Examples of ignition sources include:

  • naked flames, smoking, pilot lights
  • portable electrical equipment such as tools, radios, and fans
  • fixed electrical systems and powered circuits with potential for arcs, sparks, short circuits (see additional note below for further info on connecting or reconnecting electrical equipment in a hazardous area)
  • hot work activities such as welding, hot-cutting, grinding (can throw hot metal shavings considerable distances)
  • operating equipment with combustion engines such as forklift trucks, generators, compressors
  • hot surfaces, exhaust pipes, hot flues and ducts and frictional heating
  • mechanical sparks from impacts, e.g. lawn mower blades striking a rock, forklift tynes on concrete
  • static electricity leading to electrostatic discharges generated incidentally or by processes or activities including:
  1. low conductivity liquids, e.g. liquid hydrocarbons, flowing at high velocity through pipes and associated fittings

2. flow of powdered or granular solid materials (particularly non-conducting materials like plastic beads), e.g. moving through shutes and hoppers, and mixing and sieving
3. non-conducting drive or conveyor belts in motion
4. movement of people when insulated from earth, particularly if wearing clothing of synthetic fibres.

Pls note all are described in EN 1127-1:2012, and already added to ISO 80079-36:2016. So it is an all day duty of enduser and all hazardous area professionals.

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