Hazardous Areas Classification - North America

North American hazardous locations classification in classes, divisions

and groups
Sponsored Links
Electrical devices used in hazardous areas need to be certified for use according the requirements
specified for the area.
In North America certification is provided by

Factory Mutual - An approval agency primarily concerned with insurance underwriting.

Underwriters Laboratories - An independent, not-for-profit product safety testing and
certification organization.
Canadian Standards Association - A not-for-profit membership-based association serving
business, industry, government and consumers in Canada developing standards addressing
public safety and health.

The types of protection required depends on the risk involved in the area.
In general hazardous locations in North America are separated by classes, divisions, and groups to
define the level of safety required for equipment installed in these locations.

Classes

The classes defines the general nature of hazardous material in the surrounding atmosphere.
Class

Hazardous Material in Surrounding

Atmosphere

Class I

Hazardous because flammable gases or

vapors are present in the air in quantities
sufficient to produce explosive or ignitable
mixtures.

Class II

Hazardous because combustible or

conductive dusts are present.

Class III

Hazardous because ignitable fibers or flying's

are present, but not likely to be in suspension
in sufficient quantities to produce ignitable
mixtures. (Group classifications are not
applied to this class.)

Divisions
The division defines the probability of hazardous material being present in an ignitable concentration
in the surrounding atmosphere.

Division

Presence of Hazardous Material

Division 1

The substance referred to by class is present

during normal conditions.

Division 2

The substance referred to by class is present

only in abnormal conditions, such as a
container failure or system breakdown.

Groups
The group defines the hazardous material in the surrounding atmosphere.
Group

Hazardous Material in Surrounding

Atmosphere

Group A

Acetylene

Group B

Hydrogen, fuel and combustible process

gases containing more than 30% hydrogen
by volume or gases of equivalent hazard
such as butadiene, ethylene, oxide,
propylene oxide and acrolein.

Group C

Ethyl and ethylene or gases of equivalent

hazard.

Group D

Gasoline, acetone, ammonia, benzene,

butane, cyclopropane, ethanol, hexane,
methanol, methane, natural gas, naphtha,
propane or gases of equivalent hazard.

Group E

Combustible metal dusts, including

aluminum, magnesium and their commercial
alloys or other combustible dusts whose
particle size, abrasiveness and conductivity
present similar hazards in connection with
electrical equipment.

Group F

Carbonaceous dusts, coal black, charcoal,

coal or coke dusts that have more than 8%
total entrapped volatiles or dusts that have
been sesitized by other material so they
present an explosion hazard.

Group G

Flour dust, grain, wood, plastic and

chemicals.

The specific hazardous materials within each group and their automatic ignition temperatures can be
found in Article 500 of the National Electrical Code and in NFPA 497.
Group A, B, C and D apply to class I locations. Group E, F and G apply to class II locations.

Temperature Code

A mixture of hazardous gases and air may ignite in contact with a hot surface. The condition for
ignition depends on several factors as surface area, temperature and concentration of gas.
Equipment approved receives a temperature code indicating the maximum surface temperature of the
equipment.
Temperature Code

Maximum Surface Temperature

F

T1

842

450

T2

572

300

T2A

536

280

T2B

500

260

T2C

446

230

T2D

419

215

T3

392

200

T3A

356

180

T3B

329

165

T3C

320

160

T4

275

135

T4A

248

120

T5

212

100

T6

185

85

Equipment that not exceed a maximum surface temperature of 212 oF (104 oF ambient temperature) is
not required to be marked with a temperature code (NEC).
Recommended reading for this topic:

National Electrical Code, NFPA 70, Chapter 5, Article 500

29 CFR 1910 Subpart S, Electrical 1910.307
NFPA 497, "Classification of Gases, Vapors, and Dusts for Electrical Equipment in Hazardous
Classified Locations"
NFPA Handbook, "Electrical Installations in Hazardous Locations, " by P. J. Schram and M.
W. Earley
NFPA 70E, Chapter 5, "Hazardous (Classified) Locations"
NFPA 325, "Fire Hazard Properties of Flammable Liquids, Gases, and Volatile Solids"
ANSI/UL 913, "Intrinsically Safe Apparatus"
NFPA 496, "Purged and Pressurized Enclosure for Electrical Equipment in Hazardous
Locations."

Hazardous Areas Classification - Europe

European hazardous areas classifications in zones, protection types,

temperature codes and codes
Sponsored Links
Hazardous areas outside North America are classified by gas groups and zones.

Zones are used to define the probability of the presence of flammable materials.
Groups classify the exact flammable nature of the material.

Protection Types are used to denote the level of safety for the device. Equipment approved receives
a temperature code indicating the maximum surface temperature of the equipment.

Zones

The zone defines the probability of hazardous material being present in an ignitable concentration in
the surrounding atmosphere.
Zone 0

Area in which an explosive gas-air mixture is continuously

present or present for long periods.

Zone 1

Combustible or conductive dusts are present. Area in which an

explosive gas-air mixture is likely to occur for short periods in

normal operation.
Zone 2

Area in which an explosive gas-air mixture is not likely to occur,

and if it occurs it will only exist for a very short time due to an
abnormal condition.

Protection Types
Different protection techniques are used to address the hazardous zones.
Zone
Ex d

Flameproof (Explosion proof) Enclosure

1, 2

Ex e

Increased Safety

1, 2

Ex ia

Intrinsically Safe

0, 1, 2

Ex ib

Intrinsically Safe

1, 2

Ex o

Oil Immersion

Ex p

Pressurized Apparatus (Purged Apparatus)

1, 2

Ex q

Powder Filling (Sand Filling)

Ex m

Encapsulation

1, 2

Ex n or Ex N

Non incentive or/and normally no sparking

circuits

Flameproof (Explosion proof) Enclosure

All electrical circuits are enclosed in a house strong enough to contain any explosion or fire that may
take place on the inside.

Increased Safety

Electrical circuits incorporates special measures to reduce the probability of excessive temperatures
and the occurrence of arcs and sparks in normal service.

Intrinsically Safety

The electrical energy available in circuits and equipment, is limited to a level to low to ignite the most
easily ignitable mixtures in a hazardous area.
Intrinsically safe barriers, as Zener, are installed in the circuit to limit current and voltage in the
hazardous areas to avoid sparks or hot spots under fault conditions.

Hazardous Area Types of Protection

Temperature Codes
A mixture of air and hazardous gases may ignite by coming in contact with a hot surface. An ignition
depends on surface area, temperature and the concentration of the gas.
Certified equipment are tested for maximum temperature ratings by approval agencies. Equipment for
Group II receives a temperature code indicating the maximum surface temperature.
Temperature Code

T1

842

450

T2

572

300

T3

392

200

T4

275

135

T5

212

100

T6

185

85

The coding is based on a 104 oF (40 oC) ambient temperature.

The automatic ignition temperature can be found in IEC 79-4.

Critical Temperature Parameters For Dust Explosions

Groups
Electrical equipment are divided into two groups where Group I covers equipment used in mines and
Group II covers all other applications. Group II is subdivided into three subgroups where the specific
hazardous materials within each group can be found in CENELEC EN 50014.
Group I

For application in below ground installations (mines) where

methane (firedamp) and coal dust may be present.

Group IIA

For application in above ground installation where hazards due to

propane may exist.

Group IIB

For application in above ground installations where hazards due

to ethylene may exist.

Group IIC

For application in above ground installations where hazards due

to hydrogen or acetylene may exist.

Hazardous Areas Classification

Hazardous areas are classified (North America)

Class I - Spaces and areas with flammable gases or vapors. Subdivided in Division 1 - where
the substance referred to by class is present during normal conditions, and Division 2 - where the
substance referred to by class is present only in abnormal conditions, such as a container failure
or system breakdown.
Class II - Spaces and areas with combustible dusts
Class III - Spaces and areas with easily ignitable fibers or flyings

More about Hazardous classification in North America here! and Hazardous classification in Europe
here!

Protection Techniques in Hazardous Areas

Common protection techniques in hazardous areas are:

Dust-ignitionproof equipment - excludes dust, will not permit arcs, sparks or heat to ignite
exterior dust in the enclosure
Explosionproof equipment - withstands an internal explosion without igniting the external
atmosphere
Hermetically sealed equipment - sealed against the external atmosphere to prevent the
entry of hazardous gases or vapors
Intrinsically safe systems - electrical circuits designed not to release sufficient energy to
ignite or explosive the atmosphere
Nonicendive circuits and components - designed to prevent any arc or thermal effect

Oil immersed equipment - arc producing components are immersed in oil, an arc will never
reach the surface of the oil
Purged and pressurized systems - spaces and equipment are pressurized above the
external atmosphere, hazardous gases and vapors are not able to enter from the enclosure

Appropriate Protection Techniques

Hazardous Area
Protection
Technique

Class I

Class II

Class II

Division 1

Division 2

Dustignitionproof
equipment

2)

2)

1)

1)

Explosionproof
equipment

1)

1)

1)

1)

Hermetically
sealed
equipment

2)

1)

1)

1)

Intrinsically
safe systems

1)

1)

1)

1)

Nonicendive
circuits and
components

2)

1)

1)

1)

Oil immersed
equipment

2)

1)

1)

1)

Purged and
pressurized
systems

1)

1)

1)

1)

1)

The protection technique is appropriate to the classification

2)

The protection technique is not acceptable for the classification

Sponsored Links