Standards
Open reference for industrial standards — IEC, ISO, ISA, NAMUR, API. Key concepts, document structure, related tools.
EU
ATEX Directive 99/92/EC — Workplace Safety in Explosive Atmospheres
Directive 99/92/EC is the European workplace safety directive for facilities where workers may be exposed to explosive atmospheres. Establishes operator obligations : risk assessment, area classification, Explosion Protection Document, training, marking, organizational measures.
ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU — Equipment for Explosive Atmospheres
Directive 2014/34/EU is the European legal framework governing equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. Manufacturers and importers placing such equipment on the EU market must comply. Replaces ATEX 95 (94/9/EC).
IEC
Explosive Atmospheres (ATEX / IECEx)
IEC 60079 is the international standards series for equipment intended for use in explosive atmospheres (gas and dust). Foundation of the IECEx certification scheme and the technical basis for the European ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU.
Equipment General Requirements for Explosive Atmospheres
IEC 60079-0 is the foundation of the IEC 60079 series. It defines the general requirements applicable to all Ex equipment — markings, temperature classes, gas groups, dust groups, Equipment Protection Levels (EPL), construction principles. Every other IEC 60079 protection-method part references this one.
Equipment Protection by Flameproof Enclosure 'd'
IEC 60079-1 specifies design and testing of flameproof enclosures (Ex d), the dominant protection method for industrial motors, lights, switchgear and junction boxes in hazardous areas. The principle : contain an internal explosion without propagating to the outside atmosphere.
Equipment Protection by Increased Safety 'e'
IEC 60079-7 specifies 'increased safety' (Ex e) protection — applied to equipment that does not produce arcs, sparks or hot surfaces in normal operation. Used primarily for terminals, junction boxes, motors without slip rings, and lighting fixtures.
Classification of Areas: Explosive Gas Atmospheres
IEC 60079-10-1 defines the methodology to classify plant areas into Zone 0, Zone 1, and Zone 2 based on the likelihood of an explosive gas atmosphere being present. It is the engineering input that drives Ex equipment selection for the rest of the IEC 60079 series.
Classification of Areas: Explosive Dust Atmospheres
IEC 60079-10-2 defines the methodology to classify plant areas containing combustible dust into Zone 20, 21, and 22. Distinct from gas classification because dust has different physics : it accumulates in layers, can ignite without forming a cloud, and includes conductive dusts that bridge insulation.
Equipment Protection by Intrinsic Safety 'i'
IEC 60079-11 specifies the design and assessment of intrinsically safe electrical equipment for use in explosive atmospheres. Intrinsic Safety (Ex i) is the dominant protection method for instrumentation — it limits electrical energy and surface temperature so that no spark or hot surface can ignite the surrounding atmosphere.
Electrical Installations Design, Selection and Erection
IEC 60079-14 is the installation manual for hazardous areas. It specifies cable selection, segregation, gland choice, equipotential bonding, IS loop documentation, marking, and verification activities for the design and erection of Ex installations.
Inspection and Maintenance of Electrical Installations
IEC 60079-17 specifies the periodic inspection and maintenance regime for hazardous area electrical installations. Three inspection levels (visual, close, detailed) at defined intervals. Required by ATEX workplace directive — failure to maintain a verifiable inspection record is a legal non-compliance.
Intrinsically Safe Electrical Systems
IEC 60079-25 extends IEC 60079-11 from individual devices to complete intrinsically safe systems (loops, segments). It defines how to combine certified IS components into a documented safe installation.
Safety of Machinery / Electrical Equipment of Machines
IEC 60204-1 specifies the electrical installation requirements for industrial machinery — from emergency stop circuits to motor protection, cable colors, terminal block requirements. Harmonized standard under the EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC.
Low-Voltage Electrical Installations
IEC 60364 is the international reference for the design, installation and verification of low-voltage (≤1000 V AC, ≤1500 V DC) electrical installations in buildings and industrial facilities. Implemented nationally as NF C 15-100 (France), VDE 0100 (Germany), BS 7671 (UK).
Programmable Logic Controllers
IEC 61131 is the international standard for programmable logic controllers. Part 3 standardizes the 5 programming languages used in industrial automation (LD, FBD, SFC, ST, IL), enabling code portability between PLC platforms and a shared vocabulary for automation engineers worldwide.
Functional Safety of Electrical / Electronic / Programmable Electronic Safety-related Systems
IEC 61508 is the foundational, sector-independent standard for functional safety of electrical, electronic and programmable electronic (E/E/PE) safety-related systems. It is the parent framework from which IEC 61511 (process), IEC 62061 (machinery), ISO 26262 (automotive), IEC 61513 (nuclear) and EN 5012x (railway) are derived.
Functional Safety / Safety Instrumented Systems for the Process Industry Sector
IEC 61511 is the international standard for the design, implementation, operation and maintenance of Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) in the process industry. It is the process-sector application of the broader IEC 61508 framework.
Functional Safety of Safety-related Control Systems for Machinery
IEC 62061 applies IEC 61508 functional safety principles to the machinery sector, using SIL 1-3 language. It is the SIL-based alternative to ISO 13849 (PL-based). Both are harmonized under the EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC.
Industrial Automation and Control Systems Security
IEC 62443 is the international reference for cybersecurity of industrial automation and control systems (IACS). Multi-part framework covering policies, system requirements, component requirements, and certification. The OT-side counterpart of ISO/IEC 27001.
IECEx
ISA
Batch Control
ISA-88 (also known as IEC 61512) defines the standard model and terminology for batch control systems. It provides a unified language for recipes, equipment, and procedural control that lets pharmaceutical, food, and chemical batch plants describe their processes consistently.
Enterprise-Control System Integration
ISA-95 (also IEC 62264) defines the standard interface between enterprise (ERP, business systems) and manufacturing operations (MES, DCS, batch). It is the backbone of every digital manufacturing initiative, smart factory roadmap, and Industry 4.0 architecture.
ISO
Quality Management Systems
ISO 9001 is the world's most widely adopted management standard, with over 1 million certified organizations. Defines a Quality Management System (QMS) framework based on process approach, risk-based thinking, customer focus and continual improvement (PDCA).
Safety of Machinery / Safety-related Parts of Control Systems
ISO 13849 is the international standard for the design of safety-related parts of control systems (SRP/CS) for machinery. It defines the Performance Level (PL a-e) framework, an alternative to the SIL approach of IEC 62061 for the machinery sector.
Road Vehicles Functional Safety
ISO 26262 is the automotive adaptation of IEC 61508. It defines a complete safety lifecycle for electrical and electronic systems in road vehicles, using ASIL (Automotive Safety Integrity Level) A-D instead of SIL. Mandatory for OEM and Tier-1 suppliers worldwide.
Asset Management
ISO 55000 series is the international standard for asset management systems. Defines a structured framework to extract maximum value from physical assets over their lifecycle, aligning maintenance, operations, capex planning and risk management with business strategy.
NAMUR
Standardization of the Signal Level for Failure Information of Digital Transmitters
NAMUR NE 43 is the de-facto industry recommendation that standardizes how a 4-20 mA transmitter signals its diagnostic state. Out-of-range currents (< 3.6 mA, > 21 mA) communicate sensor failure rather than the transmitter silently failing inside the normal band.
Reliability of Field Devices in Functional Safety Applications
NAMUR NE 130 specifies how operators should collect, analyze and use field device failure data for Prior Use justification in functional safety applications. It complements IEC 61511's Route 2H (Prior Use route) for proving SIL capability.