What must an explosion protection document contain?

Employers must draw up and keep up to date an explosion protection document based on an assessment of the explosion risks and work equipment, which specifically deals with or includes these topics:

What occasions make an update necessary?

The explosion protection document must be revised if significant changes, extensions or modifications are made which affect protection against explosive atmospheres.

This applies in particular to changes of:

  • Working procedures, process conditions/parameters
  • Type of operating materials/auxiliary materials used (Attention: other explosion protection-relevant properties, altered reaction behaviour with substances such as water, oxygen, etc.)
  • Workplace (including the electrical system)
  • Work equipment
  • Workwear
  • Personal protective gear
  • Safety devices, controlling or regulating devices required for or contributing to safe operation in potentially explosive atmospheres

Commissioning or significant changes to machines, plants and systems or even structural factors which could create or influence explosive atmospheres in the plant make significant adaptations to the operator's explosion protection documentation necessary. An improved state of the art, changes in technical standards and new knowledge / experience from events can also be a reason for updating the explosion protection documentation.