Introduction to ATEX audit
ATEX audit is the first step for ensuring safety from dust explosions. It’s not an easy path but is necessary. Like any other technical audit, ATEX inspections are based on the classic PDCA cycle: Plan, Do, Check, Act. Conducting an ATEX audit is a main event in the field of ensuring the safety of workers and the integrity of equipment at enterprises whose work is associated with the presence of a threat of dust or gas explosions.
What is an ATEX audit?
ATEX is an abbreviation for French «ATmosphères EXplosibles» also is a set of European directives describing the requirements for equipment and work in potentially explosive atmospheres. In practice, ATEX audit solves problems related to reducing the risk of an explosion by developing an Explosion Protection Document (EPD) that contains:
- Identification of ignition sources.
- Assessment of the probability of an explosion.
- Distribution of roles and responsibilities in the field of explosion protection.
- Necessary measures to achieve an acceptable level of explosion risk.
- Technical audit.
Technical audit is an element of ATEX audit. It is aimed at assessing and selecting technological and electrical equipment that will be used in conditions of explosive environments. Today we will look at five key reasons why experts from the ATEX.CENTER team recommend conducting an ATEX audit.
Reason 1. Employee Health and Safety
«Safety First!». This is the key slogan of environmentally friendly manufacturing companies that value their employees' lives. Despite all the loud statements, incidents related to dust explosions still occur. That is why compliance with ATEX requirements is so necessary. Conducting an ATEX audit will help to identify critical points in time where there is an increased risk of making mistakes that can lead to an explosion. Technical audit will help you select the right equipment both at the production design stage and during the reconstruction of the existing one.
Reason 2. Compliance with legislation
Compliance with legal requirements is an integral part of the activities of modern companies. Requirements contained in the ATEX directives is mandatory for enterprises in the territory of the Eurasian Economic Union. An alternative to ATEX standards are the NFPA standards used in the USA. Failure to comply with the requirements of these standards inevitably leads to large fines for enterprises. In the event of death or serious harm to the health of workers, managers may face not only administrative but also criminal liability. Thus, conducting ATEX inspections and technical audits is a way to save money and eliminate costs.
Reason 3. Improving work efficiency
Conducting an ATEX audit reduces the risk of explosion and includes elements that improve the efficiency of the production process. The most striking example of improvements in the efficiency of a production process through technical audit is the identification of places where product leaks occur. Subsequent elimination of these leaks leads to a reduction in the consumption of raw materials used in production. In addition, eliminating possible leaks leads to a reduction in energy consumption and the use of other resources.
Reason 4. Equipment and investment protection
Conducting an ATEX inspections in a timely manner helps to identify technological equipment that requires the use of technical means to ensure explosion protection such as Venting Protective Systems or Flameless Explosion Venting Device. Active explosion suppression systems such as HRD systems are also widely used. In addition, there are explosion localization systems:
Timely ATEX audit and equipment modernization with explosion protection equipment in case of explosion will reduce the severity of consequences. This will eliminate the destruction of process equipment, thereby ensuring the continuity of the production process. Costs associated with the restoration of equipment and buildings and structures belonging to the enterprise will be excluded.
Reason 5. Increased trust from clients, partners and employees
In the event of an explosion at an enterprise, in addition to other risks, reputational risks also arise. These risks, in their negative impact, are no less harmful to business. Information about incidents at enterprises is broadcast by the media, which creates a negative image of the company that allowed the incident to occur. If the company has conducted an ATEX audit and a technical audit of the equipment in a timely manner, then the company's employees will help to form a positive opinion on explosion protection issues.
Conclusion
Conducting an ATEX audit in a timely manner ensures the safety of workers and helps prevent the destruction of process equipment, as well as buildings and structures of manufacturing enterprises. An ATEX audit also solves problems of compliance with legal requirements, increases the efficiency of production activities and eliminates reputational risks that can harm the company. It is important to remember that safety does not tolerate compromises, so be careful and order an ATEX audit from the experts of the ATEX.CENTER team, which provides a full range of services for high-quality and effective explosion protection of industrial enterprises.