Hazardous Areas
Gases, vapours, mists and dusts can all form explosive atmospheres with air. Hazardous area classification is used to identify places where, because of the potential for an explosive atmosphere, special precautions over sources of ignition are needed to prevent fires and explosions.
Hazardous areas classification should be carried out as an integral part of the risk assessment to identify places (or areas) where controls over ignition sources are needed (hazardous places) and also those places where they are not (non hazardous places).
Hazardous places are further classified in Zones which distinguish between places that have a high chance of an explosive atmosphere occurring and those places where an explosive atmosphere may only occur occasionally or in abnormal circumstances.
The definitions of the Zones also recognise that the chance of a fire or explosion depends on the likelihood of an explosive atmosphere occurring at the same time as an ignition source becomes active.
HAZARDOUS AREAS ZONES & EQUIPMENT CATEGORIES
Hazardous places are classified in terms of zones on the basis of the frequency and duration of the occurrence of an explosive atmosphere.
For gases, vapours and mists the zone classifications are:
| Zone 0 | A place in which an explosive atmosphere consisting of a mixture with air of dangerous substances in the form of gas, vapour or mist is present continuously or for long periods or frequently. |
| Zone 1 | A place in which an explosive atmosphere consisting of a mixture with air of dangerous substances in the form of gas, vapour or mist is likely to occur in normal operation occasionally |
| Zone 2 | A place in which an explosive atmosphere consisting of a mixture with air of dangerous substances in the form of gas, vapour or mist is not likely to occur in normal operation occasionally but, if it does occur, will persist for a short period only. |
For dusts the zone classifications are:
| Zone 20 | A place in which an explosive atmosphere in the form of a cloud of combustible dust in air is present continuously, or for long periods or frequently. |
| Zone 21 | A place in which an explosive atmosphere in the form of a cloud of combustible dust in air is likely to occur in normal operation occasionally. |
| Zone 22 | A place in which an explosive atmosphere in the form of a cloud of combustible dust in air is not likely to occur in normal operation but, if it does occur, will persist for a short period only. |
EQUIPMENT CATEGORIES AND ZONES
The hazardous area zone classification and corresponding equipment categories are:
| Zone 0 or 20 | Category 1 Equipment |
| Zone 1 or 21 | Category 2 Equipment |
| Zone 2 or 22 |
Note: Category 1 equipment can also be used in zones 1 and 21 and category 1 and 2 equipment can be used in zones 2 and 22.
