ATEX & IECEx — hazardous-area RTLS.
RTLS deployments in oil-and-gas, chemical and pharma facilities frequently cross into hazardous (Ex) zones.
ATEX (European) and IECEx (international) certification governs which hardware is legal to deploy. This is the operator-level summary of what the certifications require and how it affects procurement.
Zone classification — where the rules engage
Hazardous areas are classified by zone: Zone 0 (explosive atmosphere continuously present), Zone 1 (likely present in normal operation), Zone 2 (unlikely / short-duration) for gas/vapour atmospheres, and Zone 20/21/22 for combustible-dust environments.
The classification of each part of the facility dictates which RTLS hardware is legal there. Outside hazardous zones, standard hardware applies; inside, certified hardware is non-negotiable.
ATEX and IECEx — what's the difference
ATEX is the European regulatory framework (Directive 2014/34/EU) requiring CE marking with the Ex symbol for equipment in EU hazardous areas. IECEx is the international scheme operated by the IEC for global mutual recognition.
Many manufacturers certify to both; the underlying technical standards (IEC 60079 series) are common. For European deployments, ATEX is mandatory; for global operations, both are usually present.
Equipment Protection Levels and certification structure
Equipment is certified to Equipment Protection Levels (EPL) Ga, Gb, Gc for gas (corresponding broadly to Zones 0, 1, 2) and Da, Db, Dc for dust. Most RTLS tags and beacons for hazardous-area use are EPL Gb/Db — sufficient for Zone 1/Zone 21.
EPL Ga (Zone 0) is rarer and more expensive. Anchors and gateways usually deploy in safer zones (Zone 2 or non-hazardous) connected to in-zone tags.
Procurement implications
Hazardous-area certification meaningfully reduces vendor shortlists — many capable RTLS vendors do not have Ex-rated hardware. Pricing premium on Ex-rated tags is typically 3-5x non-rated equivalents.
Battery replacement and maintenance follow specific procedures. We scope all of this against your specific zone classification map at gate 1 so the deployment is procurement-defensible from day one.
Frequently asked questions
Which RTLS vendors offer ATEX/IECEx-certified hardware?
Sewio, Ubisense (selected models), Kontakt.io (selected), several specialist Ex-tag manufacturers. We map vendor certifications to your specific zone requirements during vendor scrutiny.
How is Zone 0 handled?
Carefully. EPL Ga equipment is rare in RTLS. Most Zone 0 deployments use Ga-rated tags worn by personnel and Gb anchors in Zone 1 boundaries. Architecture design is gate-1 work.
Are there RTLS certification gaps for combustible-dust environments?
Some vendors certify only for gas, not dust. For pharmaceutical or food-processing dust environments, verify Da/Db/Dc rating explicitly during vendor evaluation.
Does ATEX/IECEx apply to BLE beacons and UWB equally?
Yes — the certification regime is technology-agnostic. The hazard is around energy dissipation in equipment failure, not radio type. Ex-rated UWB and Ex-rated BLE tags both exist.
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