Hazardous Areas (ATEX)
Working in Hazardous Areas
A hazardous area is any location where flammable gases, vapours, mists, or combustible dusts may be present in
quantities sufficient to cause an explosion. In these environments, standard electrical and fire detection equipment is
a genuine ignition risk — every device installed, from a heat detector to a sounder, must be certified explosion-
protected (Ex-rated) and matched to the specific zone, gas group, and temperature classification of the area it serves.
Rostek designs, supplies, installs, and maintains ATEX and IECEx-certified fire and gas detection systems for
classified areas across pharmaceutical, industrial, energy, and process environments, ensuring full compliance with
ATEX and Irish Standard requirements.
Typical Hazardous Area Environments & Plant Types
Hazardous areas occur wherever flammable substances are processed, stored, or transferred. Plant and building types
we commonly work in include:
- Pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing — solvent stores, mixing rooms, and cleaning areas
- Chemical and petrochemical processing plants
- Oil, gas, and fuel storage and distribution terminals
- Food and beverage processing — grain, flour, and sugar handling with combustible dust risk
- Wastewater and effluent treatment facilities — methane and biogas areas
- Paint spray booths and surface finishing lines
- Battery, EV, and lithium-ion manufacturing and storage facilities
- Print, packaging, and solvent-based coating operations
- Offshore, marine, and energy infrastructure
ATEX Zone Classifications
Hazardous areas are classified by zone, reflecting how often and for how long an explosive atmosphere is likely to
be present. Every product specified for a classified area must be rated for its zone.
Gas, vapour, and mist atmospheres:
- Zone 0 — explosive atmosphere present continuously or for long periods (e.g. inside a storage tank)
- Zone 1 — explosive atmosphere likely to occur periodically during normal operation
- Zone 2 — explosive atmosphere not expected during normal operation, and if it occurs, only briefly
Combustible dust atmospheres: - Zone 20 — combustible dust cloud present continuously or for long periods
- Zone 21 — combustible dust cloud likely to occur periodically during normal operation
- Zone 22 — combustible dust cloud not expected during normal operation, and if it occurs, only briefly
Equipment is selected to match not only the zone, but also the gas or dust group and the maximum surface
temperature (T-rating) relevant to the specific substances present on site.
& mist
Zone 0
Explosive gas atmosphere present continuously or for long periods
Zone 1
Likely to occur periodically during normal operation
Zone 2
Not expected in normal operation; if it occurs, only briefly
dust
Zone 20
Combustible dust cloud present continuously or for long periods
Zone 21
Likely to occur periodically during normal operation
Zone 22
Not expected in normal operation; if it occurs, only briefly
Typical ATEX-Rated Products We Install
Every device in a classified area must be explosion-protected and certified for its zone. Depending on the risk profile
of the plant, a typical ATEX-rated system includes:
Typical ATEX-Rated Products
Flame Detectors
UV / IR, UV/IR detection
of open flame
Heat Detectors
Fixed & rate-of-rise,
Ex-rated
Gas Detectors
Fixed point &
open-path monitoring
Ex Sounders & Beacons
Explosion-proof &
intrinsically safe alarms
Manual Call Points
Ex-rated combination
alarm units
Ex Barriers & Cabling
Intrinsically safe
barriers & glanding
- Flame detectors — UV, IR, or combined UV/IR detectors for fast-response detection of open flame in high-risk process areas
- Heat detectors — Ex-rated fixed and rate-of-rise heat detectors for areas where smoke detection is unsuitable
- Gas detectors — fixed point and open-path detectors for flammable and toxic gas monitoring
- Specialty Ex-rated sounders and beacons — explosion-proof and intrinsically safe audible and visual alarm devices for Zone 0–2 and 20–22 environments
- Ex-rated manual call points and combination alarm units
- Intrinsically safe barriers, junction boxes, and Ex-rated cabling and glanding systems
Brands We Use
We specify and install products from partners and other manufacturers based on project requirements, selected for their proven ATEX and IECEx certification and reliability in classified environments.
Talk to Rostek About Your Hazardous Area Project
Whether you’re planning a new ATEX-classified facility or upgrading detection in an existing hazardous area, our team can design, install, and maintain a fully compliant system.