Explosion Protection Services

Testing of Products Designed for Use in Dangerous or Potentially Explosive Environments

Customers for DEKRA’s explosion protection services are usually manufacturers of any equipment, components or protective systems used in potentially explosive atmospheres.

DEKRA’s explosion safety specialists help customers to minimise all risks associated with such products, components, or protective systems.

About Explosion Protection Services

DEKRA is a recognized European Notified Body for testing, assessments and certification of products designed to work in dangerous atmospheres or in potentially explosive environments, including petrol stations, gas containers or combustion energy transportation and storehouses. Our explosion safety specialists assess and certify according to the ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU, among others. Additionally, we are a founding member of the globally acknowledged IECEx scheme, through which we provide services both as a certification body (ExCB) and as a testing laboratory (ExTL). DEKRA is a UK Approved Body to deliver UKEX certification. This accreditation allows DEKRA to deliver UKCA marking under the UKEX scheme for market entry into Great Britain.

DEKRA offers one-stop certification to our clients, combining actions to prevent duplication of activities. DEKRA’s explosion protection test results are internationally accepted, providing our customers with a firm foundation for operating on a global scale. DEKRA is acknowledged by and collaborates with many national test and approval centers including FM Approvals, USCG and MSHA in the US, NEPSI and CQST in China, NANIO CCVE in Russia, and KTL, KOSHA and KGS in the Republic of Korea.

We test amongst others:

Equipment, components and protective systems used in hazardous areas
Dusts
Valves and their operating gears
Pumps
Fans
Screw conveyors
Rotary feeders
Conveyor plants
Hydraulic systems
Pneumatic systems
Valves
Couplings
Brakes
Lifting devices
Mills
Blenders
Stirring units
Compactors
Measurement equipment

Our services in detail:

Are you ready for competent determination of compliance?

Testing and certification of all types of protection according to ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU
Certification of quality management systems according to Directive 2014/34/EU
Testing and certification within the IECEx scheme
Certification of quality management systems according to IECEx scheme
Testing and certification according to Brazilian technical regulations for INMETRO
Certification of quality management systems according to Brazilian regulations for INMETRO
Testing of functional safety of electrical safety devices
Assessment and testing of electrical safety and explosion safety for North American hazardous classified areas

As a Notified Body in the Netherlands and Germany, DEKRA tests and certifies non-electrical equipment of Group I (mining) and Group II (industrial) according to Directive 2014/34/EU as well as in line with the mechanical IECEx standards. We guide manufacturers and suppliers through the whole process, from choosing the best process for assessing conformity to issuing the pertinent EC declaration of conformity.

When operating equipment assemblies (plants) in potentially explosive atmospheres, the implementation of preventive explosion protection measures is not enough to exclude explosion hazards. Constructive explosion protection always has to include an explosion-proof design of the plant in combination with explosion-protected decoupling.

Constructive explosion protection requires the use of so-called protective systems. The ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU specifies the minimum requirements for protective systems and the conformity assessment process for the EU market.

Examples of protective systems that DEKRA tests and certifies include:

Systems for pressure relief, such as explosion vents and rupture discs
Systems for suppressing explosions
Systems for explosion decoupling, such as flameproof rotary feeders, quick-closing gate valves, explosion protection valves, extinguisher barriers, double-flap valves, swing-type check valves, relief pipes and squeeze valves

Quite often, equipment is supplied or operated in combination with other equipment or components. These are often considered as single functional units (assemblies) in the scope of the Directive 2014/34/EU, IECEx 02 and INMETRO. Examples of such products are valves and their operating gear, pumps and fans. Complete plants may also be marketed as an assembly or a functional unit (like a device according to RL 2014/34/EU). For this, they need to be evaluated according to their ignition hazard, also in interaction with separate parts.

At DEKRA, we offer the following services to manufacturers of such plants and systems (assemblies) as part of the conformity assessment:

Risk assessment for the assembly regarding additional ignition hazards and other relevant risks
Test of safe use of bought-in ATEX products
Assessment of electrostatic ignition hazards at plants and within processes
Use of components without CE marking
Special requirements in the documentation (e.g. instruction manual) of assemblies

In addition, DEKRA offers solutions to manufacturers who want to assemble customized plants by combining several components into modular systems.

Knowing the flame and explosion characteristics of combustible dusts is necessary for safe handling. The type and volume of the tests are always adapted to each specific case (e.g. plant, procedure, process conditions and organizational measures). In particular, processes of segregation or enrichment of fine dust have to be considered.

DEKRA offers packages of parameter determination such as maximum explosion pressure, Kst value, minimum ignition energy and further examinations such as assessment of electrostatic ignition sources, explosion propagation modeling and investigations into causes of explosions.

Service facilities which overhaul, repair and modify equipment used in hazardous areas need to ensure continued safe operation of equipment. The IECEx 03 Certified Service Facilities scheme provides an international program for assessing and certifying explosion-related service facilities according to the requirements of IEC 60079-14, IEC 60079-17 and IEC 60079-19.

IECEx 03 enables you to demonstrate that your workshops fulfill these requirements and that you have an effective quality management system in place. The scheme also helps you to market your services internationally, as it is accepted by all IECEx countries. DEKRA is a Certification Body for IECEx 02,03,04,05 and ExCB. We work with many standards and approval bodies to help you to export your products and services worldwide.

Selected recognitions:

As the European Notified Bodies no. 0158 (DEKRA Testing and Certification GmbH) and no. 0344 (DEKRA Certification B.V.) we test, assess and certify according to:

ATEX Directive (2014/34/EU)
IECEx Certification Body
EN IEC 60079 (0 – 37)

As an IEC test lab, certification body and inspection body, we certify according to the following IEC systems:

IECEx01, 02 and 04 (equipment)
IECEx03 (facility inspection)
IECEx05 (personnel)

Furthermore, we are registered as a test house for:

INMETRO
FM Approvals
TIIS (Technology Institution of Industrial Safety)
KCs (Korean Certificate Safety)
Registered Certification Body Ex products in Japan (JPEx)

Why DEKRA?

UKCA Marking for Ex Equipment

UKCA marking will replace CE marking in Great Britain. DEKRA is a UK Approved Body for Ex equipment certification.

UKCA Marking for Ex Equipment