prEN 15198

• Abstract:

  This document specifies basic methodology used in achieving safety of equipment for intended use in potentially explosive atmospheres. ; The provisions specified in this document are intended for standard makers and designers. ; This document specifies the procedure and information required to allow ignition risk assessment to be carried out for the design of equipment or component. ; This document provides advice for a decision to be made for the categorisation of equipment but does not provide means to prove the conformity of equipment categories.; In this procedure the following information is taken into account:; a) possible occurrence of an explosive atmosphere inside the equipment or component or penetrating the equipment or component from the outside (in normal operation or during malfunctions) and the amount of explosive atmosphere involved leading to possible explosion impact inside of the equipment or component;; b) equipment or components surrounded by an explosive atmosphere (in normal operation or during malfunctions);; c) equipment or components wholly or partly surrounded by an explosive atmosphere considering also any explosive atmosphere in connection (in normal operation or during malfunctions);; d) presence and likelihood (effectiveness) of ignition sources.; This document specifies basic methodology used in achieving safety of equipment for intended use in potentially explosive atmospheres. ; The provisions specified in this document are intended for standard makers and designers. ; This document specifies the procedure and information required to allow ignition risk assessment to be carried out for the design of equipment or component. ; This document provides advice for a decision to be made for the categorisation of equipment but does not provide means to prove the conformity of equipment categories.; In this procedure the following information is taken into account:; a) possible occurrence of an explosive atmosphere inside the equipment or component or penetrating the equipment or component from the outside (in normal operation or during malfunctions) and the amount of explosive atmosphere involved leading to possible explosion impact inside of the equipment or component;; b) equipment or components surrounded by an explosive atmosphere (in normal operation or during malfunctions);; c) equipment or components wholly or partly surrounded by an explosive atmosphere considering also any explosive atmosphere in connection (in normal operation or during malfunctions);; d) presence and likelihood (effectiveness) of ignition sources.; This document specifies neither specific methods of analysis associated with ignition risk assessment, nor specific requirements for a category of equipment. It describes the methodology of ignition risk assessment.; This document does not apply to equipment with a potentially explosive atmosphere inside under operating conditions, and without interfaces to an external potentially explosive atmosphere.; This document is applicable to all categories of equipment referred to in EN ISO 80079 36:2016.; This ignition risk assessment procedure does not preclude the conditions prevailing in an installation where the equipment or component is put into operation by a user.; While this document does not provide direct requirement related to category of equipment, the methodology specified in this document is applicable to all category of equipment and complement requirements specified in relevant standards, such as EN 1127 1 and EN ISO 80079 37.; NOTE Functional safety assessment of protective systems is covered by EN 15233.

• Status: Not Published
• Publication Date: 18-Jul-2027
• ICS: 13.230 - Explosion protection
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 305 - Potentially explosive atmospheres - Explosion prevention and protection
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 305/WG 4 - Terminology and Methodology
• Current Stage: 4010 - Start of draft translation - Enquiry
• Start Date: 16-Oct-2026
• Completion Date: 08-Oct-2026
• Directive: 2014/34/EU - Directive 2014/34/EU Of The European Parliament And Of The Council of 26 February 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres (recast)
• Mandate: M/596 - [C(2023)4798] Commission Implementing Decision of 20.7.2023 on a standardisation request as regards equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres in support of Directive 2014/34/EU (ATEX) of the European Parliament and of the Council
• Mandate: M/BC/CEN/92/46 - Standardization mandate assigned to CEN/CENELEC concerning equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres
• Ref Project: oSIST prEN 15198:2026 - Methodology for the ignition risk assessment of non-electrical equipment and components for intended use in potentially explosive atmospheres

• Revises: EN 15198:2007 - Methodology for the risk assessment of non-electrical equipment and components for intended use in potentially explosive atmospheres
• Effective Date: 19-Jan-2023

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-december-2026
Metodologija za oceno tveganja vžiga neelektrične opreme in komponent,
namenjenih za uporabo v potencialno eksplozivnih atmosferah
Methodology for the ignition risk assessment of non-electrical equipment and
components for intended use in potentially explosive atmospheres
Methodik zur Risikobewertung für nicht-elektrische Geräte und Komponenten zur
Verwendung in explosionsgefährdeten Bereichen
Méthodes pour l'évaluation du risque d'inflammation des appareils et des composants
non électriques destinés à être utilisés en atmosphères explosibles
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 15198
ICS:
13.230 Varstvo pred eksplozijo Explosion protection
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
December 2026
ICS Will supersede EN 15198:2007
English Version
Methodology for the ignition risk assessment of non-
electrical equipment and components for intended use in
potentially explosive atmospheres
Méthodes pour l'évaluation du risque d'inflammation Methodik zur Risikobewertung für nicht-elektrische
des appareils et des composants non électriques Geräte und Komponenten zur Verwendung in
destinés à être utilisés en atmosphères explosibles explosionsgefährdeten Bereichen
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 305.
If this draft becomes a European Standard, CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations
which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.

This draft European Standard was established by CEN in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.

Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2026 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 15198:2026 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 6
4 General requirements . 6
4.1 Basic concept . 6
4.2 Extent of ignition risk assessment . 7
4.3 Information needed for ignition risk assessment . 7
5 Ignition risk assessment procedure. 8
5.1 Principle procedure . 8
5.2 Product description: Performance, lifetime, configuration . 8
5.3 Identification of ignition hazards . 9
5.3.1 General . 9
5.3.2 Safety characteristic data . 10
5.3.3 Likelihood and duration of occurrence of an internal explosive atmosphere . 10
5.3.4 Ignition sources . 11
5.4 Ignition risk estimation . 11
5.5 Ignition risk evaluation . 12
5.6 Equipment category . 13
6 Documentation . 13
Annex A (informative) Example of a reporting scheme for the ignition risk assessment . 14
Annex ZA (informative) Relationship between this European Standard and the essential health
and safety requirements of Directive 2014/34/EU aimed to be covered . 16
Bibliography. 19

European foreword
This document (prEN 15198:2026) has been prepared by Technical Committee CENTC 305 “Potentially
explosive atmospheres — Explosion prevention and protection”, the secretariat of which is held by DIN.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
This document will supersede EN 15198:2007.
a) Updating of the references
b) Addition of a note in 5.2
c) Addition of examples and references in 5.5
This document has been prepared under a standardization request addressed to CEN by the European
Commission. The Standing Committee of the EFTA States subsequently approves these requests for its
Member States.
For the relationship with EU Legislation, see informative Annex ZA, which is an integral part of this
document.
Introduction
The aim of this document is to describe general principles for a consistent systematic procedure for
ignition risk assessment of non-electrical equipment and components for intended use in potentially
explosive atmosphere.
Annex A contains examples for ignition risk assessment.
It is in both the manufacturer's and user's interest to establish a common methodology for achieving
safety, reliability and efficacy in functioning and operating equipment and components with respect to
the ignition hazards. Thus, ignition risk assessment is a tool which provides the essential link between
manufacturers and users, but only aspects that directly address manufacturers are incorporated.
Integrated explosion safety is conceived to prevent the formation of explosive atmospheres as well as
sources of ignition and, should an explosion nevertheless occur, to halt it immediately and / or to limit its
effects. In this connection, the manufacturer takes measures with respect to the potential ignition
sources. In addition, equipment and component are designed and constructed after due analysis of
possible operating faults in order as far as possible to preclude dangerous situations taking the misuse
which can reasonably be anticipated into account. Therefore, it is essential to conduct an ignition risk
assessment process.
For the equipment and components, the identification of the potential ignition sources is the most
relevant part of the ignition risk assessment.
The final objective of this document is designing and manufacturing equipment or components intended
for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. For this purpose, equipment or components if necessary
should be designed with adequate preventive and/or protective measures.
1 Scope
This document specifies basic methodology used in achieving safety of equipment for intended use in
potentially explosive atmospheres.
The provisions specified in this document are intended for standard makers and designers.
This document specifies the procedure and information required to allow ignition risk assessment to be
carried out for the design of equipment or component.
This document provides advice for a decision to be made for the categorization of equipment but does
not provide means to prove the conformity of equipment categories.
In this procedure the following information is taken into account:
a) possible occurrence of an explosive atmosphere inside the equipment or component or penetrating
the equipment or component from the outside (in normal operation or during malfunctions) and the
amount of explosive atmosphere involved leading to possible explosion impact inside of the
equipment or component;
b) equipment or components surrounded by an explosive atmosphere (in normal operation or during
malfunctions);
c) equipment or components wholly or partly surrounded by an explosive atmosphere considering also
any explosive atmosphere in connection (in normal operation or during malfunctions);
d) presence and likelihood (effectiveness) of ignition sources.
This document specifies neither specific methods of analysis associated with ignition risk assessment,
nor specific requirements for a category of equipment. It describes the methodology of ignition risk
assessment.
This document does not apply to equipment with a potentially explosive atmosphere inside under
operating conditions, and without interfaces to an external potentially explosive atmosphere.
This document is applicable to all categories of equipment referred to in EN ISO 80079-36:2016.
This ignition risk assessment procedure does not preclude the conditions prevailing in an installation
where the equipment or component is put into operation by a user.
While this document does not provide direct requirement related to category of equipment, the
methodology specified in this document is applicable to all category of equipment and complement
requirements specified in relevant standards, such as EN 1127-1 and EN ISO 80079-37.
NOTE Functional safety assessment of protective systems is covered by EN 15233.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
FprEN 1127-1:2026, Explosive atmospheres — Explosion prevention and protection — Part 1: Basic
concepts and methodology
prEN 1127-2:2026, Explosive atmospheres — Explosion prevention and protection — Part 2: Basic
concepts and methodology for mining
EN 13237:2024, Potentially explosive atmospheres — Terms and definitions for equipment and protective
systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in EN 13237:2024 and the following
apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp/
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
3.1
ignition risk
probability of occurrence of an ignition source that is capable of igniting an explosive atmosphere
3.2
ignition hazard
occurrence of a potential ignition source that is capable of igniting an explosive atmosphere
3.4
protective measure
means used to reduce the probability of an ignition source to become effective
3.5
ignition risk estimation
determination of the probability of the occurrence of an ignition source
3.6
ignition risk evaluation
procedure to determine whether the intended level of protection (related to the equipment category) has
been achieved
4 General requirements
4.1 Basic concept
Ignition risk assessment is a series of logical steps (see Figure 1) that enable designers and safety
engineers to examine in a systematic way, the function of an equipment or component arising from its
use in a potentially explosive atmosphere and to decide whether protective measures and/or type of
protection are needed. The objective shall be to achieve an adequate level of safety.
Ignition risk assessment includes the following four steps:
a) product description: performance, lifetime, configuration (see 5.2),
b) identification of ignition hazards (see 5.3),
c) ignition risk estimation (see 5.4),
d) ignition risk evaluation (see 5.5).
These four steps are the basis for the decision whether the intended safety level is achieved (see 5.6). The
result of the assessment shall be detailed in the technical documentation (see Clause 6).
If the intended level of protection is not achieved, it shall be necessary after redesign, to reassess the
procedure to obtain the correct category or use of suitable protective measures.
NOTE The guidance on the determination of correct categories and the selection of the suitable protective
measures is described in the informative Annex A.
4.2 Extent of ignition risk assessment
Initially the boundary or limit of the equipment and/or components shall be specified under which the
ignition risk assessment shall be carried out.
The limit is determined by the extent of explosive atmosphere or the ignition sources which are
originated by the considered equipment and/or components.
The ignition risk assessment shall be limited to equipment and/or components and not extended to
aspects for which the user is responsible.
The extent of the ignition risk assessment, which includes all operations, shall take into account:
a) intended use;
b) misuse which can be reasonably anticipated.
An ignition risk assessment shall also include the possibility of an explosion inside the equipment and/or
components causing an impact on the outside.
NOTE Misuse that can be reasonably anticipated indicates incorrect use and/or operation of the equipment
and/or components by the operator due to carelessness or misunderstanding. Misuse is not part of the normal
operation. Intent is not included in misuse that can reasonably be anticipated.
4.3 Information needed for ignition risk assessment
The information needed to perform the ignition risk assessment shall include the following where
appropriate:
a) intended use of non-electrical equipment or components;
b) performance and function of the equipment including existing protections;
c) materials to be processed (or necessary safety data);
d) requirements for maintenance including cleaning;
e) design drawings;
f) results of design calculations made, examinations carried out.
If available:
g) test reports, if they allow the evaluation of the probability of occurrence and/or the efficiency of
ignition sources;
h) accident history;
i) information on relevant safety aspects.
If an accident history is not available for the equipment and/or components, available information for
similar equipment and/or components shall be used as it is unlikely that equipment and/or components
are so unique that similar equipment and/or components cannot be found. The absence of an accident
history, a small number of accidents or low severities of accidents shall not be taken as an automatic
presumption of a low ignition risk.
The information shall be updated as the design develops and modifications are required.
For quantitative assessment, data from databases, handbooks, laboratories and manufacturers
specifications shall be used provided that there is confidence in its suitability. Any uncertainty associated
with the data shall be recorded in the documentation (see Clause 6).
NOTE Data is used to define foreseeable operations requirements related to reliability, serviceability,
durability, disposability, benign failure and failsafe characteristics and labelling, warnings, identification,
traceability requirements and instructions. Data based on the consensus of expert opinion derived indirectly from
experience as opposed to measured data, can be used to supplement qualitative assessment.
5 Ignition risk assessment procedure
5.1 Principle procedure
The principal steps for the ignition risk assessment procedure are shown in Figure 1. It comprises four
steps taking into consideration the assessment criteria in the oval blocks.
To guarantee the intended level of protection maintenance and installation requirements shall also be
considered.
Key
a Protective measures/types of protection and equipment conformity are not part of ignition risk assessment
Figure 1 — Ignition risk assessment for design of equipment or component
5.2 Product description: Performance, lifetime, configuration
The step-approach shall be carried out with an understanding of the functioning of the equipment and/or
components and of the types of substances processed, used or released. A functional and state analysis
for the intended use shall be undertaken for this purpose.
Intended use shall consider, for example, the following items:
a) life cycles of equipment and/or components;
b) limits in terms of use, time and location;
c) accurate definition of the function
d) selection of materials for construction;
e) performance, lifetime and configuration;
f) description of the type of substances that shall be processed and process conditions.
NOTE EN ISO 12100 provides general principles for design and risk assessment including description,
performance, lifetime, etc.
Constructive attributes of the material (e.g. non-conductive or non-sparking) may be presupposed
provided that their application shall be implemented. It is not permissible to change the material due to
constructional demands. Types of protection (e.g. liquid immersion “k” or control of ignition source “b”)
shall be regarded as non-existent in this step.
5.3 Identification of ignition hazards
5.3.1 General
Generally, an equipment and/or component shall be assessed by considering the probability and extent
of explosive atmosphere by the following:
a) safety characteristic data (see 5.3.2);
b) determining the extent and likelihood of an occurrence of an explosive atmosphere (see 5.3.3);
c) ignition sources (see 5.3.4).

Figure 2 — Identification of ignition hazards
The block diagram in Figure 2 provides the aspects for determination whether ignition hazards are
present.
Block 1: It shall be decided if the intended use is the use in an explosive atmosphere (i.e.
surroundin
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