Explosion Proof Lighting | Class I Div 1/2 Certified | ISS

We’ve all seen an action movie or two where a lamp it tipped over, causing the bulb to break and ignite a flammable substance. The hero then rushes in and saves the day. This scenario is good for movies but really bad for workplaces that frequently deal with flammable or explosive material. An intrinsically safe light is designed to be incapable of releasing sufficient electrical or thermal energy under normal or specified fault conditions to cause ignition of a specific hazardous atmosphere. In this blog post, we’ll talk about intrinsically safe lighting, and the similarly named explosion proof lighting. How are they different? How are they the same? How do they work? If you are dealing with hazardous materials, then the answer to these questions will be important to you.

Intrinsically Safe vs Explosion Proof Lighting

These two similar terms describe two different approaches to ensuring that your hazardous location lighting does not put you or your employees at risk. Intrinsically safe devices are designed to limit the available electrical and thermal energy to a level so low that it cannot ignite a specific hazardous atmosphere, even under fault conditions. These devices will have components placed in such a way to eliminate the possibility of a short circuit. They will have monitors on the battery to prevent overcharging, and to monitor the battery and shut it off if any signs of failure are detected. You may have heard news reports about cell phone batteries, electronic cigarette batteries, or electronic scooter batteries venting in a violent way and causing fires. These instances are very rare. But if you are working with flammable substances, you need greater assurances that your battery-powered equipment will not cause a massive loss of life or property. These extra fail safes add to the cost of the devices but provide you with a priceless piece of mind.

Explosion proof fixtures take a slightly different approach. They concern themselves less with reducing the possibility that the light contained within can ever cause a spark and focus instead on making sure that any potential spark is safely contained. Like intrinsically safe devices, a variety of manufacturing steps above and beyond conventional consumer devices are employed to meet this goal. A conventional light fixture might not fully contain the lighting element at all. It will certainly provide little protection from heat or impact. Explosion-proof light fixtures ensure that any internal ignition is contained within a robust enclosure. This enclosure is designed with precisely engineered flame paths (e.g., threaded joints) that cool any escaping hot gases below the autoignition temperature of the surrounding hazardous atmosphere. This design ensures that an internal fault is contained, preventing it from igniting the surrounding hazardous environment.

What Forms of Hazardous Area Lighting are Available?

Lighting requirements come in a variety of different forms, and there are intrinsically safe or explosion proof lighting options to meet all of your needs. A work area will certainly need fixed lighting to illuminate the area so that your workers can safely and effectively do their job. Explosion proof fluorescent lights or explosion proof LED fixtures provide excellent options for permanent light fixtures.

Explosion Proof Fixtures

Explosion proof lights come in various forms to suit your lighting needs. Explosion proof LED lights generally have long-lasting LED lights built into them. Explosion proof light fixtures might be designed to safely contain a halide light element, or they may come in the form of explosion proof fluorescent light fixtures.

Understanding Explosion Proof LED Light Fixtures

While various types of explosion proof lighting exist, explosion proof LED light fixtures have become the industry standard for hazardous locations. Unlike traditional fluorescent or incandescent bulbs that have fragile filaments and can generate significant heat, LEDs are solid-state devices. This makes them inherently more durable and less prone to failure from vibration or impact. Their lower operating temperature also reduces the surface heat of the fixture, adding another layer of safety.

The construction of an explosion proof LED fixture is centered around containment. These fixtures typically feature heavy-duty, non-sparking housings made from materials like cast aluminum or stainless steel. They are sealed with robust gaskets and feature thick, tempered glass lenses that can withstand the pressure of an internal ignition without shattering. All wiring entry points are threaded for sealed conduit connections, ensuring that the entire system maintains its integrity and prevents any internal event from escaping to the external hazardous atmosphere.

Key Features & Benefits of Explosion Proof LED Lighting

Choosing certified explosion proof LED fixtures provides several critical advantages for operations in hazardous environments.

Enhanced Safety and Compliance

The primary benefit is safety. These fixtures are rigorously tested and certified to meet strict standards such as ATEX, IECEx, and NEC (for Class/Division locations). Using certified equipment is not just a best practice; it’s a requirement for regulatory compliance, protecting personnel and preventing catastrophic accidents.

Superior Durability and Longevity

LEDs have an exceptionally long operational life, often exceeding 50,000 hours. This drastically reduces the frequency of replacements, which can be a complex and high-risk task in a hazardous area. Their robust construction ensures they can withstand harsh industrial conditions, including exposure to corrosive materials, extreme temperatures, and high-impact environments.

Operational Efficiency and Cost Savings

LED technology is significantly more energy-efficient than older lighting technologies. This translates directly to lower electricity costs over the life of the fixture. Combined with the minimal maintenance requirements, the total cost of ownership for explosion proof LED lighting is substantially lower than that of its traditional counterparts.

Portable Explosion Proof Lighting

Not all areas that your workers go into are going to be suitable for fixed lighting. In many instances, you will need portable explosion proof lighting to keep your area safe. Thankfully you can also purchase explosion proof flashlights or intrinsically safe flashlights that will light your worker’s way without putting them in any danger.

Intrinsically safe flashlights, like all intrinsically safe lighting, will have circuitry in the battery to prevent it from causing a spark that could ignite hazardous materials in your facility. explosion proof flashlights contain the battery and bulb in a housing strong enough to withstand an internal ignition, cooling any escaping gases through flame paths to prevent an external explosion.

A variation of an intrinsically safe flashlight is an intrinsically safe headlamp, for those situations where your workers will need both of their hands to get the job done.

Other Hazardous Area Lighting

An explosion proof horn strobe will make sure that your fire alarm system doesn’t become a fire hazard of its own. Pretty much any form of lighting you can think of is available in an explosion proof or intrinsically safe form.

What Are The Hazardous Area Classifications?

This is a very important question. When a manufacturer creates intrinsically safe or explosion proof devices, they need to know exactly which environments they are developing for. Different types of flammable and explosive materials have different properties that need to be prepared for. Hazardous areas are classified based on the type of flammable substance and the likelihood of its presence. This classification system is used by qualified engineers and safety professionals to specify the correct equipment and protection levels required for a given area, in accordance with standards like NEC, ATEX, or IECEx. Let’s go over the most common rating systems.

There are three major ratings that you may see on intrinsically safe or explosion proof lighting equipment. Atex, IECEx, or the North American System. All three of those systems separate the types of materials into two classifications, the first being vapor, gas, or mist based materials and the second being airborne dust based materials.

For the North American system, a Class I rating covers flammable gases, vapors, or mists, and a Class II rating covers combustible dusts. That system breaks each of the two classes into two divisions. Division 1 covers environments where there is likely to be exposure to the material on a regular basis. Division 2 is for areas where exposure is less frequent.

Atex and IECEx use a similar system to one another. Both of them break the ratings down into zones. There are two sets of zones for the two types of materials mentioned above. The zones are listed below.

• Zone 0 – A place in which an explosive atmosphere consisting of a mixture with air of flammable substances in the form of gas, vapor or mist is present continuously or for long periods or frequently.
• Zone 1 – A place in which an explosive atmosphere consisting of a mixture with air or flammable substances in the form of gas, vapor or mist is likely to occur in normal operation occasionally.
• Zone 2 – A place in which an explosive atmosphere consisting of a mixture with air of flammable substances in the form of gas, vapor or mist is not likely to occur in normal operation but, if it does occur, will persist for a short period only.

• Zone 20 – A place in which an explosive atmosphere in the form of a cloud of combustible dust in the air is present continuously, or for long periods or frequently.
• Zone 21 – A place in which an explosive atmosphere in the form of a cloud of combustible dust in the air is likely to occur in normal operation occasionally.
• Zone 22 – A place in which an explosive atmosphere in the form of a cloud of combustible dust in the air is not likely to occur in normal operation but, if it does occur, will persist for a short period only.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary difference between explosion proof and intrinsically safe lighting?

Explosion proof lighting is designed to contain an internal explosion within its housing, preventing it from igniting a surrounding hazardous atmosphere. Intrinsically safe lighting is designed to be low-energy, operating on electrical circuits that are incapable of producing a spark or thermal effect sufficient to cause an ignition in the first place.

Are all LED lights explosion proof?

No, absolutely not. A standard, off-the-shelf LED light is not safe for hazardous areas. Only LED lights that are specifically designed, tested, and certified with heavy-duty, sealed enclosures can be classified as explosion proof. Always check for proper certifications like ATEX, IECEx, or Class/Division ratings.

How do I select the right explosion proof LED fixture for my facility?

Selection depends entirely on your specific hazardous area classification. You must identify the Class, Division, and Group (for North America) or the Zone and Gas/Dust Group (for ATEX/IECEx) that corresponds to your environment. This information dictates the level of protection required for your lighting fixture.

Conclusion

Now that you know what hazardous area lighting is and what it can do for your business, you can see our full selection of explosion proof lighting and intrinsically safe lighting products on our website. Each of these products will have their rating displayed prominently. The full certification papers are available in PDF format. If you need help selecting the correct explosion proof fixture for your specific application, please feel free to talk to a hazardous-area specialist for a detailed quote.