In many cases there are health risks associated with exposure to gases and vapours, and laboratory work will be designed to minimise releases, and control concentrations in the air people breath. `Special precautions' are taken to be design features of electrical and other equipment that prevent it creating an ignition source. Instead, the requirement to designate a hazardous area relates to places where special precautions are needed to protect the health and safety of employees. No lower threshold for quantities of materials or risk for this is given.
Specifically they require employers to classify areas where explosive atmospheres may form, using the principles of hazardous area classification. The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 require a risk assessment of the fire and explosion hazards at a much wider range of workplaces, including laboratories of all kinds. It has long been a widely used technique in the chemical industry, as a step towards deciding whether electrical and other equipment needs special protective features in order to prevent it causing a fire or explosion. Hazardous area classification is a technique for assessing the probability of formation of a flammable atmosphere and its likely duration. Health and safety inspectors seek to secure compliance with the law, and may refer to this guidance as illustrating good practice. But if you do follow the guidance you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law. Following the guidance is not compulsory, and you are free to take other action. This guidance is issued by the Health and Safety Executive. Hazardous area classification and Laboratory operations Overview - Ignition of potentially explosive atmospheres.Ignition of potentially explosive atmospheres.Failing to warn driver of overhead lines.General, guidance and enforcement issues.Overview - Electricity in potentially explosive atmospheres FAQs.
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