According to the “Regulation on the Protection of Workers from Hazards of Explosive Atmospheres,” flammable and/or combustible substances are considered potentially explosive materials unless proven otherwise through investigation that they can form explosive atmospheres when mixed with air. Independently, these substances do not cause explosions. These substances’ locations should be classified into zones based on the frequency and duration of explosive atmospheres. These classifications must be specified in the Explosion Protection Document (EPD).

The classification of hazardous areas for gases and dusts is as follows:

In areas where explosive atmospheres can occur, Ex-proof equipment and protective systems identified in the Explosion Protection Document (EPD) evaluation should be used, selected according to the categories specified in the Equipment Directive (2014/34/EU) for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres.

Ex-proof equipment consists of three categories in total. Equipment should be selected from the appropriate category for the explosive atmosphere classification:

– Zone 0 or Zone 20: Category 1 equipment,
– Zone 1 or Zone 21: Category 1 or 2 equipment,
– Zone 2 or Zone 22: Category 1, 2, or 3 equipment can be used.

ATEX regulations are primarily divided into two main regulations. The first one is the Regulation on Equipment and Protective Systems Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres (2014/34/EU). The purpose of this Regulation is to establish essential health and safety requirements, conformity assessment procedures, and market surveillance principles for equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres, ensuring their safe placement on the market.

The second regulation is the “Regulation on the Protection of Workers from Hazards of Explosive Atmospheres.” The aim of this regulation is to regulate procedures and principles for taking measures to protect workers health and safety from hazards posed by potentially explosive atmospheres that may occur in workplaces. It is mandatory for workplaces covered by this regulation to prepare an Explosion Protection Document (EPD).

When classifying the hazards of explosive atmospheres, it is necessary to classify them into zones based on the frequency of occurrence and duration of the explosive atmosphere. The hazard classification for each explosive atmosphere must be assessed in the Explosion Protection Document (EPD). Hazard classes are typically expressed as zones.

The classification of hazardous areas for gases and dusts is as follows:

Gases: Zone 0, Zone 1, Zone 2

Dusts: Zone 20, Zone 21, Zone 22