H‑Infinity

Hazardous areas — where flammable gases, vapours, or combustible dusts are present in sufficient quantities to form explosive mixtures — represent one of the most significant fire and explosion risks in process industries. Electrical equipment installed in these areas must be designed and certified to prevent ignition sources. Our hazardous area equipment services ensure every electrical installation in a hazardous area meets the highest safety standards.

01What are Hazardous Areas?

Hazardous areas are classified based on the frequency and duration of explosive atmosphere presence:

▸Zone 0 (Gas) — Explosive atmosphere present continuously or for long periods. Requires equipment with highest protection level (Ga / Ex ia).
▸Zone 1 (Gas) — Explosive atmosphere likely to occur in normal operation. Equipment must be certified for Zone 1 (Gb / Ex eb ib).
▸Zone 2 (Gas) — Explosive atmosphere unlikely or short duration. Equipment protection level Gc (Ex eb tc).
▸Dust Zones (20, 21, 22) — Combustible dust present. Classified per IEC 60079-10-2 with corresponding equipment requirements.

The gas group (IIC for ethylene, IIB for propane, IIA for propane) and temperature class (T1–T6, max surface temperature) further define equipment requirements.

02Why Correct Equipment Selection Matters

Using wrong equipment in a hazardous area is extremely dangerous:

▸Explosion Risk — Non-certified or incorrectly rated equipment can create sparks or hot surfaces that ignite explosive atmospheres.
▸Regulatory Compliance — ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU and IECEx certification are mandatory in most jurisdictions for equipment in hazardous areas.
▸Cost of Non-Compliance — Using over-specified equipment inflates costs unnecessarily; using under-specified equipment creates liability.
▸Inspection & Insurance — Regulatory inspectors and insurance underwriters will reject installations that don't have proper certification documentation.

03Our Approach

We classify hazardous areas and select appropriate equipment:

1. Hazardous Area Classification

Conduct hazardous area classification studies per IEC 60079-10-1/2 to define zones, gas groups, and temperature classes.

2. Equipment Specification

Specify explosion-protected equipment using appropriate protection methods — flameproof (Ex d), intrinsic safety (Ex i), pressurisation (Ex p), encapsulation (Ex m).

3. Certification Review

Review supplier certificates (ATEX, IECEx, CompEX) to verify equipment is certified for the specified zone, gas group, and temperature class.

4. Installation Guidance

Provide installation requirements for hazardous area equipment including cable sealing, grounding, and enclosure protection.

04Scope of CompEX Services

Our hazardous area services include:

▸Hazardous Area Classification Drawings — Zone drawings showing Ex boundaries, zone extents, and classification boundaries.
▸Ex Equipment Datasheets — Technical specifications for all explosion-protected equipment including instruments, junction boxes, and enclosures.
▸Intrinsic Safety Documentation — Interconnection drawings, barrier specifications, and certification cross-referencing for Ex i circuits.
▸Technical Bid Evaluation — Review supplier compliance sheets for Ex equipment to verify certification validity and suitability.

05Standards & Compliance

✓IEC 60079 Series — Explosive Atmospheres

✓ATEX 2014/34/EU — Equipment for Ex Areas

✓IECEx — International Certification Scheme

✓CompEX — UK Certification for Ex Equipment

06Why H-Infinity

Our team includes Certified Explosive Atmosphere Specialists (CompEX-trained) with experience on refineries, petrochemical plants, and gas facilities across the Middle East. We've classified hazardous areas for facilities handling hydrogen sulfide, methane, volatile organic compounds, and combustible dusts. Our documentation is comprehensive and our equipment specifications enable fair, accurate bid comparisons.

Hazardous Area Equipment (CompEX)