A guide to surveillance solutions suited for hazardous areas
Blog
Published:
July 2024
This blog takes a closer look at hazardous-area cameras and what you need to know for safe surveillance of these areas.
Hazardous areas or locations (sometimes referred to as hazlocs) are physical areas susceptible to fire or explosion that require specific precautions to protect equipment and workers. This blog examines what type of operational areas may fall under this category, and the special characteristics and certifications cameras should have for safe surveillance of these zones.
A fire can occur almost anywhere, but hazardous areas are particularly at risk because they feature explosive atmospheres caused by the presence (or potential presence) of ignitable gases, dust, or fibres.
Oil and gas plants and chemical processing facilities are examples of settings where hazardous areas are likely, but almost any sector can be affected.
For instance, flour or sugar are highly flammable, meaning many food processing facilities are likely to have hazardous areas. Grain (dust build-up), biofuel (gas build-up) and cotton (fibre build-up) processing and storage facilities are also often classified as hazardous areas.
As the name suggests, a hazardous-area camera is designed for these environments. They are also referred to as ‘explosion-proof’ cameras. However, this can be misleading.
While built to withstand harsh temperatures, operating conditions, and explosions – often made from durable materials like stainless steel and tempered, pressure-resistant glass – a critical differentiator between hazardous- and safe-area cameras is that the former is also designed to avoid being the cause of an explosion.
Developed with parts that mitigate the risk of sparks from electrical components and featuring camera housings that prevent the ingress of gas and particles that could ignite, they provide a much safer way to monitor assets and processes in dangerous conditions.
If your facility features hazardous areas, you must ensure that your surveillance cameras have been tested and certified to the safety and performance standards specific to your geography. However, the leading standards recognised internationally are IECEx, ATEX, CSA and CSAus.
These standards represent minimum requirements for compliance, so it is also essential to consider specific operating condition requirements to make the best choice. For instance, in desert and arid locations, it is worth looking at using cameras that are fully operational in +70°C heat.
It may sound like a frivolous detail, but having a robust wiper on your hazardous area camera can mean the difference between a clear view of crucial processes and a blurry image (due to potential vapour or particle buildup). Integral heaters and demisters can also be hugely beneficial for hazardous environments as they eliminate the risk of fogging and condensation.
Hazardous area cameras are closely associated with process monitoring, where the priority is often low/no light performance or thermal imaging. But this doesn’t mean they can’t deliver high-resolution image capture.
There are many HD and 4K hazardous area camera options for when fine detail is needed – our 4K range of COEX hazardous-area cameras even includes the market’s first 4K TriMode camera station for all light and thermal conditions.
It’s also worth remembering that while high-resolution safe-area cameras are often cheaper (because they are not designed to withstand the same conditions), they will not meet regulatory requirements for zones designated as hazardous areas.
With features like HD and 4K video, thermal imaging, and hazardous-area certifications, COEX represents the cutting-edge surveillance technology designed to excel in the most challenging environments.
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