Expected Sources of Energies in Hazardous Spectrum and Their Control: Ensuring the Safe use of Mobile Devices in the Work Environment

At the 2018 IEEE Petroleum and Chemical Industry Technical Conference a paper was presented titled “Unexpected Sources of Energies Weeding Through Hazardous Spectrum” [1]. In addition to sparking and hot surfaces, that paper addressed restricted use of electronic devices such as cell phones or tablets in classified hazardous locations or “explosive atmospheres.” Since then, advancement in technology and changes in the certification standards have made the landscape of mobility devices including smartphones and tablets a bit more confusing when it comes to their use in classified hazardous locations, such as Class I, Divisions 1 and 2, and Zones 1 and 2. This article will cover in detail the design aspects of these pieces of equipment, as well as their development and deployment in the field, to ensure safe working conditions. Additionally, it will cover some updates in the standards to clarify what is appropriate and what is not, when verifying if equipment is safe for use in classified hazardous locations. While it can be challenging to do, equipment can be properly designed and certified for use in a classified hazardous location, for global use. Applicable standards are in place, and continuous technology improvement renders these certified devices accessible and available to the market for use in hazardous locations. These certified devices serve the needs of several end users across the globe for certified safety in these devices, allowing them to benefit from advanced technology in hazardous locations.