Help for BS EN 13980 to avoid recurring audits or testing for the ATEX certification

[dingdingding]

Hi Everybody!

It's great to see this forum where so many experienced people participate quite actively.

My company manufactures a register control system and a part of it needs to be ATEX certified. Our accrediting body has asked us to have BS EN 13980 to avoid recurring audits or testing for the ATEX certification.

I need some help:
• Apparently the BS EN 13980 standard is withdrawn and replaced by ISO/IEC 80079-34:2011. Can we still be certified for the older standard (as our accrediting body says. I'm a wee bit suspicious that they asked us to go for the older one)?
• We are ISO 9001:2008 certified; do we really need this specific standard (BS EN 13980)?
• What is the link of ATEX certification of the product with this specific (BS EN 13980) standard? (My understanding says, in ISO 9001 we do continuous improvement and development and if we do so with the product we need to re-certify the same. Can’t we just exclude specific hardware from the improvement and development cycle and still work with ISO 9001 and have ATEX?)

Thanks in advance!

dingaling

 

[Vincent Paul]

Re: Help for BS EN 13980 to avoid recurring audits or testing for the ATEX certificat

Hi DingDingDing,

That's right, when you manufacture certain type of ATEX equipment certified with an EC type examination certificate you may have to get the production of those equipment certified as well. This is defined in the Annex IV and VII of the ATEX directive. (You may have other options depending in your circumstances)

You can continue using and be certified to BS EN 13980 2002 edition until May 25, 2014. After that date you must be certified to EN ISO/IEC 80079-34:2011. That’s not a bad idea to start working with the latest standard however some time it may create more work that you can take at that point. At other time it can make thinks simpler because the new standard is better written.

I believe the equipment you have has been certified to a product standard which intent is to standardize the design and the safety of the equipment. To simplify, BS EN 13980 looks at the manufacturer ability to consistently manufacture new equipment that are in “conformance” with the samples and document that have been certified with the product standard.

Do not hesitate to contact me if you wish to discuss this further.

Vincent

 

[Trebor123]

Re: Help for BS EN 13980 to avoid recurring audits or testing for the ATEX certificat

Hi DingDingDing,

That's right, when you manufacture certain type of ATEX equipment certified with an EC type examination certificate you may have to get the production of those equipment certified as well. This is defined in the Annex IV and VII of the ATEX directive. (You may have other options depending in your circumstances)

You can continue using and be certified to BS EN 13980 2002 edition until May 25, 2014. After that date you must be certified to EN ISO/IEC 80079-34:2011. That’s not a bad idea to start working with the latest standard however some time it may create more work that you can take at that point. At other time it can make thinks simpler because the new standard is better written.

I believe the equipment you have has been certified to a product standard which intent is to standardize the design and the safety of the equipment. To simplify, BS EN 13980 looks at the manufacturer ability to consistently manufacture new equipment that are in “conformance” with the samples and document that have been certified with the product standard.

Do not hesitate to contact me if you wish to discuss this further.

Vincent

Hi are you still working?

experience of ATEX?

 

[Marc]

This is an old thread. Neither of the earlier posters have visited in some years so don't expect either to reply. Maybe someone else can help you.