Equipment and Protective Systems Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996

Equipment-group I

1.—(a) Category M 1 comprises equipment designed and, where necessary, equipped with additional special means of protection to be capable of functioning in conformity with the operational parameters established by the manufacturer and ensuring a very high level of protection.

Equipment in this category is intended for use in underground parts of mines as well as those parts of surface installations of such mines endangered by firedamp and/or combustible dust.

Equipment in this category is required to remain functional, even in the event of rare incidents relating to equipment, with an explosive atmosphere present, and is characterized by means of protection such that:

• either, in the event of failure of one means of protection, at least an independent second means provides the requisite level of protection,

• or the requisite level of protection is assured in the event of two faults occurring independently of each other.

• Equipment in this category must comply with the supplementary requirements referred to in requirement 2.0.1 of Annex II to the ATEX Directive(1).

(b) Category M 2 comprises equipment designed to be capable of functioning in conformity with the operational parameters established by the manufacturer and ensuring a high level of protection.

Equipment in this category is intended for use in underground parts of mines as well as those parts of surface installations of such mines likely to be endangered by firedamp and/or combustible dust.

This equipment is intended to be de-energized in the event of an explosive atmosphere.

The means of protection relating to equipment in this category assure the requisite level of protection during normal operation and also in the case of more severe operating conditions, in particular those arising from rough handling and changing environmental conditions.

Equipment in this category must comply with the supplementary requirements referred to in requirement 2.0.2 of Annex II to the ATEX Directive.

(1)

See Schedule 2 to these Regulations