FM and ATEX Compliance

[elohelae]

Hello

I work on a North sea Oil Platform with FM Motorolla Gp340 radios, however I am required to use ATEX compliant Sets as I am in a slightly hazardous area. Does the FM standard of FM3610 meet the ATEX standard of 60079-11? My belief is that the radios do not meet the ATEX standard but comes close. Close enough that we can continue their use while we change them out for the blue ones?

Does anyone have any experience in the standards side of the atex compliance in the oil industry for these sets that couls help me here?

 

[N_Jay]

FM is a US certification, and ATEX is a European certification.
The best to know how close they are would be a certification lab that does both.
I don't know these guys, but a quick Google search turned then up.
There are probably a whole lot more.
HAZLOC, UL913, UL1604, CSAC22.2 No.157, ATEX Directive

Also, remember that FM and ATEX are not a single certification.
here are many different classes of certification in each.

 

[elohelae]

First, thank you for replying.

The bone of contention surfaces around the american 3610 and the euro 60079-11 which take their data from the same survey in Buxton in the 1940s, but both have taken different conclusions from it. I asked on here, as I do not think i Would have been the first person to go through this since the change in legislation in 2003, so I was looking for some advice with it. You answer has given me more food for though, thank you for your time.

 

[N_Jay]

I would ask where you are likely to find people who work with those standards rather than with radios.

Also, since you are dealing with the legal and insurance requirements surrounding a safety issue, I would ask a professional and not a group of hobbyists.

 

[elohelae]

Thanks dude, got this question posted to different agencies and no one is willing to commit and forums like this tend to have a good mix of experience to get a different perspective of which im grateful, but thanks for your advice none the less.

 

[sdatech]

FM v ATEX

elohelae

The difinitive answers is as follows

The ATEX Directive requires compliance with Essential Health & Safety Requirements to be demonstrated before a product can be used in a potentially hazardous Area.

There are numerous ways to achieve this, but in essense it depends on the classification of the hazardous area, there are six classifications, Zone 0 (Gas), Zone 20 (Dust), Zone 1 (Gas), Zone 21 (Dust) and Zone 2 (Gas), Zone 22 (Dust).

Which one applies, depends upon the severity of the particular environment, within the Directive there are various protections concepts allowed for use in each of these Zones and you will have to decide which is the most appropriate.

None of the US standards or specifications accommodate any of the essential health & safety requirements set out in this directive, despite what protestations come from US test houses.

You say you have a slightly hazardous area, it would be nice to know what you mean by this?

Contrary to what has been said in ealier replies, there are a number of specialist companies who may be able to assist you in this, we are one of them DSAR

Should you need further guidance then visit our site

Regards

SDATECH

 

[elohelae]

sdatech

Thank you for your reply. I am operating equipment in Zone 0,1 and 2 on an offshore oil platform. I will visit your site. I had to back off from my arguement that we not meeting the standard as I did not have the proof and I exhausted the point to which my immediate management would support me. So I will approach you when i get back on the platform and go from there. I could not prove that the FM standard was not sufficient and i also could not forward my approach that even if the fm standard was safer than the ATEX directives, it did not matter as the equipment we were using was not marked as being the atex standard therefore we could not use it.

Where were you 4 days ago lol.

Anyway I appreciate the response and will contact you soon.

Thanks

 

[sdatech]

FM v ATEX

elohelae

We were here all the time, it just takes this forum some time to post our messages as we are new comers to this forum.

Anyway, from your reply, I would be very concerned if you are indeed operating equipment in a Zone 0 without expert advice, your management MUST be made aware of the inherent dangers of doing this.

There is also a thing called DSEAR, Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations, in the UK, so if your rig is in the UK Territorial Waters then this applies and sets out significant requirements for the management and operation of these facilities.

This is enforced by the Health & Safety Executive and their offshore head quarters are in Aberdeen, they have produced several ACOPS, Approved Codes of Practice, which deal with every aspect of hazardous installations.

I would advice obtaining a copy of these, they are reasonably priced at about £10 each, try HSE: Information about health and safety at work which is their web site, if you need to review them first then go here DSEAR training- Consultancy services- marking and training.

I hope this is of use to you ans we look forward to perhaps assisting you further should you require it

Regards

SDATECH