Rest assured
The use of safe instrumentation in the chemical industry is important for peace of mind

The importance of Zone 2 type process instrumentation and lighting equipment for the chemical, petrochemical and pharmaceutical industries has increased constantly in recent years. It is hoped that their use will lead to more cost effective installations. This article therefore considers the basic requirements imposed on this kind of apparatus for explosive atmospheres and weighs the economical advantages against safety factors.
Hazardous areas are divided into zones depending on the likelihood and duration of a hazardous gas atmosphere. European standard EN 6007910 classifies Zone 2 as follows: An area in which explosion hazards through flammable gasses do not exist during normal operating conditions. Should an explosive atmosphere arise this would only happen very rarely and for a short period of time. Examples are well ventilated open air installations in which vessels containing flammable material are only opened under exceptional circumstances. In other words, Zone 2 is indeed a hazardous area albeit of diminished danger compared with Zone 1 hazardous areas.