The following has been submitted by SAFA Ex Steering Committee to DOEL to allow use of ExnA in South Africa whilst it is still legal in Europe (ATEX).

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Dear Ms Ruiters, as discussed with Mr Laubscher at the SAFA Ex Steering committee on 7 February, please find an urgent request for assistance

SANS 60079-15:2022 (Ed. 5.00), Explosive atmospheres Part 15: Equipment protection by type of protection n was released in September 2022. In this version of the standard, the protection concept “ExnA” was removed and put into SANS 60079-7:2019.

This effectively means that ExnA products can no longer be used in South Africa.

They are however still able to be used elsewhere in the world under the ATEX directive and IECEx system, due to these schemes allowing a grace period (which can be a few years) and the use of both the current and the immediate past standards respectively. Evidence of this can be found at https://www.en-standard.eu/search/?q=60079-15.

South Africa continues to import equipment certified under both the ATEX directive and the IECEx System. Europe (ATEX) seem to be having issues with ending the harmonization period for EN60079-15 Ed. 4 as other similar updates have had shorter harmonization periods (e.g. ExnL)

SAFA respectfully requests that the Department of Employment & Labour takes urgent action (exemption and/or Gazetting as discussed in the Ex Steering committee meeting 7 Feb 2024) for SANS60079-15:2010 Edition 4 to be continued for imported equipment with a valid and current IECEx or ATEX certificate. This should continue until Europe withdraw it & end the harmonization period.