Unexplained system interruptions can impact productivity in fast-paced manufacturing and distribution operations. When those operations involve flammable gases, vapours, or combustible dusts, the stakes are significantly higher.
A simple electrical fault isn’t just a downtime event in a hazardous area. It is a potential ignition source, which can lead to property damage, injury or even loss of life.
Process Control Services UK Ltd (PCS) understand that maintaining a safe site requires more than a one-off risk assessment. Whether you are managing a chemical plant, or a food production facility your electrical infrastructure must be rigorously managed to prevent catastrophic failure.
What are the Risks of Hidden Ignition Sources?
In our experience at PCS, many facilities rely on outdated hazardous area classifications that do not reflect current production volumes or changes in machinery. Combining this with a potential loose connection, aging seal, or an incorrectly rated enclosure, and cable gland for the environment, can quickly become a hidden ignition source. These remain invisible until the correct environmental conditions of heat, fuel and oxygen are met by which time it’s too late.
To mitigate these risks, we provide comprehensive DSEAR and ATEX compliance services that align your physical assets with your legal obligations. This involves moving beyond the initial paperwork, to ensure every piece of equipment is fit for the specific zone it is installed within, whether that is Zone 0, 1, or 2 for gases, or Zone 20, 21, or 22 for dust.
What are the Three Tiers of Inspection?
Relying on a standard Preventative maintenance checks alone are not enough for high-risk zones and processes. To maintain safety, Hazardous area electrical inspections follow a strict hierarchy of checks split into types & grades as defined by BS EN 60079-17 Explosive atmospheres – Part 17: Electrical installations inspection and maintenance.
The three grades detail how each inspection is carried and are as follows:
- Visual Inspections: These are conducted from the floor or ground level. The goal is to identify obvious visual damage, such as cracked enclosures or unauthorized modifications, without the need for access equipment, toolsor in the majority of cases isolation of the equipment being inspected.
- Close Inspections: This level encompasses the checks covered by a Visual inspection, whilst also including checks and methods to identify defects such as loose bolts, that can only be achieved from a hands-on approach, using access equipment, or tools to get within arm’s reach of the asset. Inspectors check the security of enclosures, the tightness of glands, and the legibility of the Ex certification labels to ensure the protection method is still
- Detailed Inspections: This is a deep-dive technical audit encompassing the criteria from both the visual and close inspections. It involves full isolation of the equipment being inspected, the opening of enclosures to check internal terminations for tightness, electrical testing of both continuity & insulation integrity of conductors & components, and to verify that the specific Ex protection methods (such as flameproof ‘d’ or intrinsic safety ‘i’) have not been compromised.
Solving Common Compliance Gaps in Manufacturing
During our site audits, we frequently discover gaps that leave duty holders vulnerable to HSE improvement notices or, worse, safety incidents. These are often preventable through better design and consistent monitoring.
Here are a few compliance gaps:
- Incorrect Equipment Selection
One of the most frequent offenders is the use of standard industrial components in a Zone 1/21 or 2/22 area, failing to meet mandatory requirements. Even a standard light switch or an inadequately rated motor can trigger an explosion if it produces a spark during normal operation or a fault condition.
- Compromised Sealing and Ingress Protection
In many food and chemical plants, aging or overtightened seals on control panels allow combustible dust or flammable vapours to bypass this layer of protection . This is particularly dangerous in dusty environments where layers can build up inside an enclosure, leading to overheating and ignition.
- Missing Safe System Designs, & Verification
Compliance is about proof. A common failure is a lack of documentation that proves every installation meets the BS EN 60079 series of standards. Without a complete asset register, missing Descriptive System Documents and verification documents , you cannot prove to an auditor that your facility is safe.
Partner With PCS for Constant Audit Readiness
Our approach at PCS is to help you transition from reactive firefighting to a stable, documented operation. By creating a live Ex asset register, collecting & compiling drawings, datasheets and system documents, whilst conducting periodic inspections programs based on environmental risk assessments, that can be spread out to suit production or typically conducted every three years to meet compliance, for general Hazardous areas within most industrial sites, we ensure that your safety systems are as robust as your production lines.
Contact Process Control Services UK Ltd 01298 79969 or email our technical team at sales@pcsukltd.co.uk to discuss your requirements or to schedule a professional audit of your electrical systems.
