scope:

This report gives guidance on the design, selection and erection of electrical installations in areas where there may be explosive gas atmospheres.

Note - Although most of this report is worded in the mandatory form, it offers guidance on installation for which the non-mandatory form of wording is more appropriate. It is up to each National Committee drafting installation rules based on this report to decide which form of wording to use in their national standard or report.

This report is applicable to all permanent electrical installations within the scope of IEC Publication 364-1: Electrical Installations of Buildings, Part 1: Scope, Object and Definitions. However, this report may be applied, where appropriate, to electrical installations at higher voltages than the upper limit of IEC Publication 364-1, namely 1 000 V a.c. Wherever possible the recommendations of this report should also be applied to electrical installations which may be regarded as temporary, such as experimental, prototype or pilot industrial installations.

This report is not applicable to:

a) electrical installations excluded by the scope of IEC Publication 364-1;

b) electrical installations in mines susceptible to firedamp;

Note. - It may apply to electrical installations in mines where explosive atmospheres other than firedamp may be formed and to electrical installations in the surface installation of mines.

c) electrical installations in areas where the hazard is due to ignitable dusts, or fibres, or from explosives.