Industrial Facilities Gain New Area Classification Guidelines

Both the United States National Electrical Code (NEC) {1 ] and the Canadian Electrical Code (CEC) [2] provide special rules for installing electrical equipment in hazardous (classified) locations. Hazardous (classified) locations are those locations where fire or explosion hazards may exist due to flammable gases or vapors, flammable liquids, combustible dust, or easily ignitible fibers or flyings. Only Class I materials (gases and vapors) are within the scope of American Petroleum Institute (API) RP500 and RP505. Both the NEC and the CEC further provide guidelines for dividing such locations into “Divisions" and “Zones," designating the probability that flammable materials will be present. However, the guidelines are quite general, and it is unlikely that two individuals "classifying” the same location would arrive at the same, or perhaps even similar, area classifications with only the general guidance of the two Codes.