The Importance of Visual Inspection in Hazardous Areas

By Onur ARI
Chemical Engineer

Introduction

In our country, many manufacturing facilities operate with or handle flammable chemicals, either knowingly or unknowingly. Once these chemicals reach a certain concentration in the air, they can ignite and cause significant loss of life and property in the presence of an ignition source. One of the most prominent ignition sources is the electrical equipment used in hazardous areas. Contrary to common belief, the fact that a piece of equipment has been used for many years without causing an explosion does not guarantee that it will not cause one in the future. Equipment and infrastructure tend to deteriorate and become more prone to malfunction and serve as ignition sources over time. Equipment located in hazardous areas does not always cause explosions. For an explosion to occur, certain conditions must be met, such as equipment malfunctioning and generating sparks or reaching much higher temperatures than normal conditions, due to the release of flammable chemicals.

To prevent explosions, it is necessary to use electrical equipment with the Ex-proof (Explosion-proof) feature, also known as “Patlatmaz” in our country. These equipment are specially designed electrical equipment that are manufactured to prevent or minimize the impact of explosions caused by flammable chemicals. By using Ex-proof equipment that meets the specific requirements of the designated hazardous areas, the risks of explosions can be mitigated.