ESD measurements in explosion hazard zone
Not every electrostatic problem is immediately apparent. Sometimes it is not a visible spark, but a charge that accumulates – on the machine housing, on an installation component, on a person. In explosion hazard areas, this is enough to trigger a scenario that no one wants to test in practice. ESD discharge does not ask about procedures or intentions – it reacts to conditions.
Therefore, ESD measurements in Ex zones are not an addition to safety, but its real foundation. At Atex Consulting, we approach them differently than just a “check for the record.” We verify whether the installation actually dissipates charges, whether the grounding works in practice and not just on paper, and whether the electrostatic risk is under control here and now – in a specific process, in a specific location of the plant.
If your facility contains flammable gases, vapours or dust, ESD is not just theory. It is one of the most common and yet most overlooked sources of ignition. Contact us and check whether your installation really meets ATEX requirements – before a spark does.
or call +48 690 025 027
Andrzej Bobula
Safety expert in the field of ATEX and machine safety, specialising in explosion risk assessment and analysis of machines used in the production of explosives. Authorised to perform work related to access to explosives (Military Institute of Armament Technology). He has extensive experience in the certification of machinery in accordance with ATEX standards and the assessment of machinery compliance with the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC (CE).
Why is ESD in Ex zones a topic that should not be oversimplified?
In most plants, electrostatic charges are treated as a side effect – something that “sometimes happens” but rarely poses a real problem. In explosion hazard zones, this logic no longer applies. Here, no open flame or short circuit is needed for ignition to occur. All it takes is accumulated charge, a small potential difference and a moment of discharge – often completely invisible to the eye.
This is why ESD measurements in Ex zones are not an addition to standard electrical measurements. Their purpose is not to confirm that “the installation is working”, but to check whether electrostatic conditions create a potential source of ignition. We are talking about real process situations: media flow, friction, spillage, movement of people and equipment. If there is nowhere for the charge to discharge in such an environment, the risk increases very quickly.
ESD measurements as part of risk control, not a formality
In Ex zones, measurements are not taken “for the sake of paperwork”. ESD measurements are intended to answer specific questions that determine the safety of the plant:
- whether electrostatic charges are effectively discharged to earth,
- whether electrostatic charges are effectively discharged to earth,
- whether installation components that appear to be “safe” accumulate ignition energy.
At Atex Consulting, we treat ESD as part of the broader picture of explosion hazards, rather than a separate measurement taken during an inspection. That is why we always look at the process as a whole – technology, media, people and installation. Because in explosion hazard zones, it is not spectacular failures that are the most dangerous, but minor, repetitive phenomena that go unnoticed for a long time. And ESD is one of them.
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Call +48 690 025 027 or send an email to biuro@atex-doradztwo.pl *You will receive an offer within 24 hours.
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What does our scope of measurements of antistatic floors and support in Ex zones look like? From analysis to real technical decisions
At Atex Consulting, we don’t start with a meter. We start by understanding where we are and what we are dealing with. Every installation in an Ex zone operates in a specific technological context – different hazards occur when transporting flammable liquids, different ones when transporting dust, and yet others in gas installations. Therefore, the starting point is always an explosion risk assessment, which allows us to identify realistic ignition scenarios and particularly sensitive areas. Based on this, we plan further actions – both measurement and organisational.
Only then do we proceed to the actual measurements in Ex zones – electrical and electrostatic. We perform, among other things, measurements of insulation resistance, continuity of protective and compensating conductors, effectiveness of electric shock protection, as well as key parameters from the point of view of ESD. At the same time, we assess whether the technical solutions used actually correspond to the working conditions, and not just to the documentation. Very often, at this stage, differences between the “design” and reality come to light – and it is these differences that are most important for safety.
The scope of our services also includes electrical measurements of machines operating in potentially explosive atmospheres or in their immediate vicinity. We check not only the power supply installation itself, but also the method of connection, the condition of earthing, points of potential charge accumulation and compliance with ATEX requirements. Each measurement has one goal: to provide data on the basis of which informed technical decisions can be made, rather than guessing whether “it is still safe”.
We have over 12 years of experience in the industry.
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