ATEX Certification

Assemblies

Eurofins CML BV is able to issue a single ATEX certificate for assemblies that comprise items of certified and uncertified equipment that are connected and used together. These items are typically skid, rig or panel mounted that operate together for a single purpose. Common certificates issued are Unit verification under ATEX and Certificates of Conformity for IECEx.

The connections and installation design is under the scope of IEC 60079-14. Eurofins CML has registered personnel who are able to conduct assessment against this standard and, with the use of IEC TS 60079-46:2017, an IECEx Certificate of Conformity for the assembly. The certificate provides an additional level of assurance that the installed cables and cable glands, protection level of the certified items etc, meets the requirements of IEC 60079-14 and the customer.

Eurofins CML also provides training for manufacturers on IEC 60079-14 installation design, and a range of other courses on specific protection methods and hazardous area knowledge.

There are different routes that lead to conformity with the Atex Directive for electrical and non-electrical products. Whilst all products that are to be used in hazardous area zones need to comply with the ATEX directive it is not always necessary for product designs and manufacturing processes to be third-party certified by an EU notified body.

These different routes to conformity are broadly differentiated by electrical and non-electrical equipment, mining or non-mining equipment and 3 categories of equipment based on risk. The categories of equipment are not specifically linked to a particular hazardous zone, but generally the end user specifies Category 1 equipment for Zone 0, Category 2 equipment for Zone 1 and Category 3 for Zone 2.

ATEX equipment falls into three categories for non-mining equipment, 1, 2 and 3 and two for mining M1 and M2. For electrical equipment category 1, 2. M1 and M2 equipment must have an EU Type Examination Certificate and also a quality assurance notification for the manufacturing system. Category 3 equipment, however, permits a technical file to be prepared and retained by the manufacturer who make their own assessment of the ignition risks. It is often the case that the manufacturer will ask Eurofins CML BV to carry out the category 3 risk assessment and relevant tests for them, prepare a report and issue a Type Examination Certificate.

For non-electrical category 1 equipment, the same route is used as for electrical equipment. Category 2 non-electrical equipment requires that a technical file is prepared by the manufacturer and submitted for storage by an EU Notified Body. Eurofins CML BV provides this storage service and also can provide a gap review of the technical file before storage.

For more options on the storage of technical files please follow the link below.

For all categories of equipment Eurofins CML BV can carry out a Unit Verification approval. Unit Verification combines all of the requirements of the testing, assessment and quality inspection and can be completed for batches of equipment or individual items listed by serial number. This process negates the need to obtain a manufacturing system quality assurance notification audit (QAN).  The Notified Body verifies the compliance of the manufactured product, so the Notified Body number (2776) is included next to the CE mark.

ATEX 2014/34/EU is the new directive that has been in place since April 2016. To apply for new product approvals in line with the directive please download our application form by clicking the Web Quote Form button on the righthand side and return to us via our contact page, or for further assistance please call us on 0151 559 1160 or email cmlsalesinbox@cpt.eurofinseu.com.

An ATEX certificate does not have an expiry date that requires a product to be re-certified. However, changes in the design of the product and updates to the relevant ATEX harmonised standards can require that product certificates need to be updated.

Eurofins CML not only provides this service to holders of Eurofins CML certificates, but also helps manufacturers holding approvals from other notified bodies. They can take advantage of our certificate transfer service that becomes costs effective when moving the certificate to Eurofins CML at the same to as changing the design or incorporating standards updates at the same time.

For further advice and guidance on certificate changes, updates and transfer please contact us or complete the application form, which you can do online here: Eurofins CML Request For Quotation Form.

Manufacturers of ATEX Category 2 Non-electrical products are required to submit technical documentation to a Notified Body that describes how the product complies with the Essential Health and Safety Requirements of the ATEX directive. This documentation is required to contain at least the following:

• A general description of the product;
• Conceptual design and manufacturing drawings, schemes of components, sub-assemblies, circuits etc;
• Descriptions and explanations as necessary for the understanding of the drawings and the operation of the equipment;
• A list of the standards applied in full or in part, and descriptions of the solutions adopted to meet the safety aspects of the Directive where the standards have not been applied;
• Results of design calculations made, examinations carried out etc;
• Test reports.

Should a holder of an ATEX certificate change either the name or address of the company that manufactures the product then they are required to update any ATEX certificates with the new company details.

For further advice and guidance on certificate changes, updates and transfer please contact us.

Eurofins CML can provide trade agent certificates for ATEX approved products. For the purposes of ATEX a trade agent is an organisation that is not the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the equipment, but wants to place an already certified product on the market under its own name without reference to the OEM.

The name and address of the trade agent appears on the product labelling and certificate and not that of the OEM.

For further advice, documentation requirements and guidance on trade agent certificates please contact us or complete the application form.

Should any ATEX certified equipment be required to be rectified, inspected by a competent EX inspector under EN 60079-17, Eurofins CML can provide the equipment repair certificate based upon the receipt of the inspection report and documentary evidence of the work carried out.

For further advice and guidance on equipment repair certificates please contact us or complete the application form