ATEX comes from the French term Atmosphères Explosibles. It is a European Union directive that specifies the requirements that must be met by any product intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. The detailed requirements and labeling of specific products are given in individual standards related to the ATEX directive. Requirements for products not covered by these standards are determined by individual EU member states. These requirements must not contradict the general ATEX directive nor impose additional restrictions.
Additionally, the ATEX directive imposes CE certification, which we discussed earlier. Thus, any product approved for use in explosive atmospheres must have CE certification.
Our VCA courses cover the marking of tools approved for use in explosive atmospheres and how to mark each zone in more detail. This knowledge is required for the Basic and VOL VCA exams.
Want to know more? Sign up for our Basic VCA course.
