FAQ – Explosion Protection

This depends on the type of product, its intended use, category or protection level, and the conformity assessment procedure required by Directive 2014/34/EU. For certain categories of equipment, a notified body must be involved in the conformity assessment procedure. The involvement of a notified body is required for Category 1 equipment, Category 2 electrical equipment, and autonomous protective systems. In other cases, the manufacturer may carry out the conformity assessment independently.

Yes. SIQ operates as a notified body for Ex equipment within the scope of its notification and provides product testing and certification in accordance with ATEX requirements. The applicable procedure depends on the product, the type of protection used, and the requirements of the relevant standards.

Yes. SIQ participates in the international IECEx Scheme and, within its scope, carries out procedures for obtaining IECEx certificates. For manufacturers wishing to place a product on both the EU market and other international markets, it often makes sense to address ATEX and IECEx certification together.

ATEX is related to European Union legislative requirements for equipment intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. IECEx is an international certification scheme that can facilitate the acceptance of conformity evidence and access to various global markets. The applicable requirements should always be verified for the specific target market.

It is advisable to start as early as the product development stage. If explosion protection requirements are taken into account early enough, the risk of design changes, additional testing, and delays shortly before the product is placed on the market can be reduced. SIQ can work with manufacturers from the product design stage onwards and throughout all subsequent stages.

For an initial assessment, the following information is generally required:

• product description and intended use,
• basic technical documentation,
• proposed Ex marking,
• types of protection used,
• applicable standards,
• required certification,
• target markets.

We inform the customer of any non-conformities identified. Once the product or documentation has been modified, any necessary additional or repeat testing can be carried out. Our goal is to work together with the manufacturer to achieve a safe product, even if this requires additional testing.

It may. Changes to the design, components, materials, or other relevant characteristics may affect the product’s conformity and the validity of the existing certificate. Significant changes should therefore be appropriately assessed before they are implemented. If the changes affect safety, the testing and certification process must be repeated.

Send us the basic information about your product, the standards applied, the proposed Ex marking, and the technical documentation, and indicate whether you require ATEX certification, IECEx certification, or both. Our team will review the requirements and contact you if any additional information is needed.
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