Hazardous area lighting can greatly impact industrial, warehouse, or other areas dealing with ignitable materials. In 2018, the US Fire Administration reported 1,318,500 fires. Imagine the loss that can result from fire razing down a department or an entire plant. You do not want that.

To avoid potential fires, it is vital to know about hazardous area lighting. Here is a comprehensive guide to hazardous area lighting based on location classification.

What is Hazardous Location Lighting?

These are lighting fixtures that can be used safely in areas where a fire is likely to start. The hazards in these areas can be inflammable vapors, gases, fibers, or dust. Because of electrical arching or high temperatures, electrical equipment can easily cause fires. To address this problem, there are classifications, standards and regulations that you can use to pick correct lighting fixtures.

If one or the entire area of your enterprise handles hazardous materials, you have to comply with NFPA, OSHA, and NEC/CEC standards. If you don't, there is a risk of suffering serious penalties or even getting your license canceled. In addition to using the right lighting fixtures, your clients should also be notified when getting into hazardous locations.

The Best Lighting for Hazardous Areas

To pick the right hazardous lighting, you need to start by looking at the different classes.

• .Class 1 Zones 0, 1 and 2

These are zones where gases, liquids, or vapors are present and ignitable. However, there are slight differences between the three. In zone 0, dangerous materials are present most of the time. In Zone 1, the hazardous materials are only present some of the time, such as the usual working hours. In Zone 2, it is unlikely to get these hazards, but it is a good idea to use the right lighting. Consider going for explosion-proof lighting fixtures, such as hazardous location floodlights, for these areas.

• Class 11 Hazardous Areas

This category is used to describe areas where, as opposed to flammable gasses and liquids, they have combustible dust. They are locations such as coal plants, metal powder manufacturers, and grain elevators. Some good examples of lighting options include tubular light fittings that are IP68 protected and LED luminaries

• Class 111 Hazard Areas

In this category, a location is considered hazardous if it contains combustible dust in significant amounts that can ignite. Locations included in these categories include facilities that produce starch and candy, plastic-making companies, and medicine manufacturers. Consider LED luminaries and explosion-proof high bay lighting fixtures designed for hazardous regions to light Class III hazardous areas.

Things to Consider When Selecting Lighting for Hazardous Areas

When selecting the lighting fixtures for your hazardous areas, it is important to think about the worst-case scenario – what can go wrong? Then, go for the best lighting to keep your facility secure and people safe. So, here are some factors to consider when selecting these lighting fixtures:

• Your company’s focus on energy conservation.
• The type of hazard in your area.
• The regulations on lighting areas with such hazards.
• The durability of the lighting fixtures.
• The ability to provide enough lighting for your staff to work without straining.

If your facility or part of it is classified as a hazardous area, do not risk by picking any lighting. Only use the recommended fixtures, such as LED luminaries and explosion-proof lighting fixtures. Visit our site to check out some of the best fixtures for hazardous facilities that you can buy for your facility.