Chapter 8
Certification: ATEX, IECEx and national schemes
Published
- ATEX vs IECEx: differences, similarities and which one you need
ATEX is EU law; IECEx is a voluntary international certification scheme. Both use the IEC 60079 family, but they differ in certificates (EU-type examination vs CoC), quality audits (QAN vs QAR), self-declaration and markets. When you need one, the other or both.
- EU-Type Examination Certificates and Notified Bodies explained
Under ATEX 2014/34/EU a notified body issues an EU-type examination certificate (Module B) for category 1 and electrical category 2 equipment, then oversees production under Module D, E, F or C1. Modules, categories, certificate validity and NANDO checks explained.
- The ATEX Declaration of Conformity and the CE and Ex marking: what must be on the label
What Directive 2014/34/EU requires on an ATEX label (CE, notified body number, Ex hexagon, group, category, manufacturer, type, serial number, year), what the EU declaration of conformity must contain, and the rules for instructions and languages.
- The IECEx scheme explained: CoC, ExTR, QAR and the online certificate database
IECEx is the IEC's international certification system for Ex equipment, services and people. How it is organised, what the ExTR, QAR and CoC are, how to read a CoC and check its status online, and what the service facility, personnel and mark schemes do.
- Quality assurance for Ex manufacturers: QAN, QAR and ISO/IEC 80079-34
A type certificate proves one design; production quality assurance proves every unit matches it. What ISO/IEC 80079-34 adds to ISO 9001, how ATEX QANs and IECEx QARs are audited, how often, and how changes to certified products must be controlled.
- North American hazardous location approvals: NEC 500/505/506, UL, CSA and FM
In the US, hazardous location equipment is certified by an OSHA-recognised NRTL and installed under NEC Articles 500 to 506; in Canada, by an SCC-accredited body under CEC Section 18. Standards, markings (Class/Division, AEx, Ex) and how IECEx and ATEX products fit in.
- Ex certification in other markets: UKEX, EAC, INMETRO, CCC, PESO and others
Outside the EU, Ex equipment needs national approval: UKEX/UKCA in Great Britain, EAC under TR CU 012/2011, INMETRO in Brazil, CCC in China, PESO in India and more. Which schemes accept IECEx test reports, which need local testing or factory audits.
- Competence of people working in hazardous areas: IECEx CoPC and other schemes
IEC 60079-14, -17 and -19 require competent people for Ex design, installation, inspection and repair. How the IECEx CoPC units Ex 000 to Ex 011 work, how national schemes compare, and why a training certificate is not proof of competence.
- How to verify that an Ex certificate is genuine
Check IECEx certificates in the official online system, ATEX certificates through NANDO and the issuing notified body, and compare every detail with the product label. Certificate numbering, status, red flags and real cases of false Ex claims explained.