IEC 60079-14:2024 Ex Equipment Buyer Checklist

Last reviewed: August 28, 2026

What IEC 60079-14:2024 covers

The official IEC summary describes IEC 60079-14:2024 as the standard for electrical installation design, selection and installation of Ex Equipment, including the required initial inspection. Its scope also includes documentation and personnel competency.

Edition 6 was published on August 30, 2024 and replaced the 2013 edition. IEC describes the edition as a major restructure with technical changes. Buyers should use the edition required by the project and applicable rules rather than assuming that an older specification or familiar purchase description remains sufficient.

The standard is not a product certificate and it does not classify the buyer's site. It uses the approved project information as the basis for selecting and installing equipment. Local law, destination-market conformity requirements and owner specifications can add other obligations.

Why buyers should consider installation before purchase

An Ex product is installed as part of a system. Its suitability can depend on details that are easy to omit from an initial request for quotation:

The cable type and outside diameter affect gland and seal selection.
The entry thread, quantity and location affect the permitted enclosure configuration.
The supply, load and terminals affect electrical and temperature limits.
The mounting position can affect drainage, impact exposure, heat dissipation and access.
Special conditions in a certificate can require a specific installation action.
The initial inspection needs an identifiable, documented and accessible installation.

If these details are discovered only after equipment arrives, a buyer may face an unapproved field change, incompatible cable entry, missing document or redesign. The safer approach is to move installation questions into the RFQ and purchase-order review.

Twelve checks before ordering Ex equipment

Buyer input	What to record	Why it matters
Destination and conformity route	Country, project rules, IECEx, ATEX or other required evidence	Determines the legal and document route to verify
Area classification	Approved Zone and whether the atmosphere is gas, vapour, mist or combustible dust	Establishes the installation environment for selection
Protection level	Required EPL or ATEX equipment category	Must align with the approved area and project rule
Substance group	Gas group or dust group and identified material	Prevents using an unrelated atmosphere-group marking
Temperature requirement	Gas T-class or dust maximum surface temperature	Helps prevent a hot surface from becoming an ignition source
Ambient range	Minimum and maximum site temperature	Must fall within the exact equipment documentation
Protection technique	Required or permitted Ex protection types	Affects construction, entries, components and inspection
Electrical duty	Voltage, frequency, phase, load, terminals and control function	Must match the rated and assessed configuration
Cable system	Cable construction, armour, diameter, quantity and gland method	Controls entry compatibility and sealing requirements
Mechanical and environmental duty	Mounting, impact, vibration, IP, corrosion and weather exposure	Affects enclosure, hardware, coating and installation details
Documentation	Certificate, schedule, declaration, instructions, drawings and data sheet	Provides the evidence set for exact-model review
Inspection and handover	Initial-inspection level, records, tags and responsible parties	Ensures the installation can be checked and retained in the dossier

The checklist organizes buyer inputs. It does not replace the detailed design and installation work required from competent personnel.

Start with an approved hazardous-area classification

The equipment supplier should not be asked to guess the Zone from a process name or photograph. Obtain the approved classification from the responsible site or project team, including the extent of the area and the identified gas, vapour, mist or dust hazard.

Then record the equipment protection requirement. The guide Equipment Protection Levels Explained shows how Zones and EPLs are related without being interchangeable. For combustible-dust projects, Zone 20, Zone 21 and Zone 22 explains why dust clouds and layers require specific attention.

Do not assume that equipment described for gas is suitable for dust, or that a higher EPL resolves a mismatch in group, temperature, ambient range or certificate scope.

Match the complete Ex marking, not one code

A valid selection uses the complete marking and exact documentation. Check the protection technique, equipment group, gas or dust subgroup, temperature information, EPL, ambient range and certificate reference together.

For example, Ex db and Ex eb can both appear with EPL Gb, but they use different protection principles and impose different construction and installation considerations. Read Ex db vs Ex eb before treating the two codes as substitutes.

The Ex marking guide provides a field-by-field reading method. The marking identifies equipment; it still has to be matched with the certificate, schedule, instructions and exact model suffix.

Define the cable entry as part of the equipment

Cable entries are a frequent source of late changes. State the cable construction, armour or braid, outside diameter, entry thread, entry quantity, gland material, sealing method and need for adapters or stopping plugs.

The selected gland must be suitable for the cable, enclosure entry, protection technique, environmental duty and exact documentation. An IP rating alone does not establish Ex suitability. The cable gland buyer FAQ lists the information needed for a model-specific review.

Ask whether entries are supplied factory-complete, prepared for an approved gland system or left for a controlled configuration. Do not assume that extra holes can be drilled later. The enclosure modification FAQ explains why machining can affect protection and documentation.

Build the document package before approval

The purchase review should identify the documents needed for the exact legal manufacturer, product identity, model, suffix and options. Depending on the project, the package can include:

Current certificate and complete schedule or annexes
Declaration required by the destination-market route
Manufacturer installation, operation and maintenance instructions
Approved data sheet and dimensional drawing
Terminal, entry and accessory information
Special conditions of use and limitation records
Initial-inspection and handover requirements

For IECEx evidence, use the IECEx Online Certificate System as the controlled public record. A PDF supplied outside the official system should be compared with the online status, issue number, applicant, model and marking. The certificate verification guide provides a practical workflow.

Treat initial inspection as a purchase input

IEC 60079-14 includes initial inspection in its scope. That inspection is easier when the purchase delivers an identifiable and accessible installation with complete records.

Before ordering, decide who will inspect, which project requirement applies, what documents must be available and how equipment will be tagged. Confirm that covers, terminals, glands, earth connections and markings remain accessible after mounting.

Initial inspection is not a substitute for correct design or installation. It is a final verification step within a controlled process.

Common procurement mistakes

Ordering from a Zone number without the complete classification record
Treating an EPL, ATEX category or IP code as a complete specification
Accepting a certificate for a similar model or different suffix
Leaving cable construction and entry details until site installation
Ignoring minimum ambient temperature or option-dependent temperature limits
Assuming all Ex db and Ex eb products are interchangeable
Requesting additional holes after the final certified configuration is selected
Omitting special conditions, instructions or inspection records from the purchase package
Asking a product photograph to prove a protection level or certificate

Current MMAIATEX certification status

The public MMAIATEX About page states that ATEX, IECEx and CCC certification work is in progress. A product name, category, photograph or article is not proof that a specific model has a completed certificate.

Request current documents for the exact legal manufacturer, model, suffix and configuration. Verify the certificate status, marking, scope and special conditions through the applicable official system before approval.

Safety disclaimer

This article provides general educational information. It does not classify a location, design an installation, select equipment for a specific project, interpret a certificate, specify a cable-entry system or perform an initial inspection. Those activities must be completed by competent personnel using site-specific data, current standards, applicable law and exact product documentation.

Request an installation-ready product review

Send MMAIATEX the destination country, approved Zone, required EPL or category, gas or dust group, temperature and ambient requirements, electrical duty, mounting, cable and entry details, environmental conditions, and document list. The team can then identify potentially relevant product information for the responsible project team to assess.

Contact MMAIATEX

IEC 60079-14:2024: What Ex Equipment Buyers Should Check Before Ordering