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In high-risk industrial environments, safety isn’t just a priority – it’s a necessity, One if the most critical areas of operational safety is managing explosive atmospheres, where flammable gases, vapours, mists, or dusts can ignite and cause catastrophic damage.
The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR) provide the legal framework for mitigating these risks. At Electrical Safety UK (ESUK), our model procedure offers a robust blueprint for compliance and control.
What Is a Hazardous Area?
Hazardous areas are classified into zones based on the likelihood and duration of explosive atmospheres:
– Zone 0 / Zone 20: Continuous or frequent presence
– Zone 1 / Zone 21: Occasional presence during normal operations
– Zone 2 / Zone 22: Rare and short-lived presence
Each zone demands equipment certified to specific ATEX categories to ensure ignition sources are controlled.
Control of entry into hazardous areas needs to be strictly controlled.
All visitors to site need to be briefed about hazardous as part of your induction process, so that they understand that they cannot enter hazardous areas unsupervised and how to recognise when they are approaching a hazardous area.
Competency-Based Access
Only trained and certified personnel are allowed unaccompanied access to hazardous areas. We define two categories:
– Operator
– Maintenance (Mechanical and Instrument/Electrical)
Training must be refreshed every three years, and competency is tracked and audited. We highly recommend the CompEx certification scheme. This Scheme is the recognised global solution for validating the competency of staff working in all industries with potentially hazardous and explosive atmospheres.
Managing Third-Party Contractors
Your Site Responsible Person ensures external teams comply with hazardous area protocols, are properly briefed, and are either competent or supervised.
Tools, Equipment & Materials
Strict controls apply to what can be used in hazardous areas:
– Spark-generating tools
– Light metals like aluminium
– Low-pressure sodium lamps
– Hired equipment (must meet DSEAR standards)
Strict controls also apply to what can be taken into a hazardous area to ensure no sources of ignition are taken into potentially flammable atmospheres.
All work is governed by a Permit to Work system, and of particular concern is hot work.
Signage & Legal Compliance
Hazardous areas are marked with the standard “Ex” sign, and equipment must carry ATEX and DSEAR-compliant markings.
We align with legislation including:
– Health & Safety at Work Act 1974
– Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
– Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
Final Thoughts
The ESUK model procedure is more than a compliance document – it’s a comprehensive safety strategy. It integrates legal requirements, technical standards, and practical controls to create a safe working environment in hazardous areas.
Safety isn’t just about rules—it’s about people, processes, and proactive management.
