Jurisdictions
ATEX and the North American scheme: two systems, not one
Europe and North America classify hazardous areas differently, and equipment approved under one scheme is not automatically acceptable under the other. Knowing which framework governs your site is the first step, well before choosing a machine.
- North America: Class and Division (with a Zone system also recognised)
- Europe/IEC: Zones — 20, 21 and 22 for combustible dust
- Certifications are issued under specific schemes and are not interchangeable
- PrestiVac's certification is North American (UL 1203); ATEX is not claimed
The two frameworks
The traditional North American approach classifies by Class — I for gases and vapours, II for combustible dust, III for fibres and flyings — and then by Division 1 or 2 according to whether the hazard is expected in normal operation. Groups subdivide by material, and a temperature code caps surface temperature.
The European and wider IEC approach classifies by Zone according to how long the hazardous atmosphere is present. For combustible dust, Zone 20 is where a dust cloud is present continuously or for long periods, Zone 21 where it is likely in normal operation, and Zone 22 where it is not likely and only for short periods. A Zone system is also recognised in North America as an alternative to Divisions.
Why they are not interchangeable
There are broad conceptual parallels — a Zone 20 or 21 dust area is in the territory a Division 1 assessment would occupy, and Zone 22 sits closer to Division 2 — but these are not translations. The schemes have different equipment protection requirements, different marking systems and different certification bodies, and equipment-protection levels do not map one-to-one onto Divisions.
For that reason a responsible supplier will not tell you that a certificate under one scheme satisfies the other. They will tell you what certificate exists, what it names, and who issued it.
What PrestiVac can state
Our certification is North American — CSA Certificate 70122393, assessed against UL 1203 (5th Edition). The EX1 HEPA line is covered for Class I, Gp. D; Class II, Gps. E, F and G; Temp. Code T3C. The EV EX HEPA line is covered for Class II, Div. 2, Gps. F and G only. We do not claim ATEX or IECEx approval.
We do not claim ATEX certification. If you are specifying for a European site or any jurisdiction outside our certificate's coverage, tell us the requirement and we will tell you precisely what documentation applies to the configuration rather than implying an equivalence that does not exist.
What this means when you specify recovery equipment
Start from the jurisdiction and the classification assigned by your own engineering assessment, then ask what documentation exists for the exact configuration. Equipment selection is the last step, not the first.
Where compressed air is available, air-operated units are often attractive across jurisdictions for a structural reason: with no electrical components in the recovery unit there is less to reconcile between schemes. That does not make them universally approved, and the classification still governs.
PrestiVac's listing is CSA Certificate 70122393 (Master Contract 268761), assessed against UL 1203 (5th Edition) among other standards. It carries two distinct scopes: the EX1 HEPA drum-type line is covered for Class I, Gp. D; Class II, Gps. E, F and G; Temp. Code T3C; the EV EX HEPA line is covered for Cl. II, Div. 2, Gps. F and G. The EV scope is narrower — no Class I, Division 2 only, and Groups F and G only, which excludes Group E conductive metal dusts. Commercial, indoor use only, in hazardous locations.
Area classification is determined by your own engineering assessment and the authority having jurisdiction. This page explains the framework; it is not a classification of your facility, and it does not replace the applicable code or your Dust Hazard Analysis.
Frequently asked questions
- Is an ATEX vacuum the same as a Class II vacuum?
- No. ATEX is the European framework using Zones, and Class II Division is the North American framework for combustible dust. They address the same physical problem with different requirements, markings and certification bodies, and a certificate under one is not a certificate under the other.
- What is the ATEX equivalent of Class II, Division 1?
- There is no exact equivalent. Conceptually, dust Zones 20 and 21 occupy the territory that a Division 1 assessment would cover, and Zone 22 sits closer to Division 2 — but the schemes are not translations of one another and equipment requirements differ. Determine which framework governs your site and specify against that framework.
- Does PrestiVac have ATEX certification?
- We do not claim ATEX certification. Our certification is UL 1203 certification on the EX1 HEPA line, covering Class I, Group D and Class II, Groups E, F and G at Temperature Code T3C. Tell us your jurisdiction and we will confirm exactly what documentation applies to the configuration you need.
Talk to the manufacturer
Get the right explosion proof vacuum for your application.
Tell us what you need to vacuum and where. Our technical team will recommend the PrestiVac model best suited to your material, your classification and how hard you will work it — and because we build every unit ourselves, we can modify it to fit.
- Legally certified explosion proof
- Solid stainless steel construction
- Industry-best 3-year warranty
- Designed & manufactured in the USA
- 200+ vacuum versions