What is BS EN IEC 60079-10-1:2021 about?
Part of an extensive international series on explosive atmospheres, BS EN IEC 60079-10-1:2021 is a revised standard that provides up-to-date and safety critical information on the classification of hazardous areas.
Who is BS EN IEC 60079-10-1:2021 for?
- Members of Hazardous Area Classification teams
- Persons who understand the nature of flammable substances, gas dispersion and ventilation and are familiar with the process aspects for the plant under consideration
It may be beneficial for other engineering disciplines, e.g. electrical and mechanical engineers, and personnel with specific responsibility for safety to be part of and have an input into the hazardous area classification process.
What does BS EN IEC 60079-10-1:2021 cover?
It’s concerned with the classification of areas where flammable gas or vapour hazards may arise. It sets out the essential criteria against which ignition hazards can be assessed and gives guidance on the design and control parameters that can be used reduce such hazards.
It’s intended to be applied where there may be an ignition hazard due to the presence of flammable gas or vapour mixed with air, but it does not apply to:
a) Mines susceptible to firedamp
b) The processing and manufacture of explosives
c) Catastrophic failures or rare malfunctions beyond the concept of normality dealt with in this standard
d) Rooms used for medical purposes
e) Domestic premises
f) Where a hazard may arise due to the presence of combustible dusts or combustible flyings, but the principles may be used in assessment of a hybrid mixture (refer also to BS EN IEC 60079-10-2)
Why should you use BS EN IEC 60079-10-1:2021?
- To reduce the risk of explosions
- To support the proper design, construction, operation and maintenance of equipment for use in hazardous areas
- To develop the user’s expertise in the classification of hazardous areas
- To manage the risks posed by hazardous areas better
- To increase trust in the safety of hazardous areas
- Because the issues that affected the full use of the previous edition (see below) have been resolved
- Because employers have a duty of care for employees working in such areas
What’s new about BS EN IEC 60079-10-1:2021?
This is the third edition of this standard. UK concerns about the methodologies in the informative Annexes C and D for determining zone type and extents have now been addressed, and major technical changes to the standard now include:
a) Deletion of commercial and industrial applications for fuel gas from the Scope exemptions
b) Removal of safety factor k and deletion of it from the horizontal axis of the chart in Figure C.1
c) Revision of equations (C.2) and (C.3)
d) Revision of equations (C.4) and (C.5)
e) Revision of the chart in Figure C.6 by changing the label on the horizontal axis
f) Revision of equation (C.6) and deletion of equation (C.7)
g) Removal of safety factor k and deletion of it from the horizontal axis of the charts in Figure D.1