There are several locations in business facilities where lighting fixtures might come into touch with hazardous chemicals. These can be combustible, ignitable, or flammable substances, gases, or vapors. If the lighting fixtures cannot survive these circumstances, there is a risk of fire or even explosion in certain locations.
Consequently, you must avoid making poor decisions.
It is crucial for the safety and security of both persons and property to use explosion proof LED Lighting built expressly for hazardous environments. In this article, we’ll cover all you need to know to recommend the appropriate LED bulbs for hazardous site illumination.
What Types Of Industries Require Hazardous Location Lighting?
Identifying certain target industries is simple. They operate with flammable gases or vapors, flammable liquids, combustible dust, ignitable fibers, and other combustible materials. This holds for chemical facilities, oil and gas refineries, pulp and paper mills, and steel mills. Any other manufacturing applications involving high temperatures or flammable substances would also be applicable.
Some businesses have storage spaces or other facilities that require hazardous site lighting, even if they are not in one of the sectors listed above. For instance, liquid gas is utilized in wastewater treatment plants. Numerous agricultural goods, such as flour, are extremely flammable. And even an apparently “clean” clothes manufacturing plant can create dust fibers.
The good news is that you do not need to speculate. The anomalous situations that necessitate hazardous site illumination are specified by industry standards.
What Industry Standards Apply?
Various business associations and regulatory authorities have produced guidelines to ensure that the correct lighting fixtures are used in hazardous environments.
- The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a non-profit organization concerned with fire, electrical, and other threats. The NFPA’s 275+ codes and standards touch virtually every structure, procedure, service, design, and installation.
- The U.S. National Electrical Code (NEC) and its Canadian equivalent, the Canadian Electrical Code, are the NFPA codes about electrical wiring and equipment (CEC).
- The Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration (OSHA) of the United States Department of Labor enforces regulations to guarantee safe and healthy workplaces.
Both new and existing facilities must adhere to these norms, standards, and regulations. The NEC has developed a categorization system to determine whether illumination in hazardous locations is required.
What Environments Require Hazardous Location Lighting?
Class I: Locations with quantities of flammable gases or vapors that can catch fire when exposed to open flames or electrical sparks.
Class II: Locations holding flammable dust.
Class III: Locations with combustible filaments
Within these three categories, dangerous lighting environments are further subdivided into two groups. Each is determined by the degree of exposure to the harmful substance. For instance:
- Division 1: Ignitable elements are routinely or periodically present during normal operations, or they may be discharged as a result of routine maintenance or equipment failure.
- Division 2: There are ignitable substances present, but they are confined and regulated by positive ventilation and other mechanisms.
Lighting fixtures are, of course, only one component of an electrical system. Additionally, the facility will need to ensure that its conduits and switches are up to code. They should conform to the specifications of the fixture with the highest rating. Otherwise, the entire system would be non-compliant.
In addition, it is prudent for consumers to consider how portions of the facility may be utilized in the future. At some time, a typical storage room might be utilized to store chemicals or compressed gas. To err on the side of caution, specify hazardous area illumination immediately.
What If I’m Still Uncertain Regarding The Appropriate Class, Division, And Group?
Contact the plant owner’s OSHA representative when in question. An on-site inspection is one of their standard responsibilities. They will be knowledgeable about the institution and its operations. They can assist determine the precise class, division, and group under which the dangers fall, if applicable.
What Are The Risks Associated With Using Standard Lighting As Opposed To Hazardous Location Lighting?
Lighting that is not suitable for usage in a hazardous site exposes the business to the following risks and costs:
Security & Safety
The greatest threat is explosion or fire. When exposed to combustible gases or vapors, LED lights in particular have fewer components that might create or spark a fire.
When a fire starts in a lighting system, it usually starts in the conduit system. Some conduits have existed in plants for a long time. Those may have condensation problems. Any shorting or arcing inside the conduit system is immediately sent to the fixture. If improper fittings, conduits, and switches are used, fires and explosions can inflict catastrophic damage to persons and property.
Noncompliance Penalties
Noncompliance with rules can result in hefty fines, but this is only the beginning. If the incorrect fittings are installed, they must be replaced with ones that adhere to the building code. Companies detected using non-compliant lighting in dangerous areas may even be susceptible to litigation, which is, as you already know, quite expensive.
Reduced Durability
In challenging conditions, more robust lighting is required. They must be able to withstand harmful substances while giving as much light as feasible. Even when the risk of fire or explosion is minimal, fixtures that are not intended to endure hazardous environments are less durable. They will eventually require more frequent and expensive replacements.
Led Light Expert Hazardous Location High Bay
Choosing fixtures made expressly for hazardous environments is a fantastic approach to avoid these issues entirely. For instance, LED Light Expert’s LED Hazardous Location High Bay is authorized for Class I, Division 2, Groups A, B, C, and D environments and is suited for several hazardous locations.
The fixture protects against potential power surges and sparks by enclosing all wiring in a sealed compartment and is corrosion-resistant and durable with tempered glass. LED Light Expert’s LED Hazardous Location High Bay is also IP66-rated for protection against dust, strong waves, and forceful water jets.
When selecting hazardous site lighting, you must pick a fixture that is appropriate for the environment’s class, division, and group.
Safety and standards must not be compromised in hazardous environments. LED Light Expert’s LED Hazardous Location High Bay provides the highest level of energy efficiency, assuring brilliant, cost-effective, and low-maintenance illumination that will support your client’s high-risk activities for many years.
