ATEX certification is the mandatory compliance framework for electrical and mechanical equipment used in explosive atmospheres within the European Union and many international markets that adopt EU standards. For engineers, procurement specialists, and HSE managers selecting explosion-proof cameras, lighting, sensors, and other electrical equipment, understanding ATEX certification—what it covers, how it works, and what the markings mean—is essential to safe and compliant specifications.
What Is ATEX Certification?
ATEX takes its name from the French ATmospheres EXplosibles. The ATEX regulatory framework consists of two EU Directives:
- ATEX 114 (Equipment Directive 2014/34/EU): Governs the design, manufacture, and certification of equipment intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. This is the directive that applies when purchasing certified equipment.
- ATEX 153 (Workplace Directive 1999/92/EC): Governs the employer’s obligations for assessing explosive atmosphere risks in the workplace, classifying hazardous areas, and ensuring only appropriately certified equipment is used.
Together, these directives require that any equipment placed on the EU market for use in explosive atmospheres carry ATEX certification from an EU Notified Body—an independent third-party testing and certification organization approved by an EU member state government.
How ATEX Certification Works
The ATEX certification process follows a structured path:
- Technical documentation: The manufacturer prepares a technical file documenting the design, construction, protection concept, and test results.
- EU Notified Body review: An accredited Notified Body (such as DEKRA, Bureau Veritas, SGS, or TUV Rheinland) examines the technical file and may conduct or witness physical testing against the applicable IEC 60079 series standards.
- EC Type Examination Certificate: If the equipment meets the standard requirements, the Notified Body issues an EC Type Examination Certificate (Ex Certificate).
- CE Marking and DoC: The manufacturer affixes the CE mark and Ex mark to the equipment and issues a Declaration of Conformity (DoC) for each product unit placed on the market.
- Production quality assurance: Category 1 and 2 equipment additionally requires ongoing production quality assurance audits by the Notified Body to confirm manufacturing consistency.
Reading ATEX Certification Markings
Every piece of ATEX certified equipment carries a standardized marking that encodes its protection characteristics. For example:
II 2 G Ex d IIC T6 Gb
Breaking this down:
| Element | Meaning |
|---|---|
| II | Equipment Group II (surface industry, excluding mines) |
| 2 | Category 2 (suitable for Zone 1 and Zone 2) |
| G | Gas/vapor hazard (D = dust) |
| Ex d | Flameproof enclosure protection type |
| IIC | Gas Group IIC (hydrogen, acetylene — highest risk) |
| T6 | Temperature class T6 (max surface temperature 85°C) |
| Gb | Equipment Protection Level b for gas (normal level of protection) |
A camera marked II 2 G Ex d IIB T6 Gb would be suitable for Zone 1 gas hazards in Group IIB substances (ethylene, cyclopropane) but not Group IIC (hydrogen). Always match the gas group to the substances present at your site.
ATEX Equipment Groups and Categories
ATEX categorizes equipment into groups and categories based on where and how the protection is applied:
- Group I: Mining equipment (coal mines with methane/dust). Not applicable to most surface industrial sites.
- Group II: All surface industries with gas, vapor, mist, or dust hazards. This covers refineries, chemical plants, pharmaceutical plants, grain facilities, etc.
Categories under Group II:
- Category 1G/1D: Suitable for Zone 0 (gas) or Zone 20 (dust). Very high protection level. Required for continuous or very frequent explosive atmospheres.
- Category 2G/2D: Suitable for Zone 1 (gas) or Zone 21 (dust). High protection. This covers the majority of process industry applications.
- Category 3G/3D: Suitable for Zone 2 (gas) or Zone 22 (dust). Normal protection. Lower cost but only permitted where explosive atmospheres are unlikely to occur during normal operations.
ATEX vs IECEx: What Is the Difference?
ATEX certification is EU-mandatory; IECEx is a voluntary international scheme based on the same IEC 60079 technical standards. Many manufacturers hold both ATEX and IECEx certificates for the same product. IECEx certificates are recognized by national schemes in Australia, South Africa, Singapore, and others, making them valuable for globally deployed equipment. For projects solely within the EU, ATEX alone is sufficient. For global procurement, dual ATEX/IECEx certification is strongly recommended. See our full ATEX vs IECEx vs NEC comparison for more detail.
ATEX Certification for Cameras and Surveillance Equipment
Explosion-proof cameras for ATEX certified installations must carry the appropriate Group II, Category 2G (Zone 1) or Category 3G (Zone 2) certificate. The protection type for full-featured cameras is almost always Ex d (flameproof enclosure), which allows full AC or PoE+ power delivery for motorized PTZ, IR illumination, and high-resolution imaging. Intrinsically safe (Ex ia/ib) cameras exist but are power-limited to fixed, low-resolution designs.
Veilux explosion-proof cameras carry ATEX certification (Group II, Category 2G, Ex d IIC T6) alongside IECEx and UL Class I Division 1 certifications, providing a single globally compliant product for EU, international, and North American hazardous area projects.
Finding and Verifying ATEX Certificates
ATEX certificates are public documents. You can verify any ATEX certificate by searching the EU’s ATEX Equipment Notified Body database or requesting the EC Type Examination Certificate directly from the manufacturer. Legitimate certificates include the Notified Body’s four-digit identification number (e.g., 0518 for DEKRA, 0081 for Bureau Veritas).
Contact Veilux to receive ATEX certificate copies and DoC documentation for your project’s HAZOP review and engineering compliance package.
Related Reading
- ATEX vs IECEx vs NEC: Certification Comparison
- Hazardous Area Classification: Complete Guide
- Zone 1 vs Division 1: ATEX and NEC Classification
- Intrinsically Safe vs Explosion-Proof Cameras Explained
The official ATEX Directive text and Notified Body list are available at European Commission ATEX page.
Need explosion-proof cameras for your facility?
Veilux has designed and supplied explosion-proof surveillance systems for oil refineries, chemical plants, offshore platforms, grain elevators, and mining operations. Our engineers review your hazardous area classification and specify certified cameras that meet every code requirement.
About the Author
Daniel Fernandez
Daniel Fernandez is a hazardous area security systems specialist with over a decade of experience specifying ATEX, IECEx, UL Class I Division 1, and cUL certified surveillance equipment for oil and gas, chemical, mining, pharmaceutical, and offshore environments. He holds expertise in NEC and IEC area classification standards and has consulted on explosion-proof camera system designs across North America, Europe, and the Middle East.