Inspection of hazardous area equipment

EMMUA 214 States: Page 48

5.1 Introduction

Inspection plays a major part in ensuring the on-going safety of personnel equipment and the environment.

There are four recognised types of inspection: initial, periodic, sample and continuous supervision.

Additionally, there are three different grades of inspection: detailed (D), close (C) or visual (V) - see section 12 for definitions.

Initial inspection should be detailed and carried out before equipment is brought into service, Periodic inspections are those carried out on a routine basis and should be visual or close in nature.

Sample inspections are carried out on a defined subset of equipment and should be used to monitor the effects of environmental condition, vibrations, design weakness etc. as opposed to being used to reveal random faults like loose connections. They may be visual, close or detailed.

Initial inspections are now regarded as part of the installation process. In year 2013 they were moved from the inspection standard (IEC 60079-17) to the installation standard (IEC 60079-14).

Initial inspections are to check that the selected type of protection and its installation are appropriate. They are to be detailed as referred to in 60079-14 Tables C. 1, C.2 or C.3 as appropriate. The results of initial inspections shall be formally recorded.

5.2 Periodic inspections

5.2.1 Fixed equipment

The interval between periodic inspections shall not exceed three years without seeking expert advice. The basis for changing the inspection period shall be documented.

5.2.2 Movable equipment

Movable electrical equipment (hand-held, transportable) is particularly prone to damage therefore the interval between periodic to be reduced.

The interval between periodic inspections shall the following without seeking expert advice:

a) hand-held and portable equipment shall be checked by the user, before each use, to equipment is not obviously damaged;

b) all equipment shall be submitted to a close least every 12 months;

c) enclosures which are frequently opened housings) shall be given a detailed inspection every 6 months.

The basis for changing the inspection period documented.

5.3 Specific Inspection Requirements: IEC 60079-17 Tables 1 to 3

The inspection approach followed in the following tables aligns with IEC 60079-17 but is limited requirements for the main protection types against the risk of ignition of flammable gas or dust atmospheres:

IEC 60079-17 Table 1. Protection ‘d’ ‘e’ ‘n’ and ‘t’ installations;

IEC 60079-17 Table 2. Protection ‘i’