 2010, the European Commission ATEX Working Group finalised a set of actions with stakeholders, which include an update of the ATEX website on Europa.

Orgalime is also contributing to the consultation on the alignment of the ATEX Directive to the provision of the New Legislative Framework and in particular to Decision 768/2008/EC, the draft text proposed by the Commission is going to include the last comments and contributions from the interested parties. The Commission proposal should be ready in the first quarter of 2011.


 

 

 

 



Picture Courtesy of Siemens