What Equipment can be installed in an Australian Hazardous Area?

In Australia, only the following certifications of explosion protected equipment may legally be installed:

• AUS Ex (where the product was made before the expiry date of the certificate – scheme now superseded)
• ANZEx (does not expire – current Australian and New Zealand scheme)
• IECEx (does not expire – World Ex certification scheme, accepted in Australia and New Zealand)

Other certifications or approvals, including ATEX, CSA, FMR and UL may not be legally installed – unless equipment certified or approved to these schemes can be proven to provide at least an equivalent level of safety to that provided by Australian standards. The Queensland Government has a safety alert issued regarding ATEX. This also covers CSA, UL and FM approvals – as well as others not listed as acceptable.

The process of obtaining a “Conformity Assessment” and is well documented in AS/NZS 60079.14:2009 Annex ZD. The process is MANDATORY if products with “other” certification are to be installed.