ATEX

In certain product sectors, especially in the Chemical-Pharmaceutical sector and in the Food industry, forklift trucks may need to operate in production areas and warehouses where there are inflammable materials in the form of gas, vapour or mist or in the presence of combustible dusts. The mix of such substances, in certain concentrations, may create an explosive atmosphere and spread through the inflammable mix, if ignition occurs.

A forklift truck could turn out to be a potential source of ignition.

This is why vehicles that operate in such environments need to meet the stringent European Directives, referred to as ATEX (ATmosphere EXplosive) directives, which have been adopted to safeguard health and safety in the workplace when there are risks due to potentially explosive atmospheres.

More specifically, there are two reference ATEX regulations:

• ATEX 2014/34/EU, also known as ATEX 114, which defines the safety requirements of machinery intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres
• ATEX 99/92/EC, also known as ATEX 153, which defines the minimum requirements regarding health and safety in the workplace based on the area, namely according to the likelihood of being in an explosive atmosphere.

Thanks to our partnership with leading companies in explosion-proof transformation, CLS can provide electric or internal combustion counterbalanced warehouse machines and forklift trucks in compliance with the ATEX regulations and thus capable of working in potentially explosive atmospheres.

In order to meet current regulations, all vehicles can be transformed for operating in Area 1 and in Area 2, in the presence of dusts or gases.