Guide version 1.1
Purpose and scope of the guide
Static electricity is one of the most frequently overlooked causes of ignition of explosive atmospheres. In this guide, we discuss standard requirements, protective measures, and practical solutions used in industrial plants. The material is intended for individuals responsible for process safety, maintenance, and plant design.
The purpose of this guide is to present the fundamental principles for the design, operation and control of industrial installations in order to reduce the risk of ignition of explosive atmospheres caused by electrostatic discharges.
The document is intended as a practical technical guide for:
▸ maintenance and reliability engineers;
▸ process and plant designers;
▸ process technologists;
▸ safety, ATEX and occupational health and safety specialists;
▸ internal and external auditors.
The scope of this guide includes:
▸ technical fundamentals of electrostatic charging mechanisms in industrial processes;
▸ practical requirements for the grounding and bonding of equipment, vessels, tankers, drums and mobile objects;
▸ principles for controlling liquid flow velocities and the movement of bulk solids;
▸ specification of requirements for floors, footwear, clothing and ESH-related equipment;
▸ application of monitoring systems and process interlocks in cases of ineffective grounding;
▸ guidance on the use of ionisation, antistatic coatings, FIBC containers and conductive materials;
▸ description of safe operating practices and requirements for maintenance and verification measurements.
This guide focuses on areas that, in industrial practice, present the highest electrostatic ignition risk, and provides recommendations based on applicable standards as well as operational experience gained from ESH audits and incident analyses conducted in industrial installations.
In practice, the recommendations presented here reflect recurring findings from electrostatic safety audits and incident investigations performed in industrial installations operating under ATEX requirements.
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