ATEX & IECEx Certification for Mechanical Equipment (Non-Electrical Equipment)

The approach for Mechanical (Non-Electrical) Equipment varies from the conformity assessment route for electrical equipment.

Under ATEX 2014/34/EU the majority of non-electrical equipment is covered by self-declaration of conformity by the equipment manufacturer. The manufacturer will typically need to lodge a sealed technical file with a Notified Body which is retained for a period of 10 years.  Under IECEx self-declaration is not an approved conformity assessment route and a full assessment by an IECEx Certification Body is required. 

Increasingly, both manufacturers and end users request greater involvement of third-party accredited certification bodies in the compliance process.

Technical requirements

Certification of mechanical (non-electrical) equipment requires an evaluation of the potential ignition sources of the equipment (defined by EN 1127) by performing a thorough ignition hazard assessment (defined by EN 13463-0 in transition to ISO/EN 80079-36.)  The standard contains a recommended format for the ignition hazard assessment which should be used by the manufacturer.

The ignition hazard assessment covers normal operation as well as expected malfunction and rare malfunction. Following identification of the equipment risks, it is necessary to implement migratory measures or prevent ignition by applying recognized protection concepts to the ignition sources (such as those detailed in EN 13463 series and ISO/EN 80079-37.)  The extent to which malfunctions should be controlled is defined by the zone of intended use.

Following completion of the equipment design phase and completion of the ignition hazard assessment, together with application of any required risk management measures and protection concepts, the manufacturer should select the appropriate conformity assessment route. 

A technical file is required that will need to be compiled as part of the process. 

Required technical file contents

• General Description of the Equipment;
• Design and Manufacturing Drawings;
• Ignition Hazard Assessment (according to the requirements defined in the relevant standard, usually EN 13463 or ISO 80079-36);
• Technical Documentation which defines the standards which have been used to demonstrate conformity and documents the evidence thereof (typically a compliance statement and checklist for the applied standards).
• Calculations, measurements and results of any tests performed together with calibration records for test equipment.

Related Directives, schemes and standards

ATEX Directive – 2014/34/EU (which replaces the original ATEX Directive 94/9/EC). IECEx – The IEC System for Certification to Standards relating to Equipment for use in Explosive Atmospheres.

Our offering

DNV offers a range of services, from the basic requirement for storage of technical files, to technical support in preparation of the technical file and full unit-verification certification on a voluntary basis. These include:

• Technical File Storage – ATEX 2014/34/EU;
• Technical File Storage with Voluntary Completeness Check and Review of Ignition Hazard Assessment – ATEX 2014/34/EU;
• Full Certification (Unit Verification) – ATEX 2014/34/EU Annex IX;
• IECEx Certification of Non-Electrical Equipment;
• Technical Support.

Our IECEx Certification Body and ATEX Notified Body services are issued by DNV Product Assurance AS in Oslo, Norway.