TN-161 TECHNICAL NOTE

INTRINSIC SAFETY AND HAZARDOUS LOCATIONS

Portable electrical devices like RAE Systems gas Testing at 21% oxygen is consistent throughout industry
monitors used in potentially flammable environments and among different approval agencies. It does not mean
need to be made safe such that they cannot deliver that the device is not intrinsically safe at 21.1% oxygen.
enough energy (via hot surfaces or a spark) that will Agencies only certify instruments as intrinsically safe for
ignite a flammable mixture of air and gas, vapor, dusts, normal atmospheric oxygen concentrations.
fibers or flyings. If a device is made safe for a Flammability characteristics can change as oxygen
flammable environment it can be either “intrinsically concentrations change. Reduced oxygen levels will
safe” or “explosion-proof.” Because there are various decrease the risk of flammability and enriched oxygen
types and degrees of flammability, that is some concentrations can increase the risk of flammability.
substances are more flammable than others, there are
various classifications of hazardous areas based upon the Hazardous Location Classification
characteristics of various flammable substances. Hazardous locations are places where the possibility of
fire or explosion exists because of flammable gases;
Intrinsically Safe vapors or fine dusts are in the air. The National Electric
If an electrical device is intrinsically safe, it is designed Code (NEC) segregates hazardous environments into
to be certified by an independent approving body, so that classes, divisions and groups.
if it fails during normal use and operation it will not Class I Locations
generate enough energy to ignite a flammable mixture of Class I locations may have flammable gases or vapors
the hazard classes specified. Both theoretical analysis present in quantities sufficient for a fire or explosion.
and real-life testing are used to determine if a device is Class I locations are divided into two divisions:
intrinsically safe. Electrical devices like RAE Systems’ • Class I, Division 1 (CI,
portable gas detectors are certified by outside authorities D1): locations where a
like Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Canadian flammable atmosphere is
Underwriters Laboratories (cUL) and other authorities to expected during normal
be intrinsically safe. operations. It may also
be a location where the
Explosion-Proof breakdown of processing
An explosion proof device is designed so that if a equipment can lead to
flammable mixture inside the device ignites, the flame the release of a flammable mixture and the
will not get outside of the device to ignite a flammable simultaneous failure of electrical equipment. An
mixture outside of it. An example of an explosion-proof example is the mixing area of a flammable paint
device is a catalytic-bead wheatstone bridge LEL sensor manufacturer.
used to measure flammable gases by gas monitor • Class I, Division 2 (CI, D2): locations where
manufacturers worldwide. Essentially a tiny electric flammable vapors or gases are handled, processed or
stove, a LEL sensor uses a sintered metal flame arrestor used. However, these flammables are confined
to prevent any flame that might start on the hot sensing within closed containers or closed systems from
bead from getting outside of the sensor itself. which they can escape only in the case of accidental
rupture or breakdown. An
Oxygen Concentration and Intrinsic Safety example is the warehouse area
Intrinsic safety testing is done with combustible products
of a flammable paint
in mixture with air. Because air is approximately 79%
manufacturer. Normally the
Nitrogen and 21% oxygen this means that all intrinsic
flammable paints are
safety approvals are based upon a concentration of 21%
contained in 55-gallon drums
oxygen. A typical UL approval label on an intrinsically
or metal cans but a forklift
safe instrument might say:
could puncture a drum leading
INTRINSICALLY SAFE, CLASS I, DIVISION 1,
to a flammable atmosphere.
GROUPS A,B,C,D...This instrument has not been
tested in an explosive gas/air atmosphere having an
oxygen concentration greater than 21%.

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Groups generates a lower temperature than one with a T1 rating
Since vapors and gases have varying properties after so a T6 device would be safe for use on more easily
Class and Division there are four groups of chemicals ignitable substances than a T1 device.
from the most volatile and explosive to the least (Groups Temperature Maximum Maximum
A,B,C,D): Code Surface Temp oF Surface Temp oC
Group A: T1 842 450
Acetylene (is combustible w/o the presence of oxygen) T2 572 300
Group B: T2A 536 280
Acrolein Gases containing >30% hydrogen T2B 500 260
Butadiene Hydrogen T2C 446 230
Ethylene Oxide Propylene Oxide 419 215
T2D
Group C T3 392 200
Acetaldehyde Epichlorohydrin T3A 356 180
Allyl Alcohol Ethylene
n-Butyraldehyde Ethylenimine
T3B 329 165
Carbon Monoxide Hydrogen Sulfide T3C 320 160
Croton Aldehyde Morpholine T4 275 125
Cyclopropane 2-Nitropropane T4A 248 120
Diethyl Ether Tetrahydrofuran
Diethylamine UDMH (1,1-dimethyl hydrazine)
T5 212 100
T6 185 85
Group D
Acetic Acid Isopropyl Ether Class II Locations:
Acetone Mesityl Oxide Class II locations are flammable due to the presence of
Acrylonitrile Methane combustible dust. Class II locations are also divided into
Ammonia Methanol two divisions.
Benzene 3-methyl-1-butanol
Butane Methyl Ethyl Ketone
• Class II, Division 1 (CII, D1): combustible dust
1-Butanol Methyl Isobutyl Ketone may be in suspension in air in
2-Butanol 2-Methyl-1-propanol sufficient quantities to produce
n-Butyl Acetate 2-Methyl-2-propanol a flammable or explosive
Isobutyl Acetate Pryidine mixture under normal
Sec-butyl Acetate Octanes
conditions. An example would
Di-isobutylene Pentanes
Ethane 1-Penanol be the inside of a grain silo.
Ethanol Propane • Class II, Division 2 (CII, D2):
Ethyl Acetate 1-Propanol locations where combustible dusts will not normally
Ethyl Acrylate 2-Propanol be suspended in air and normal operations will not
Ethylene Diamine Propylene
put dust into suspension.
Ethylene Dichloride Styrene
Gasoline Toluene Class III Locations:
Heptanes Vinyl Acetate These are flammable due to the presence of easily
Hexanes Vinyl Chloride ignitable fibers and flyings, but in which the fibers and
Isoprene Xylenes
flyings are not likely to be suspended in the air in
quantities sufficient to produce an ignitable mixture.
Temperature Codes Examples include woodworking facilities and textile
Not all combustible gases are found in the NEC Groups mills. Class III locations are also divided into two
A,B,C & D. For the combustible gases and vapors divisions.
falling outside of those listed in NEC Groups we must
• Class III, Division 1 (CIII,D1): locations in which
reference the approval’s temperature code. For above
easily ignitable fibers or materials producing
ground, non-volatile dust areas, the temperature code is
combustible flyings are handled, manufactured or
the maximum hazard temperature that an instrument
used.
could produce. If a gas has an ignition temperature of
• Class III, Division 2 (CIII,D2): locations where
400oF then an instrument with T3 to T6 temperature
easily ignitable fibers are stored or handled.
codes would be safe for use in the presence of that
chemical. For example, cumene is not on the NEC References:
Group listing. Its ignition temperature is 795oF (424oC) • NFPA 325: Guide to Fire Hazard Properties of
so instruments with T2 to T6 temperature codes would Flammable Liquids, Gases and Volatile Solids 1994
be safe for us in environments with cumene vapors in the Edition.
air. Decane has an ignition temperature of 410oF • NFPA 70 National Electric Code (NEC)
(210oC) so instruments with T2D to T6 temperature
codes would be safe for use in environments with decane
vapors in the air. A T6 rating means that a device

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