The ESAFE Blog
What is a Hazardous Location?
August 2, 2018
A hazardous location (also called “HazLoc”) is an area where flammable liquids, gases or vapors or combustible dusts exist in sufficient quantities to produce an explosion or fire.
In Canada, electrical equipment that will be used in a Hazardous Location must go through the process of Certification. This is a requirement of the Canadian Electrical Code.
Product Certification for Hazloc areas can be achieved by an on-site inspection. This on-site inspection is part of the process of conducting a detailed analysis of the components and installation and protection methods that have been used in the construction and assembly of the product. The objective of Certification is to confirm that the equipment conforms to the relevant CSA Standards for Canada that apply to equipment in Hazardous Locations. Once this process is successfully completed, a detailed report is prepared and independently reviewed. The final step involves marking the equipment as approved using a label which is accredited by the Standards Council of Canada. The ESAFE label shown below is a confirmation of this approval and is accepted everywhere in Canada:
Before starting the process of evaluating equipment for use in a Hazardous Location, it is important to know the Classification of the area in which the equipment will be used.
A hazardous area classification drawing or document issued by a responsible engineer should be used as a starting reference point to ensure that the product is evaluated to the correct standards.
Every electrical component used in the subject equipment needs to be independently analyzed for compliance with the relevant standards. For this reason, a detailed component list is another very important document which needs to be established early on in the process so that the inspector has the required information on which to base the evaluation.
Field testing of the equipment is typically required. The extent of testing will be determined by the inspector but is normally non-destructive and can be conducted on-site during the evaluation. ESAFE Inspectors are equipped with fully calibrated test equipment to handle most of the required tests.
ESAFE is the Canadian leader in electrical safety. Since 1915, we have completed more field approvals each year than any other entity in the country. Our commitment to safety and customer satisfaction means you can rely on ESAFE Field Evaluation to keep your Hazardous Locations Safe and you can expect Service Beyond Standard, every time.