IEC 60079-10-1:2015 is concerned with the classification of areas where flammable gas or vapour hazards may arise and may then be used as a basis to support the proper selection and installation of equipment for use in hazardous areas. It is intended to be applied where there may be an ignition hazard due to the presence of flammable gas or vapour, mixed with air, but it does not apply to:
- mines susceptible to firedamp;
- the processing and manufacture of explosives;
- catastrophic failures or rare malfunctions which are beyond the concept of abnormality dealt with in this standard (see 3.7.3 and 3.7.4);
- rooms used for medical purposes;
- commercial and industrial applications where only low pressure fuel gas is used for appliances e.g. for cooking, water heating and similar uses, where the installation is compliant with relevant gas codes;
- domestic premises;
- where a hazard may arise due to the presence of combustible dusts or combustible flyings but the principles may be used in assessment of a hybrid mixture (refer also IEC 60079-10-2). This second edition of IEC 60079-10-1 cancels and replaces the first edition, published in 2008, and constitutes a technical revision. The significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition are identified in the Foreward of the document. Keywords: ignition hazards, flammable gas or vapour, risk of explosions