Ingress Protection

Enclosures are classified according to their ability to resist the ingress of solid objects and water/liquid by a system of numbers known as the ‘ingress protection code’ (IP).

This marking, which always appears on hazardous apparatus, consists of the letters IP followed by two numbers, e.g. IP54.

The first number, in the range of 0-6, indicates the level of protection against solid objects and particles. Higher the first number, the smaller an object, or particle, that can be prevented from entering the enclosure. 0 indicates no protection, and 6 the apparatus is dust-tight.

The second number, ranging from 0-8, identifies the level of protection against water entering the enclosure. 0 indicates that no protection is given, and 8 indicates the apparatus can withstand continuous immersion in water at a specified pressure.

See the IP Ratings Chart on the next page for more information.