Glossary - Technical Standards and Guidelines, Electrostatic Terminology, Area Classification and Trade Names

Glossary

TECHNICAL STANDARDS & GUIDELINES
ANSI Z41 SD Type II	USA Standard for Industrial Safety Footwear incorporating Static Diissipative Properties.
API RP2003	American Petroleum Institute: Protection Against Ignitions Arising out of Static, Lighting, and Stray Current.
ATEX 137	European Directive covering work places with Potentially Explosive Atmospheres.
ATEX 95	European Directive covering equipment used in potentially explosive atmospheres.
BS5958	British Standard Code of practice for control of undesirable static electricity.
CLC/TR 50404	Cenelec Code of practice for the avoidance of hazards due to static electricity.
EN345	European footwear Standard incorporating details of anti-static footwear.
NFPA 77	Recommended practice on Static Electricity, published by National Fire Protection Association.
ELECTROSTATIC TERMINOLOGY
Anti-Static	Incapable of retaining a significant electrostatic charge.
Bonding	The process of connecting two or more conductive objects together by means of a conductor so that they are at the same electrical potential, but not necessarily at the same potential as the earth.
Bonding Reels	(or static discharge reels) Used for connecting conductive objects to an earthing or grounding point.
Capacitance	The amount of charge stored on a specified body or material to raise the potential difference by 1 volt.
Conductive	The ability to allow the flow of an electric charge.
Conductor	A material or object that allows an electric charge to flow easily through it.
Dissipative Footwear	Footwear that ensures a person standing on a conductive or dissipative floor has an acceptably low resistance to earth (ground).
Earthing	The process of bonding one or more conductive objects to the ground, so that all objects are at zero (0) electrical potential. (also known as Grounding in the USA)
Earthing Systems	With ground verification indicators often interlocked with the product transfer system.
Electrostatic	Static electricity.
Ground Clamps	Spring or screw down devices used to provide a secure ground connection.
Ground Indicators	Control systems using explosion protection and intrinsically safe techniques to monitor acceptable resistance to earth (ground) and provide verification and interlocks.
Grounding	American term used for "Earthing" as above.
Grounding & Bonding	Combination of Grounding and Bonding techniques as defined above.
Grounding Devices	Purpose designed equipment used for electrostatic grounding.
Leakage resistance	The resistance (expressed in Ohms) between an object and the earth (ground).
Non-conductive	The ability to resist the flow of an electric charge.
Non-conductor	A material or object that resists the flow of an electric charge through it.
Retractable Bonding Cables	Cables with an inherent capability to retract when not in use.
Retractable Grounding Assembly	Used for connecting conductive objects to an earthing or grounding point.
Self Testing Clamps	Intrinsically Safe Bonding Clamps with ability to monitor resistance between conductive object and earth (ground) and provide verification of acceptable condition.
Static Dissipative	Capable of dissipating a static electric charge at an acceptable rate.
Static Earth Monitoring	The process of monitoring the resistance to earth (ground).
Static Earthing Clamps	Special purpose clamps designed to enable temporary or semi-permanent connection onto movable conductive objects.
Static Earthing Reels	Special purpose retractable cable reels with conductive cross-bonded components, designed to dissipate static electricty at an acceptable rate.
Static Earthing Systems	Control systems using explosion protection and intrinsically safe techniques to monitor acceptable resistance to earth (ground) and provide verification and interlocks.
Static Discharge	A release of static electricity that might be capable of causing ignition.
Static Electricity	Denoting or pertaining to an electric charge that is at rest..
Static Grounding	The process of bonding one or more conductive objects to the ground, so that all objects are at zero (0) electrical potential, to prevent static build up.
Static Ground Monitoring	Alternative term for Static Earth Monitoring - as above.
Static Grounding Clamps	Alternative term for Static Earthing Clamps - as above.
Static Grounding Reels	Alternative term for Static Earthing Reels - as above.
Static Grounding Systems	Alternative term for Static Earthing Systems - as above.
Static Protection	Protection against the build up of static electricity.
HAZARDOUS AREA TERMINOLOGY
Combustible	Capable of burning.
Explosion Protected	Device enclosed in a housing that is capable of withstanding an explosion of a specified gas or vapor that may occur within it while preventing the propagation of flame to a surrounding flammable atmosphere.
FIBC / IBC	Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container, or “Big Bag” used to transfer powders. The IBC is the rigid version, often made from stainless steel or plastic, in a variety of shapes and sizes.
FIBC (Type C)	Special conductive FIBC for use with flammable powders.
Hazardous Areas	Potentially flammable/explosive atmosphere.
Industrial Explosions	Explosions in a work place environment.
Ingress Protection	Ability of an enclosure to prevent the ingress of undesirable liquids or dust/powders.
Intrinsically Safe	Electrical equipment and circuits incapable of generating energy sufficient to present a hazard in a flammable area.
Minimum Ignition Energy	The minimum energy that can ignite a mixture of a specified flammable material with air or oxygen. Often abbreviated as MIE.
Temperature Class (Europe)	The hazardous materials are classed by their auto-ignition temperature and the T rating is the maximum surface temperature that the certified equipment can reach (measured at 40ºC ambient).
Temperature Class (USA)	Note that Temperature Class sub-divisions are used in the USA.
AREA CLASSIFICATION
Area Classification	A system to indicate the degree to which flammable/explosive atmospheres are present (i.e. continuously, intermittently, abnormally).
NEC 500 (USA): Division 1:	Explosive atmosphere can exist all of the time or some of the time under normal operating conditions.
Division 2:	Explosive atmospheres are not likely to exist under normal operating conditions.
Class I:	Atmosphere with flammable gases, vapours or liquids.
Class II:	Atmosphere with combustible dusts.
Class III:	Atmosphere with ignitable fibers and flyings.
Cenelec/IEC (Europe): Zone 0:	Gas/Vapour explosive atmospheres present continuously, for long periods or frequently.
Zone 20:	Dust explosive atmospheres - as above.
Zone 1:	Gas/Vapour explosive atmospheres are likely to occur in normal operation.
Zone 21:	Dust explosive atmospheres - as above.
Zone 2:	Gas/Vapour explosive atmospheres are unlikely to occur, or be present only infrequently or for a short period only.
Zone 22:	Dust explosive atmsopheres - as above.
TRADE NAMES
Bond-Rite™	Instrinsically Safe Self-Testing Clamp (patented)
Cenelectrex®	Brand name of Newson Gale range of Static Control Equipment for Hazardous Areas.
Cen-Stat™	Hytrel® coated cables with anti-static properties. (Hytrel® is a registered Trade Mark of DuPont)
Earth-Rite™	Range of Static Grouning (Earthing) interlock systems.
Retract-A-Clamp®	Retractable coiled static grounding (earthing) and bonding assemblies. (Trade Mark of Stewart R Browne)
Sole-Mate®	Test station for industrial static dissipative footwear.