ATEX / DSEAR Compliance for industrial plant

An ICM Integrity and Compliance Management product story

Edited by the Processingtalk editorial team Nov 19, 2007

ICM has provided advice and strategy for several customers to ensure that they attain full compliance with the ATEX and DSEAR legislation in a timely and cost effective manner

Two European ATEX Directives; 94/9/EC (the product directive) and 1999/92/EC (the use or workplace directive) have recently been implemented into UK law through the Equipment and Protective Systems Regulations 1996 (the EPS Regs) and the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR).

Compliance with both sets of regulations is now mandatory.

Essentially, to comply with the EPS regulations, equipment supplied for use in potentially flammable atmospheres must now display the CE mark and be provided with certification proving compliance.

This applies to both electrical and mechanical equipment.

DSEAR implements the safety aspects of the workplace directive and requires employers to protect workers against the risk of fire and explosion arising from dangerous substances and explosive atmospheres used or present in the workplace.

Since July 2003, all new and modified installations must comply fully with DSEAR.

Since July 2006, all existing installations in service before July 2003, must also fully comply with DSEAR.

DSEAR requires a formal 'Risk Assessment' to establish:.

* if a dangerous substance is present or likely to be present at the workplace.

* if it presents a risk to the safety of persons.

In workplaces where explosive atmospheres may occur, employers must classify and mark those places into clearly identified zones, and provide suitable protection from sources of ignition in those zones, i.e select and install appropriately rated ATEX compliant equipment.

Once again, this applies to both electrical and mechanical equipment.

For full information of the ATEX Directives and their implementation in the UK, please visit the DTI and HSE websites.

ICM has provided advice and strategy for several customers to ensure that they attain full compliance with the ATEX and DSEAR legislation in a timely and cost effective manner.

The ICM compliance strategy is risk based and is very much a common sense approach.

We interrogate existing HSEQ management systems and processes i.e the framework already in place in support of major accident and occupational hazards identification and management, associated assessments and integrity assurance provisions.

We make use of those existing provisions to provide the basis for DSEAR compliance; providing a clear line of sight between existing arrangements for managing fire, explosion and asphyxiation (FEA) risk and the measures required by DSEAR.

We provide the complete ATEX / DSEAR compliance strategy service including achievable cost effective recommendations.

Our approachis to:.

* Undertake a site survey.

* Inspection and data collection.

* Risk assessment.

* Develop a DSEAR compliance strategy document.

* Produce a cost effective implementation plan.

Please call for further information!.