What is a hazardous location?
Hazardous locations, or potentially explosive atmospheres, are areas where fire or explosion hazards may exist due to the presence of ignitable concentrations of flammable gases, liquids, vapors, dusts, or ignitable fibers or flyings. These locations are classified or "grouped" according to the properties of the flammable materials that may be present and the likelihood of flammable concentrations. |
Class I — Flammable gases, vapors or liquids are present.
Class II — Combustible dusts are present.
Class III — Location contains ignitable fibers or flyings. |
Division 1 designates an environment where ignitable concentrations of flammable gases, liquids, vapors or dusts can exist some of the time or all of the time under normal operating conditions or where easily ignitable fibers and flyings are manufactured, handled or used. |
Division 2 locations are areas where ignitable concentrations are NOT likely to exist under normal operating conditions or where Class III materials are stored or handled. |
