Quality audits and ATEX / IECEX – end of EN13980 and new EN ISO/CEI 80079-34 and OD 005

• The ATEX Directive 94/9/EC
• EN 13980
• EN ISO / IEC 80079-34
• Document IECEx: OD 005

In order to put on the market ATEX products in accordance with the requirements of ATEX 94/9/EC directive and / or IECEx rules, manufacturer must have a quality notification of the manufacturing site where products are manufactured.

For ATEX 94/9/EC directive which requires a  mandatory certification in Europe depending of the category of products, this notification of the quality system is based on a positive results of an audit done by a notified body according the requirements of :

• Annex IV and Annex VII item 4 to 8 of ATEX 94/9/EC directive, 
•  and of the requirements of 2 standards :
  • EN 13980:2002 which is no longer a harmonized standard since 25/05/2014 (see list of harmonized standards)
  • EN ISO/CEI 80079-34 : 2011 – this standard replaces EN 13980:2002 standard.

EN 13980:2002 was based on ISO 9001:2000 standard, and must be read with EN ISO 9001:2000.

EN ISO/CEI 80079-34 : 2011 is based on ISO 9001:2008 standard, and must also be read with EN ISO 9001:2008.

• references have been modified, particularly references to CEN / CENELEC publications and have been replaced by references to international publications available;
• foreword and scope have been adapted to international requirements;
• terminology has been modified and adapted to a more consistent international standardization terminology (eg, "notified body" was replaced by "responsible for auditing body");
• information about specific modes of protection have been amended as follows
  • Ext - Protection by enclosure against dust ignition
  • gas detectors and
  • flamme arrester;
• B.3 has been modified;
• information concerning equipment and protective systems in accordance with harmonized standards according to Directive 94/9/EC are given in Annex ZB.

For the voluntary IECEx certification , the notification of the quality system is based on positive audited by a "certification body" according the requirements of :

• OD 005 Document that you can download from the IECEx Web site. This document defines the applicable criterias for an IECEx audit.   The content of this document is very similar to the one defined in the EN ISO / IEC 80079-34: 2011 standard.