IEC 60079-46 ED1

Explosive atmospheres - Part 46: Equipment assemblies

Scope

IEC 60079-46: 2026 specifies requirements for the design, construction, assembly, testing, inspection, marking, documenting and assessment of equipment assemblies for explosive atmospheres. The equipment assembly could be entirely or partially within a hazardous area due to sources of release on the equipment assembly or external to the equipment assembly.
The requirements of this document apply to individual items according to the IEC 60079, ISO 80079 or ISO/IEC 80079 series that comprise the equipment assembly and that have individual certificates. These individual items are then integrated as part of the equipment assembly. Also included are requirements to address any new ignition hazards for the equipment assembly which are beyond the certificates of the individual items forming the equipment assembly.
The scope of IEC 60079-46:2026 includes assessment of the additional requirements for assemblies for hazardous areas and does not include requirements for non-hazardous areas.
This IEC 60079-46:2026 does not apply to:
a) Ex Equipment and Ex Components which are covered entirely, by one or more IEC 60079, ISO 80079 and ISO/IEC 80079 series of equipment Types of Protection;
b) pressurized or ventilated rooms, "p", "v", in accordance with IEC 60079‑13, artificial ventilation for the protection of analyzer(s) houses in accordance with IEC TR 60079‑16, and other standards addressing specific Ex assemblies;
c) installation of the equipment assembly at the installation site;
d) classification of the hazardous area due to a potential source of release external to the equipment assembly (see 4.3.1);
e) equipment assemblies for mines susceptible to firedamp (Group I applications);
f) inherently explosive situations such as dust from explosives or pyrophoric substances (for example explosives manufacturing and processing);
g) rooms used for medical purposes;
h) electrical installations in areas where the hazard is due to flammable mist.
This document is only intended to provide validation for the equipment assembly as provided. Any subsequent changes made after installation are not covered by this document and are the responsibility of the end-user to meet the applicable local legal requirements.
Where a requirement of this document conflicts with a requirement of either IEC 60079‑0 or ISO 80079‑36, the requirement of this document takes precedence. Where a requirement of this document conflicts with a requirement of IEC 60079‑14, the requirement of IEC 60079‑14 takes precedence.
This first edition cancels and replaces the first edition of IEC TS 60079‑46 published in 2017. This edition constitutes a technical revision. Refer to the Foreword of the document for a complete listing of the technical changes between this edition and the first edition of IEC TS 60079‑46 published in 2017.
Users of this document are advised that interpretation sheets clarifying the interpretation of this document can be published. Interpretation sheets are available from the IEC webstore and can be found in the "history" tab of the page for each document.