TL;DR Summary Box
Replacing all equipment to meet ATEX or DSEAR regulations is rarely necessary. A Non-Electrical Ignition Risk Assessment (NEIRA) identifies real ignition risks in mechanical systems and applies targeted safeguards so you can achieve compliance safely and cost effectively. NEIRA helps businesses assess non-electrical ignition sources like hot surfaces, mechanical sparks and static electricity, and ensures protection through risk-based maintenance and practical control measures. By applying NEIRA, companies can reduce costs, maintain production continuity and demonstrate compliance without compromising safety.
Key Takeaway:
NEIRA allows businesses to achieve full DSEAR and ATEX compliance without costly equipment replacement by focusing on real ignition risks and building a strong basis of safety.
Introduction
For many businesses in the UK, achieving DSEAR compliance can feel daunting. However, understanding the requirements can greatly enhance safety and efficiency.
Achieving DSEAR compliance is not just about following regulations; it’s about creating a safer workplace for all employees.
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A Non-Electrical Ignition Risk Assessment (NEIRA) offers a smarter route. Rather than costly replacement, NEIRA provides a structured way to identify ignition risks in non-electrical equipment and apply targeted safeguards to help businesses achieve compliance with legislation, protection for people and assets and significant cost savings without unnecessary disruption.
Why NEIRA Matters
Understanding DSEAR compliance helps ensure that your operations meet legal requirements while prioritizing safety.
UK legislation requires businesses to comply with DSEAR (Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002) and, for those trading in Europe, the ATEX directives. These regulations require employers to assess explosion risks, classify hazardous zones, implement controls and ensure this is clearly documented. Compliance applies to dangerous substances (flammable gases, vapours and dusts) and the equipment being operated in these environments.
“Unlike electrical hazards, these risks depend heavily on day-to-day conditions, such as maintenance practices, lubrication, grounding and general wear.”
When most people think of ignition hazards, most people immediately think of electrical sources, whether that’s faulty wiring, sparking plugs, or overheating motors. These risks are well understood and therefore well regulated, but non-electrical equipment can present a more subtle and frequently overlooked threat. Non-electrical ignition sources account for a surprisingly significant proportion of industrial incidents.
The three most common are:
- Hot surfaces – overheating bearings, poor ventilation, or friction from moving parts.
- Mechanical sparks – metal-on-metal contact from rotating machinery or seized components.
- Static electricity – charges from belts, rotating shafts, or powder handling.
Unlike electrical hazards, these risks depend heavily on day-to-day conditions, such as maintenance practices, lubrication, grounding and general wear. This is why replacing all of your equipment is an ineffective solution. Each item should be individually assessed in its real-world context, which is precisely what NEIRA delivers.
ATEX/DSEAR Framework: Zones and Equipment Categories
ATEX/DSEAR compliance begins with hazardous area classification, which divides a workplace into zones based on how frequently explosive atmospheres may occur.
- Zone 0 (gas/vapour) / Zone 20 (dust): Continuous or frequent presence of explosive atmospheres.
- Zone 1 (gas/vapour) / Zone 21 (dust): Likely presence during normal operation.
- Zone 2 (gas/vapour) / Zone 22 (dust): Rare or short-term presence under abnormal conditions.
To match these zones, equipment is also categorised:
- Ga/Da: Very high protection, safe even during rare malfunctions (Zones 0/20).
- Gb/Db: High protection, safe in normal use and expected malfunctions (Zones 1/21).
- Gc/Dc: Normal protection, safe in normal use only (Zones 2/22).
Investing in DSEAR compliance systems can significantly reduce the risk of accidents in hazardous environments.
This is summarised n the below table:
| Zone Type | Frequency of Explosive Atmosphere | Equipment Category |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 0 / 20 | Continuous or frequent presence | Ga / Da – Very high protection |
| Zone 1 / 21 | Likely during normal operation | Gb / Db – High protection |
| Zone 2 / 22 | Rare or abnormal conditions | Gc / Dc – Normal protection |
Typical non-electrical equipment that falls under these categories includes fans, blowers, pumps, compressors, conveyors, mixers, agitators, mills, rotary valves and even hand-operated tools. Each piece of equipment must be assessed against the zone it will operate in, ensuring the right level of protection is in place for everyday continuous use.
What is a NEIRA?
A Non-Electrical Ignition Risk Assessment (NEIRA) is a structured process that identifies, evaluates and controls ignition hazards from non-electrical equipment. While ATEX standards address electrical risks, non-electrical sources can go unnoticed, leaving a gap in compliance.
“By focusing on real ignition risks, applying targeted safeguards and building a strong basis of safety, companies can achieve compliance without compromise.”
Unlike general risk assessments, NEIRA is tailored specifically to the ignition threats posed by mechanical systems. It looks at how equipment is used, how it can fail and how those failures can create ignition risks. By assigning safeguards to each risk, NEIRA allows businesses to demonstrate compliance without relying on wholesale equipment replacement.
NEIRA complements established safety methods such as HAZOP, HAZID, SIL and LOPA. These techniques focus on process hazards, safety integrity and layers of protection, while NEIRA provides the crucial addition of non-electrical ignition risk, creating a thorough, well rounded guide for safer working processes.
NEIRA Methodology in Practice
If your equipment was installed before the ATEX regulations in 2003, it may be assessed by NEIRA for all designated hazardous zones. If the equipment was installed after 2003, only equipment in a zone 22 or zone 2 may be assessed by NEIRA.
Ultimately, DSEAR compliance is about risk management and ensuring your team operates safely.
A typical NEIRA follows three clear steps:
Identify ignition sources – Inspectors review the equipment on site to pinpoint potential hazards, such as overheated bearings, friction from misaligned shafts, or static build up on belts.
Define hazardous scenarios – Each piece of equipment is analysed in a realistic context. For example, a lubrication failure could lead to bearing overheating, which in turn could ignite combustible dust in a conveyor. Scenarios are categorised as:
- Expected malfunctions (e.g. wear, misalignment)
- Rare malfunctions (e.g. broken welds, shaft failure)
- Example walkthroughs (step-by-step exploration of how a failure leads to ignition)
Assign safeguards – Appropriate controls are applied and prioritised by risk. These may include predictive maintenance (vibration monitoring, thermal imaging), staff training, grounding systems, seal flushing, or explosion protection measures.
This method ensures risks are identified and controlled in a way that is practical, defensible and tailored to the equipment in use.
Building Your Basis of Safety
A basis of safety is the fundamental strategy used to prevent ignition sources from escalating and causing explosions. Under ATEX/DSEAR, businesses must establish and justify a clear basis of safety for their operations.
“A Non-Electrical Ignition Risk Assessment (NEIRA) is a structured process that identifies, evaluates and controls ignition hazards from non-electrical equipment.”
As a part of your safety strategy, DSEAR compliance should be reviewed regularly to maintain operational integrity.
There are three recognised approaches:
Avoidance – Prevent ignition by using compliant equipment, controlling hot surfaces, earthing systems to prevent static build up and ensuring adequate maintenance.
Prevention – Stop explosive atmospheres from forming in the first place, through ventilation, inertion with nitrogen, or dust control measures.
Protection – Accept that ignition may occur but minimise consequences with explosion vents, suppression systems, or isolation barriers.
The differentiating factor of NEIRA is that it helps businesses apply the right mix of these approaches. Instead of replacing every piece of equipment with ATEX-certified models, high-risk areas can be flagged for upgrades while lower risk areas can be managed through grounding, monitoring and improved maintenance.
Teamwork and Collaboration in NEIRA
A successful NEIRA relies on collaboration. A typical assessment team will include:
- A facilitator to guide the process.
- A hazardous area classification expert to define zoning.
- An equipment specialist with knowledge of design, operation and maintenance.
- On occasion, equipment manufacturers to provide detailed insights into the behaviour of the equipment.
This mix of expertise ensures that day to day processes and less obvious, but still potential, failures are explored. With multiple perspectives, the assessment is more thorough, creating reliable safeguards that enhance safety and protect staff.
Cost vs. DSEAR Compliance
The main advantage of NEIRA is cost effective compliance. Replacing existing equipment with ATEX-certified models will sometimes be unavoidable (especially in high-risk Zones 0/20), but doing this across an entire plant can cause a huge financial strain.
By applying NEIRA, businesses can:
- Identify areas where replacement is essential.
- Demonstrate compliance through risk based safeguards elsewhere.
- Maintain production continuity without unnecessary disruption.
In many cases, the savings generated by avoiding unnecessary equipment replacement outweigh the cost of the NEIRA itself.
Review and Reassessment
Regular reviews ensure safeguards remain relevant and accurate, equipment continues to be fit for purpose and staff are kept up to date with training and emergency procedures. It is advised that NEIRA is undertaken when:
Proper training ensures that all staff understands the importance of DSEAR compliance in daily operations.
- Any incident or near-miss occurs.
- There are significant changes in equipment or processes.
- Or every 2-3 years.
DSEAR Compliance Without Compromise
For businesses operating under ATEX/DSEAR, safety compliance doesn’t have to mean replacing every piece of equipment on site. A NEIRA provides a practical way to control risks, protect people and satisfy regulations while keeping costs manageable and operations running smoothly.
By focusing on real ignition risks, applying targeted safeguards and building a strong basis of safety, companies can achieve compliance without compromise.
Prioritising DSEAR compliance can help prevent costly downtime and ensure regulatory adherence.
Regular assessments of DSEAR compliance can identify gaps and improve overall safety measures.
Companies must take proactive steps to ensure they achieve and maintain DSEAR compliance throughout their operations.
Focusing on DSEAR compliance not only protects your employees but also enhances your company’s reputation.
Ultimately, DSEAR compliance should be viewed as an integral part of your business strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is NEIRA?
A Non-Electrical Ignition Risk Assessment (NEIRA) is a structured process that identifies, evaluates and controls ignition hazards from non-electrical equipment such as pumps, mixers and conveyors operating in hazardous zones.
Why is NEIRA important for DSEAR compliance?
NEIRA ensures you meet legal safety obligations under the DSEAR and ATEX frameworks by addressing mechanical ignition sources that are often overlooked in standard assessments.
Does NEIRA replace the need for ATEX-certified equipment?
Not entirely. It helps you determine where certified equipment is essential and where practical safeguards can control risks without replacement.
What are examples of non-electrical ignition risks?
Hot surfaces, mechanical friction, metal contact, and static build-up on belts or shafts can all create ignition sources even without electrical faults.
How does NEIRA differ from other safety assessments?
While methods like HAZOP or SIL focus on process safety, NEIRA specifically targets non-electrical ignition risks, making it a complementary part of a comprehensive safety strategy.
Who should be involved in a NEIRA?
A typical NEIRA team includes a facilitator, a hazardous area classification expert, an equipment specialist and sometimes the equipment manufacturer to ensure all risks are accurately assessed.
How often should NEIRA be reviewed?
It should be reviewed every 2–3 years, or whenever equipment or processes change, or after an incident or near miss.
What are the main benefits of NEIRA?
It provides cost-effective compliance, identifies genuine ignition risks, maintains operational continuity, and prevents unnecessary equipment replacement.
