How Safe is Your Safety Light
Preventing Ignition in Hazardous Areas
Is your torch correctly certified? Before going into a hazardous area, you need to ask yourself that question. Your life could depend on it. This may seem dramatic but the truth is that a torch could be a very harmful tool if it is not used correctly or used in the wrong place. By that, we mean that the worker needs to be very aware of the type of area in which he or she is planning to work and of the type of torch that can (and cannot) be used there.
Why are torches required to conform to safety standards? Though they seem to be small and innocuous, the lamp and the batteries inside can be a significant source of ignition when used in a hazardous and volatile environment. The lamp filament operates at a very high temperature and some gases will ignite if they come in contact with either the filament or even the glass envelope. The batteries themselves can be a source of ignition, especially if a short circuit occurs resulting in the generation of a spark. Even the body of a plastic flashlight can build up a significant static-electric charge, and some manufacturers plate their lights with special materials to prevent such buildups Such lights are typically referred to as “Zone 1/Zone 0” torches.
In order to prevent accidents, lighting systems need to be approved to certain safety standards. There are many of them, including Underwriters Laboratory (UL), Factory Mutual (FM), Canadian Standards (CSA), Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), Mine Safety Health Administration (MSHA), and the Australian Board of Approvals (AUS). In Europe, torches for use in hazardous areas need to be certified to ATEX Safety Standards. Notified bodies certify torches to ensure that they pose no threat of ignition when operating in hazardous locations. By using only approved laboratories, torches are tested to ensure that they will withstand rigorous impact and drop tests, severe environmental exposure, and meet a minimum of IP54 ingress protection.
The notified bodies test the torches by subjecting them to worst-case scenarios. For example, the spark generated by a short circuit of the batteries is used to determine if it will ignite a chamber of gases where the torch is expected to operate. Only if the gases fail to ignite will the light be certified for operation within that environment.
Under the old European Directive, hazardous areas were classified into different zones based on the frequency and duration of the occurrence of an explosive atmosphere. These areas can appear in potential hazardous locations as explained in this image:
With ATEX, electrical equipment is classified by categories. This means that every category corresponds to an area, and each area is classified according to the length of time the flammable material can be present there, as indicated in the table 1 below.
| ATEX |
Classification CENELEC |
Recommendation on protective clothing |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | Zone 0 | Flammable material present for long periods (more than 1.000 hours per year) |
| Category 2 | Zone 1 | Flammable material present in normal operation (10-1000 hours per year) |
| Category 3 | Zone 2 | Flammable material present for short periods (less than 10 hours per year) |
How can I recognise if a torch is correctly certified by ATEX
Every torch certified by ATEX should have a code printed on its body. This code will advise the user in what kind of area the torch can be used without risk of explosion. It will also provide other information for the user, as illustrated above in Illustration 1.
i.e.: Code for L1 Zone 0
Photo Code light
With the US CLASIFICATION there are two Divisions: Division 1 (Where volatile substances can exist all of the time or some of the time under normal operating conditions) and Division 2 (Where volatile substances are not likely to exist under normal operating conditions).
Mission critical
It is imperative that a torch used by a professional such as a firefighter or plant maintenance technician operates reliably in the field. The ramification of a torch lamp failing at the critical moment when a firefighter enters a burning building needs no explanation. LED technology renders lamp filament failure, which is probably the most common mode of torch lamp failure, a thing of the past. In addition, the careful measurement of filament and LED temperature ensures that the user knows precisely in which hazardous environments the torch is safe for operation. The combination of modern LED technology and the design standards necessary to pass hazardous location ATEX certification result in an impressively high degree of reliability.
From manufacturer’s point of view
Nowadays one can find many cheap lights available on the market, but quickly after the low price has been forgotten the true degree of quality will surface. As a manufacturer of professional torches, we recommend users to check the quality of a lighting system before buying it. By quality we mean, in general terms, brightness, tough materials, safety certifications, and other features relevant to the application in which the torch will be used. It is also important to consider the guarantee that the manufacturer offers. The length of that will determine if the torch will stand the test of time and extreme conditions.
| SUBSTANCE | TYPICAL ENVIRONMENTS | CLASSIFICATION | VOLATILITY | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLASS 1 | Flammable Gases, VapoUrs or Liquids (Acetylene, Hydrogen, Ethylene, Propane) | Oil Refinery Paint Warehouse Offshore Oil Rig Spray Booth | Division 1 (Hazard Likely) Division 2 (Hazard Not Likely) | MOST |
| CLASS 2 | Combustible Dusts (Metals [Div.1 only], Coal, Grain) | Coal Mine Grain Silo Munitions Factory Hay Storage Facility | Division 1 (Hazard Likely) Division 2 (Hazard Not Likely) | |
| CLASS 3 | Ignitable Fibers & Flyings (Machined Magnesium) | Paper Mill Woodworking Facility Textile Mill Cotton Gin | Division 1 (Hazard Likely) Division 2 (Hazard Not Likely) | LEAST |
Pay now or Pay later
Professional, high-performance torches are significantly more expensive than regular incandescent ones. Purchasing agents and individual buyers may not see the rationale in purchasing such expensive lights but over a period of time, the high cost of a professional, ATEX approved torch will typically be less than a cheap one.
Failure of the lamp is typically the reason that most torches are discarded. High performance Xenon-filled lamps must withstand significant internal pressure from the gas, which translates into longer lamp life. As mentioned earlier, the inherent long life of LEDs renders lamp replacement redundant and their low battery consumption rate adds to the savings.
Ensure your work with ATEX Zone 1
The new ATEX Certified Zone 1 (Cat. 2) torch Little EdTM 3610Z1 Recoil LED has been designed for use in hazardous areas especially in chemical, electrical, gas, oil, power, pharmaceutical, fire rescue, hazmat and other high-risk industries.
With a 180°, horizontally-pivoting head, the Little EdTM 3610Z1 Recoil LED will rotate and focus light wherever it is needed. Its heavy-duty clip allows you to easily attach it to turnout gear, a work uniform or casual clothing for general use. With an impressive output of 32 lumens, this torch comes with 32 hours of battery burn time and 10,000 hours of LED life.
Author
PELICAN PRODUCTS, Inc., the leading manufacturer of professional safety torches and watertight ProtectorTM cases, was founded in 1976 by David Parker. From modest beginnings, his business developed into an international marketing and manufacturing firm with 500 staff employed around the world. The product range included torches for underwater use and protective cases for their transport and storage. Exports to Europe started in the 1980s. To strengthen the European market, PELI PRODUCTS, S.A. was founded in Barcelona, Spain, in 1997.
Since the company’s beginnings, its product range has grown dramatically. With 70 different safety torches and 40 different watertight protector cases in their catalogue, they offer one of the widest selections in this sector.
PELICAN PRODUCTS sell exclusively to distributors, who in turn supply end users such as divers, industrial customers, the film and photo industries, the police, fire brigades, and the military.
PELICAN PRODUCTS, S.A.
c/ Casp, 33-B pral
08010 Barcelona
SPAIN
Tel: +34 934 674 999
Fax: +34 934 877 393
Email: info@peli.com
