HazLoc Certification for US and Canada

What is HazLoc?

Short for “Hazardous Location”, HazLoc refers to environments or areas with flammable or explosive gases, vapours, combustible dust or fibres.

Prone to potential risks, these areas can be found in mining, oil, chemical, agricultural food and waste treatment facilities; as well as petrol stations, fuel tanker vehicles and other similar workshops.

What is HazLoc Certification for US and Canada?

To keep hazardous risks at bay, electrical and mechanical equipment that deals with potentially explosive atmospheres must comply with applicable national and local safety standards. This is a means to prevent catastrophic incidents and to ensure the safety of workers, facilities, and the environment in these potentially hazardous settings.

HazLoc Certification for products helps keep the work environment, surroundings and nearby areas safe from potential explosions and fires caused by equipment. Our Applus+ Laboratories team provides testing and certification services to meet this need.

HazLoc Certification for North America

Our experts can carry out the certification process for electrical and electronic products that are to be used in Hazardous Locations (HazLoc) for North America. The QPS Certification marks and labels ensure compliance with commonly used explosion protection standards in the US and Canada.

These are the different product certification services we provide to meet this market demand:  

• Product Safety Marking for Hazloc Equipment: certifies that the sample has been tested according to local, regional or national applicable product standards and requirements in North America. 
• Field Certification for HazLoc Equipment: a cost-efficient and practical option that can be used to certify a single, several pieces of equipment or custom-built equipment to be used or installed in a Hazardous Location. Unlike the Product Safety Mark, Field Certification doesn’t require follow-up inspections.

Hazloc Certification Process for the US and Canada

In North America, the process of approving electrical products could involve several official authorities. First, suppliers and manufacturers must prove compliance with OSHA’s workplace safety laws. Then, they must meet all NFPA 70 and 79 from the National Electrical Code (NEC), Standards Canadian Council (SCC) and, finally, abide by specific Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ’s).

Part of Applus+ Laboratories, QPS Applus+ is a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) by the US Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), fit to test and certify compliance with the North American Electrical Safety standards.

What is HazLoc Testing?

To obtain HazLoc certification, there are a series of testing and evaluation procedures that must be carried through for electrical or mechanical devices or products to be used in Explosive atmospheres. There are specific tests relevant to protection methods, and each test is conducted independently.

All must be done through  an accredited third-party body, in this case QPS+ Applus:

• Product and design assessment
• Documentation and labelling requirements and review
• Environmental Simulation
• Electrical Testing
• Mechanical Testing
• Explosion-Proof Verification
• Report Generation

Differences between HazLoc, ATEX and IECEx

The main difference between HazLoc and ATEX Certification is that HazLoc Certification ensures compliance with North American local standards. On the other hand, ATEX Certification, short for ATmosphere EXplosibles, applies to the European Union.

When it comes to international markets, the IECEx system works as a voluntary system which provides an internationally accepted means of proving compliance with IEC standards.

Choose Applus+ Laboratories for HazLoc Certification for US and Canada

Our services ensure thorough support every step of the way. We establish that all the critical components used in the product have been already certified to the applicable standards and labelled with an accredited certification body’s mark in North America, a main prerequisite to obtaining the final certification.

We can also provide the proper test reports and certificates for equipment and personnel operating in Explosive Atmosphere worldwide, including the EU, the UK and other international markets.