What is ATEX exactly?
ATEX stands for "ATmosphere EXplosible," or explosive atmosphere.
In order to prevent gas explosions or dust explosions, the ATEX legislation
was created at the European level. These European directives take precedence
over national legislation and are therefore included in Dutch legislation. ATEX
Directive 114 has been included in the Commodities Act and ATEX Directive 153 in
the Working Conditions Act and the Working Conditions Decree.
The
ATEX 114 guideline (product guideline) is meant for equipment that is used in
areas that are indicated as hazardous areas according to the ATEX 153. The ATEX
114 is intended for manufacturers because it mainly consists of technical
requirements for explosion-proof equipment. This equipment can be recognized by
the epsilon x sign.
The ATEX 153 Directive (social directive) deals
with the safety of employees and organization, which may be at risk due to
possible explosive atmospheres.
The Working Conditions Decree
contains the provisions of ATEX 153. This contains the obligations surrounding
explosion hazards. Employers must inventory, assess and record explosion risks
in a document (EVD document) based on this directive.
