November 2025
Explosion-Proof Robotics, Food Industry Dust Hazards, and UK Standards Update
ATEX-Certified Robotics Are Getting Real
The push for automation in hazardous areas took a meaningful step forward in November. Several manufacturers are now testing robotic inspection platforms that carry ATEX Zone 1 or IECEx ratings, aimed at refineries and offshore platforms where sending people into confined spaces is both expensive and dangerous.
The challenge remains certification. Getting a robot through ATEX testing means every motor, sensor, battery, and communication module needs to meet Ex protection requirements individually. Most current designs rely on Ex i for sensors and Ex d for drive motors, which adds weight and limits battery life.
Source: Newsgab, Nov 15 2025
Imperial Sugar Revisited: Dust Explosions in Food Processing
Cobic B.V. published a detailed analysis of how the 2008 Imperial Sugar dust explosion — which killed 14 workers in Port Wentworth, Georgia — remains relevant today. The root cause was straightforward: sugar dust accumulation, poor housekeeping, and inadequate zone classification for combustible dust areas.
What makes the article worth reading is the emphasis on how many food processing facilities still don't classify their dust zones correctly. Dust explosions require particles under 500 μm to stay airborne, and sugar, flour, and grain all qualify. The article argues that ATEX Zone 20/21/22 classification is often skipped entirely in older food plants.
Source: Food Industry Executive, Nov 1 2025
UK Government Updates Designated ATEX Standards List
The UK's Department for Business and Trade published an updated consolidated list of designated standards for equipment intended for use in explosive atmospheres. Post-Brexit, the UK maintains its own list (separate from the EU's harmonised standards) under the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations.
For manufacturers selling into both markets, the practical impact is ongoing dual compliance. Most IEC 60079 standards are listed by both the EU and UK, but the administrative overhead of maintaining both UKCA and CE marking continues to frustrate smaller Ex equipment makers.
Source: GOV.UK, Nov 18 2025
Ex Equipment Market: $12.5 Billion and Growing
Market analysts project the intelligent explosion-proof communication equipment segment alone will reach $12.5 billion by 2033, growing at 7.8% CAGR. The broader explosion-proof equipment market continues to be driven by LNG expansion in the Middle East, hydrogen projects in Europe, and ongoing petrochemical investment in Asia.
Key players named across multiple reports: ABB, Siemens, Eaton, Emerson, Pepperl+Fuchs, BARTEC, R. Stahl, Honeywell, Schneider Electric, and Hubbell.
Source: OpenPR, Nov 21 2025
AI Cameras Enter ATEX-Certified Environments
Machine learning-enabled surveillance cameras are being certified for ATEX and IECEx environments. The use case is predictive maintenance and safety monitoring — detecting gas leaks visually, tracking worker positions in confined spaces, and identifying equipment anomalies before they become incidents.
The cameras themselves typically carry Ex d or Ex e housings, with edge computing done outside the hazardous zone. The interesting part is what happens when the AI processing needs to happen on-device, inside the zone, which pushes the boundaries of what EPL Gb rated equipment can do with limited power budgets.
Events This Month
- Pepperl+Fuchs announced as sponsor for NAMUR-Hauptsitzung 2026, the annual meeting of Germany's process industry user association
- EPIT Group launched new Ex awareness training courses aimed at electrical and mechanical personnel in hazardous areas