Regulatory changes are at the heart of industrial risk management, and the publication of version 2025 of standard EN 60079-14 reshuffles the deck when it comes to electrical installations in explosive atmospheres. This latest version overturns established practices and calls into question many of the certainties held by installers, design offices, HSE managers and manufacturers of Ex equipment such as Schneider Electric, Siemens and Honeywell. This update, closely linked to the IEC 60079 series and in synergy with competence and traceability requirements, has a direct impact on industrial safety, compliance and the sustainability of operations in sectors as strategic as energy, chemicals and the environment. The main trends of the new EN 60079-14: clarification of responsibilities, extended criteria for technical documentation, reinforced control of competence, innovations in connection systems and management of temporary equipment. Through concrete examples from the field, and feedback from experience – notably on audible and luminous signalling devices, earthing and ATEX compatibility – a thorough overhaul of best practices is essential. Let’s discover together, section by section, the key points that will impact your industrial safety policy in 2025.
- EN 60079-14: essential requirements for electrical installations in potentially explosive atmospheres
- Document management and enhanced traceability in standard EN 60079-14
- Extended skills requirements for personnel working on EN 60079-14-compliant installations
- Technical updates on the design and installation of electrical systems to EN 60079-14:2025
- The challenges of initial inspection, periodic inspection and maintenance under EN 60079-14
EN 60079-14: essential requirements for electrical installations in potentially explosive atmospheres
Standard EN 60079-14 now structures all the requirements for the design, selection, installation and initial inspection of electrical equipment intended for permanent or temporary use in hazardous areas. It is aimed at a very wide audience: from petrochemical sites to offshore platforms and the agri-food industry, every industrial operator must now scrutinize his or her practices, on pain of non-compliance.
To understand the scope of these requirements, we first need to understand the issues specific to installations in explosive atmospheres, whether involving gases, vapors, combustible dusts or special explosive mixtures. The standard explicitly targets all types of Ex electrical equipment: fixed, mobile, transportable or portable, whether Ex d (flameproof enclosure), Ex e (increased safety), Ex i (intrinsic safety) or other modes of protection. Our partner Pepperl+Fuchs offers a wide range of products validated by these regulations.
One of the major breakthroughs of the 2025 edition is the integration of new standard references, such as IEC 60364 for low-voltage installations, or IEC 61936 for voltages above 1,000 V. This cross-disciplinary approach facilitates the standardization of practices from one site to another, while enhancing the performance of industrial safety devices.
Clarified responsibilities of operators and engineering firms
The 2025 version places particular emphasis on the need to clearly define responsibilities at each stage of the plant life cycle. This implies :
- Appointment of a technical manager to ensure overall ATEX compliance for the project
- Documented traceability of each critical operation (choice of materials, mass continuity tests, Ex d or Ex e verification, etc.).
- Extensive communication protocols with third parties (subcontractors, specialized maintenance, suppliers such as Lapp Group or Eaton)
In addition, greater attention is paid to temporary equipment: construction sites, test set-ups or transition phases. The use of analysis sheets (based, for example, onacoustic hazard analysis in accordance with standard EN54-24) enables risks to be effectively anticipated, particularly when deploying temporary light signals or mobile earthing systems.
| Type of equipment | Application area | Initial verification obligation | Liability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audible signals (Loudspeakers, Sirens) | Zone 1 / 21 & Zone 2 / 22 | Ex d, Ex e control mandatory | ISM-ATEX authorized installer |
| Lighting devices (beacons, flashing lights) | Zone 2 / 22 | Certificate of conformity required | ATEX design office |
| Modified electrical cabinets | Any space classified as ATEX | Pre-power-up inspection | ATEX Project Manager |
It should be noted that documentation is no longer limited to the design phase: any modification, intervention or requalification must be included in an updated “explosive atmosphere file”.
The transition to the new version also requires a review of compatible product ranges. At Siemens and Atkins, this has led to cascading approval campaigns, from the main equipment to accessories (cable glands, connectors, intrinsic safety barriers).
For those requiring cross-referencing, several complementary guides such as EN54-24 or EN54-16 are an essential resource.
Document management and enhanced traceability in standard EN 60079-14
The new edition of standard EN 60079-14 will have a profound impact on document management in 2025. It is no longer enough to have an installation drawing: from now on, the technical file must include an exhaustive “traceability”, covering the choice, identification and history of all equipment used in Ex zones. This requirement is particularly important for products from leading manufacturers such as Schneider Electric, Pepperl+Fuchs and Honeywell, as their technical documentation is becoming the focus of safety and compliance audits.
The installation file must include :
- Certificates of conformity for each part number installed (e.g. luminaires, sirens, Ex d cabinets, Siemens or Lapp Group I/O modules)
- Zone plan (categories and types of explosive atmospheres encountered)
- Precise wiring diagrams with Ex marking of interface points
- Test log: checking earthing, resistance checks, insulation measurements
- Assembly and maintenance manuals supplied by manufacturers
This is complemented by site-specific traceability elements, such as the GPS location of each installation, maintenance history and incident reports. This documentary database facilitates multi-site management and meets the increasingly stringent requirements of European regulations on the safety of industrial installations.
The strategic role of traceability in Ex maintenance
Rigorous monitoring of the life cycle of each piece of equipment enables us to quickly isolate the source of a fault, anticipate maintenance operations, and even recall a faulty batch. For example, if a ground continuity fault is detected on a Pepperl+Fuchs luminous signalling unit in zone 1, all the necessary documents (certificate, acceptance test, installation photo) must be immediately available. This reactivity limits personnel exposure and significantly reduces the risk of a major accident.
Leading logisticians in the sector, such as Roxtec, are banking on electronic management systems for installation files, incorporating :
- Secure digital archiving
- Electronic signature and time-stamping
- Compatibility with audits required by authorities and insurance companies
| Documentation item | Useful for EN60079-14 compliance | Example of a resource |
|---|---|---|
| Ex d certificate of conformity | Validate equipment protection levels | Technical brochure Siemens, Endress+Hauser |
| Earthing test report | Limiting the risk of ignition due to potential shortfalls | NFPA 77 Guide |
| ATEX zone map | Plot equipment layout according to criticality | Atkins Engineering |
| Electronic maintenance log | Justify compliance with the mandatory preventive plan | Honeywell document database |
Many are inspired by the stringent requirements of EN 842 on visual signage, which also requires precise documentation for each light point installed. Finally, the digitization of these processes contributes to the European harmonization of industrial safety practices, an essential trend in 2025.
Faced with the increasing complexity of equipment and the multiplication of remote sites, centralized document management is the key to an effective preventive maintenance strategy, in direct line with the requirements of standard EN60079-14.
Extended skills requirements for personnel working on EN 60079-14-compliant installations
Version 2025 of standard EN 60079-14 devotes an entire chapter to the competence of operators, technicians, engineers and planners working on Ex electrical installations. Gone are the days when only the installer was involved: qualification and ongoing training are now the key to regulatory compliance.
A case in point: in a fictitious company – Mobilisé Energy, specialized in multi-site maintenance for major industrial groups – teams have to obtain ISM-ATEX certification to handle audible alarm equipment, call stations or Ex d cabinets.
- Initial training on ATEX compatibility (protection methods, choice of equipment for classified zones)
- Regular updating of skills (new grounding technologies, advanced maintenance protocols for Honeywell or Pepperl+Fuchs devices)
- Real-life situations: incident simulations, compliance audits, diagnostic tests on installed cabinets
- Validation of prior learning by an accredited body
For operators, this implies rapid skills upgrading, in particular through mastery of related standards such as EN54-24 for safety loudspeaker installation, or EN13241-1 for industrial access.
Relationship between qualification, accreditation and documented compliance
Compliance is not limited to the possession of a title or certificate: it also implies verification, at each intervention, of the validity of the qualifications of those involved. From now on, this verification must be recorded in the installation file, in the same way as for the equipment itself. Quality auditing no longer tolerates approximation.
The table below summarizes the main requirements:
| The speaker’s role | Qualification required | Continuing education | Impact on EN60079-14 compliance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ex Maintenance Technician | ISM-ATEX level 2 or equivalent | Annually | Guaranteed safety, reduced risk of human error |
| ATEX Design Manager | Qualified engineer + additional Ex zone certification | Triennially | Quality of specifications, choice of suitable equipment |
| Temporary plant operator | Equipment-specific training | Before each new project | Reducing risks during sensitive or construction phases |
Industry leaders such as Schneider Electric and Siemens integrate these requirements into their training programs, guaranteeing their partners and customers lasting expertise adapted to the ever-changing requirements of the regulatory and technical environment.
The widespread upgrading of the industry’s skills is therefore a strategic lever: it enables industrial operators to prevent installation faults, while at the same time securing their compliance policy, at a time when the criminal and civil liability of operators is increasingly at stake in the event of incidents.
Technical updates on the design and installation of electrical systems to EN 60079-14:2025
The technical changes introduced by EN 60079-14 version 2025 reflect the accelerating pace of innovation in the field of industrial electrical installations. From now on, requirements will cover not only initial design, but also adaptability to perceived changes in risks and operating requirements.
- New requirements for the selection of Ex cables: increased resistance to flame transmission, validation by laboratory tests
- Specified guidelines for the design of Ex d assemblies, favoring multi-brand compatibility (example of a Schneider Electric / Eaton / Siemens mixed cabinet)
- Systematic management of interfaces and cable glands, even in harsh environments (heat, corrosion, restricted accessibility)
- Systematic consideration of material ageing factors and 15-year performance trends
Specialist suppliers such as Roxtec or Lapp Group are the obvious choice, as their innovations in multi-conductor cable clamping and dynamic sealing are so closely aligned with the philosophy of the new standard.
Example of application to an agro-industrial project
At AgroPlus, a subsidiary of a large (fictitious) flour manufacturer, the installation of a new conveyor in zone 22 required the selection and installation of certified cables, Ex e-compatible connectors and Endress+Hauser light beacons. The project, managed in accordance with version 2025 of the standard, resulted in :
- Rigorous leak tests before first power-up
- A complete documentary audit with electronic traceability of references
- Validation of multi-channel assembly with dust exposure simulation
| Equipment used | Requirement of standard EN60079-14 | Performance achieved | Supplier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ex multi-strand cables | No flame transmission | Validated resistance test | Lapp Group |
| Ex e sealed connectors | IP66 / IP67 required | Multi-brand compatibility | Roxtec |
| Ex i safety barrier | Intrinsic safety on control channels | Ex i certificate enclosed | Pepperl+Fuchs |
| Intelligent light beacons | Signalling EN842 / EN50281 | Automatic triggering | Endress+Hauser |
This use case highlights the concrete advances made by the EN60079-14 standard: reducing the risk of flame propagation, managing the ageing of electrical installations, and integrating maintenance constraints right from the design stage.
The whole package is in line with the dynamics of related standards, such as ISO8201 for emergency evacuation, or BE3 conditions for heat-stressed and corrosive environments.
This technical updating is combined with the massive digitization of auditing and control operations, optimizing performance on an ongoing basis, for each industrial production or storage unit. The integration of intelligent, centrally-managed equipment, notably from Siemens or Honeywell, represents the future of explosive risk management.
The challenges of initial inspection, periodic inspection and maintenance under EN 60079-14
Version 2025 of EN60079-14 now synchronizes its requirements with those of EN 60079-17 on inspection and maintenance, implying a stricter link between pre-commissioning checks and periodic inspections.
To illustrate this approach, let’s take the example of a fictitious petrochemical site – AtlanticChem – where the quality of maintenance guarantees the reliability of the entire signalling and alarm system in the Ex zone.
- The initial inspection, carried out by an ISM-ATEX-certified team, includes an overall check of the anchorages, mass continuity (reference: NFPA 77), and Honeywell or Siemens-type audible signal chains.
- An annual periodic test plan is required for the main safety functions (smoke extraction triggers, evacuation alarms).
- Maintenance is carried out in pairs: one operator performs the check, while the second records each step in the electronic logbook.
- In the event of modification (change of siren, addition of light beacon), the Ex d / Ex e compliance test is repeated.
| Control type | Frequency | Manager | Key checkpoints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Ex inspection | Before powering up | Authorized installer | Mass continuity, labeling, equipment compliance |
| Periodic functional check | Annual (minimum) | Ex Maintenance Manager | Alarm triggering, current leakage detection |
| Documentary audit | Quarterly | Design office | Updating the register, tracing incidents |
The major innovation is that real-life operating conditions, such as exposure to humidity, thermal shock or dust, are taken into account right from the design stage. Manufacturers such as Siemens and Pepperl+Fuchs adapt their devices right from the manufacturing stage to facilitate field audit operations.
Another innovation is automated testing of safety loops using connected tools (Siemens industrial IoT, Honeywell smart alarms), enabling remote monitoring in line with the requirements of digital document management mentioned above.
This process drastically reduces the risk of human error and speeds up the detection of anomalies before they lead to an incident. It also ensures compliance with related standards, such as EN54-4 for fire safety control units, or ISO11429 for industrial safety communication.
In practice, document management, staff skills and ongoing monitoring are all essential to ensure dynamic and progressive compliance by 2025. Any delay or failure at any stage would jeopardize the certification of the site as a whole: a risk that every manufacturer must resolutely anticipate.
