Hazardous Area Explosion-proof

Refinery units run continuously, so a lighting failure inside a process area means a permit-to-work, a partial shutdown and a maintenance crew in full PPE. Areas around crude distillation units, catalytic crackers and loading racks carry gas groups up to IIC, with ambient temperatures that leave little T-rating margin. Sulphur compounds and coastal salt air attack standard aluminium housings.

Ex d flameproof LED floodlights and high bays rated for Zone 1, with the T-class verified against your site's gas group rather than a generic T6 claim. Marine-grade aluminium housing with anti-corrosion finish, tempered glass lens, and a driver compartment sealed separately from the LED chamber - so replacing a component does not compromise the flame path. Above 10 m mounting height we pair the floodlight with narrow beam distribution to keep lux on the walkways without over-lighting the pipe racks.

Everything on a platform is exposed to salt spray, and every hour of maintenance time costs more than the fixture itself. Vibration from rotating equipment loosens cable glands; crane and helideck areas need instant restrike; escape routes need emergency backup that survives total power loss.

Fixtures with marine-grade coating and 316 stainless steel external fasteners, cable glands rated for the cable diameter actually used on site, and anti-vibration mounting brackets. We supply an emergency version with a battery pack sized to hold egress lighting for the duration specified in your safety case. For jetty and tanker loading areas we use wide-beam floodlights positioned to avoid glare on the bridge wing.

Solvent-based processes release vapours with very low ignition energies, and batch plants switch between products - so the same room can move between gas groups. Cleaning is frequent and aggressive: high-pressure washdowns with detergents that strip paint off standard fixtures. Pharmaceutical areas add hygienic design requirements on top of the ATEX ones.

We start from the solvent with the lowest ignition temperature in the room and specify the T-class against that, not against the most commonly used one. Smooth-housing fixtures with no dust traps, chemical-resistant gaskets and a finish that survives washdown. In Zone 2 areas with intermittent vapour release we can often reduce fixture count by using higher-output units at wider spacing - worth modelling before you commit to a layout.

This is a dust problem, not a gas problem - the classification is Zone 21 / Zone 22, and the requirement is that the fixture surface never gets hot enough to ignite a dust layer. Grain dust settles on everything: a fixture with a hot external surface and poor airflow becomes the ignition source. Silos, bucket elevator towers and enclosed conveyors also leave very little room to work in.

Dust-certified luminaires with maximum surface temperature verified under a dust layer, not just in clean air. Sealed to IP6X so dust cannot enter the enclosure, with a smooth outer surface and no ledges for dust to build up on. For silo interiors and elevator towers we use compact units with wide beam distribution to light vertical surfaces evenly.

Underground coal mines carry firedamp and coal dust simultaneously - the rare case where gas and dust certification must apply to the same luminaire. Above ground, processing plants deal with abrasive dust, washdown and constant vibration from crushers and screens. Lighting here is safety-critical: a failed lamp on an escape route is an incident.

Dual-certified (gas and dust) units for underground work, with impact resistance to IK08 or better, tempered glass behind a protective guard, and anti-vibration mounting. For processing plants we classify zone by zone rather than applying one rating across the whole site - a conveyor transfer point and an outdoor stockyard do not need the same fixture, and specifying them the same way wastes budget.

Spray booths and solvent mixing rooms hold vapours from low-flash-point liquids, and the lighting sits inside the booth where overspray coats the lens within weeks. Tank farms and filling stations are mostly Zone 2 - but fill points and vapour recovery units are Zone 1. One site, two classifications.

For booths: fixtures mounted flush behind sealed glazing, with a lens geometry that lets overspray be wiped off without breaking the enclosure. For tank farms we classify by distance from the fill point and specify Zone 1 units only where the drawing says Zone 1 - over-specifying the whole farm is a common and expensive mistake. Perimeter and roadway lighting around the farm uses explosion-proof street lights rated for Zone 2.