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Under Japan's Industrial Safety and Health framework, explosion-protected electrical equipment intended for use in hazardous locations must comply with the country's Technical Recommendations issued by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (JNIOSH). In many cases, products require certification against these recommendations before they can be legally placed on the Japanese market.

A Different Route to Compliance

While Japan's technical requirements are closely aligned with the IEC 60079 series used internationally, manufacturers cannot simply rely on existing ATEX or IECEx approvals alone. Certification must demonstrate compliance with the applicable JNIOSH Technical Recommendations, which form the basis of Japan's national approval process for explosion-protected equipment.

The recommendations cover the various recognised methods of explosion protection, including:

• Flameproof enclosures (Ex d)
• Increased safety (Ex e)
• Intrinsic safety (Ex i)
• Pressurisation (Ex p)
• Dust ignition protection (Ex t)
• Non-sparking equipment (Ex n)
• Optical radiation protection (Ex op)

These guidance documents are regularly updated to reflect developments in international standards while maintaining Japan's specific regulatory requirements.

Why It Matters

Japan remains one of the world's largest industrial economies, with significant investment across:

• Oil & gas
• Petrochemicals
• Chemical processing
• Pharmaceutical manufacturing
• Hydrogen technologies
• Energy generation
• Advanced manufacturing

For overseas manufacturers, understanding the country's certification pathway early in the product development process can prevent costly delays when entering the market.

Planning for Market Entry

Manufacturers intending to export explosion-protected equipment into Japan should review certification requirements at an early stage. Working with certification specialists familiar with both IECEx/ATEX and JNIOSH requirements can help streamline approval and ensure products meet the necessary technical and quality standards expected by Japanese regulators.

Although many technical principles are harmonised with international standards, Japan's certification process remains distinct, making regulatory planning an important part of any successful market entry strategy.

As hazardous industries continue to expand across Asia, understanding regional certification requirements is becoming increasingly important for manufacturers seeking to operate in global markets.

Hart Doors, the oldest British manufacturer of industrial high-speed doors and shutters, has invested in a new mobile installation facility.

Chairman Douglas Hart explains: “The focus on the British Isles has been Hart’s very rewarding market but with increasing sales from the north of Scotland to the south of England means a much sharper delivery/installation over a greater geographical area is required. The new facility is outstanding.

“Based in Newcastle UK, we are the most established British manufacturer of high-speed doors and shutters. Founded in 1946, we bring generations of engineering experience and pioneering product expertise to customers worldwide.

“Our innovative products, problem-solving approach and practical experience help companies contain noise, odour and environmental contaminants.

“This spirit of innovation is embedded into our continually evolving product range of Speedor high-speed doors, fire shutters, Terror Screen security rated shutters and specialist doors such as ATEX compliant high-speed doors and shutters,” says Mr Hart.

The installation unit is now operational much to the satisfaction of clients and the installation teams.

www.hartdoors.com

            EXAIR has unveiled a redesigned website that delivers a more streamlined experience for engineers, maintenance professionals, and manufacturers searching for compressed air solutions. Featuring a modern look that reflects EXAIR's updated brand identity, the new website makes it easier than ever to explore products, learn about applications, and find the right solution for virtually any industrial challenge. Built with performance and usability in mind, the site offers faster page loads, improved navigation, and a cleaner interface.

            The redesigned website introduces several customer-focused enhancements that simplify the buying process from research to checkout. A streamlined shopping experience reduces the number of steps required to purchase products, allowing customers to move from product selection to checkout more quickly than ever before. Visitors can also browse new industry-specific pages featuring relevant product recommendations, application examples, and educational resources, making it easier for users to discover solutions designed specifically for their manufacturing environment. The site also offers ample opportunities to connect with EXAIR through catalog requests, newsletter signups, or speaking directly with Application Engineers to get answers for case-by-case manufacturing dilemmas.

            EXAIR.com reinforces EXAIR's commitment to providing customers with the tools and resources needed to solve industrial challenges efficiently. In addition, visitors have access to the application database, videos, CAD models, blogs, an extensive Knowledge Base, and direct support from EXAIR's Application Engineers. Combined with enhanced site performance and an improved user experience, the redesigned website makes finding, selecting, and purchasing EXAIR solutions easier than ever. https://exair.co/190-newsite

PPE has come a long way in recent years. Today's products are lighter, more comfortable and more technically advanced than ever before, yet many maintenance and manufacturing businesses still make decisions based on outdated assumptions.

Here, Clair Weston, Head of Marketing at uvex, highlights five common health and safety myths that could be putting maintenance teams at unnecessary risk.

1. "The more hearing protection, the better."

Many people assume that choosing hearing protection with the highest attenuation offers the greatest level of safety. However, overprotection can create its own risks.

If hearing protection reduces noise too much, workers may struggle to communicate with colleagues, hear warning alarms or approaching vehicles. In busy maintenance environments, where communication is essential, this can increase the risk of accidents.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advises employers to select hearing protection that reduces noise to a safe level while avoiding unnecessary overprotection.

Best practice: Carry out suitable noise assessments and choose hearing protection that matches the actual noise exposure rather than simply selecting the highest SNR rating.

2. "Impact protection gloves are too bulky for maintenance work."

Impact-resistant gloves have traditionally been associated with reduced dexterity, but glove technology has advanced significantly.

Modern impact gloves combine lightweight liners, flexible impact protection and excellent grip with high levels of cut resistance, allowing technicians to protect against knocks and crush injuries while maintaining precision.

Best practice: Choose gloves such as the new uvex Hexarmor Helix® 3014IMP that balance protection with flexibility and dexterity. PPE only protects workers if they're willing to wear it consistently.

3. "Clear lenses are suitable for every job."

Many organisations issue clear safety spectacles as standard without considering whether they're the best option for different environments.

Lens colour can greatly affect visibility, comfort and fatigue. Grey lenses help reduce glare outdoors, amber lenses improve contrast in lower-light conditions, while indoor/outdoor lenses suit employees regularly moving between inside and outside.

Best practice: Match lens technology to the working environment rather than automatically specifying clear lenses for every application. For more information, see uvex’s lens tinting advisor.

4. "Safety footwear has to be uncomfortable."

Many workers still accept sore feet and fatigue as simply part of wearing safety boots, but modern safety footwear has changed dramatically.

Lightweight materials, ergonomic sole designs and cushioning technologies help reduce fatigue throughout the working day, improving both comfort and performance.

Best practice: Treat safety footwear as performance equipment as well as protective equipment, considering comfort and support alongside safety certification.

5. "One size fits all."

One of the most overlooked aspects of PPE is achieving the correct fit. Equipment that is too loose, too tight or poorly adjusted is less likely to provide the protection it was designed to deliver.

Poorly fitting gloves reduce dexterity, eyewear that slips is often removed, and hearing protection that doesn't seal correctly may not provide adequate protection. As today's workforce becomes increasingly diverse, a one-size-fits-all approach is no longer appropriate.

Best practice: Offer PPE in a range of sizes and ensure workers are properly fitted. Well-fitting equipment is more likely to be worn correctly, improving both protection and compliance.

Rethinking PPE selection

Maintenance professionals encounter a wide range of hazards throughout the working day. Selecting the right PPE isn't simply about meeting legislative requirements, it's about providing equipment that workers will wear correctly and consistently.

By challenging outdated assumptions around hearing protection, hand protection, eyewear, safety footwear and PPE fit, organisations can improve compliance while helping to create safer, more productive workplaces.

www.uvex-safety.co.uk 

Every mobile operator needs the right tool for the task. In Ex-environments, the choice is not about safety certification alone, it is about how the device fits into the tasks that lay ahead in the field. The Mobile Operator Panel from i.safe MOBILE combines an intrinsically safe tablet with the IS-CS1A.1 Connectivity System, creating a robust docking and communication platform. On this shared foundation, two tablet options are available: the Android-based IS940.1 and the Windows-based IS945.1, both built for demanding industrial use.

The Android tablet is the ideal choice for mobile workers who need a fast, intuitive companion for guided workflows, routine checks, and structured data capture. It supports the kind of tasks that must be completed quickly and efficiently, with a user experience that feels familiar and easy to adopt. For mobile applications where responsiveness and simplicity matter most, Android is the natural fit.

The Windows tablet is designed for users who need more than a companion device. It becomes part of the production and control environment, giving direct access to native supervision, and commissioning software. With Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC for Arm64, the IS945.1 runs desktop-class applications directly on the tablet, making it a powerful extension of existing control systems.

One platform, two use cases

This dual-platform approach gives industrial users maximum flexibility. Android supports mobile workflows that are fast, repetitive, and task oriented. Windows supports deeper integration with production and control systems, where familiar software and full application compatibility are essential. Both tablets use the same docking and connectivity backbone, allowing one unified concept to serve different roles across the operation.

Built for the right role

The strength of the concept lies in matching the device to the use case. Android brings speed, simplicity, and mobility to the hands of the worker. Windows delivers the software compatibility and system integration needed for production-related tasks. Together, they provide a flexible mobile HMI strategy that adapts to the way industrial teams really work.

www.isafe-mobile.com

As battery-powered technologies continue to transform industries, they are also becoming increasingly common in equipment designed for use in hazardous areas. From portable gas detectors and wireless sensors to communication devices and monitoring systems, batteries are enabling greater mobility and functionality than ever before.

However, batteries also present one of the most significant challenges when designing intrinsically safe equipment. Unlike many other electrical components, they store substantial amounts of energy and, under certain conditions, have the potential to become an ignition source. IEC 60079-11 helps manufacturers address these risks by defining requirements for equipment protected by intrinsic safety.

When developing battery-powered equipment, there are five key considerations manufacturers should keep in mind.

1. Battery selection matters

Not all battery chemistries behave in the same way. Characteristics such as energy density, internal resistance and thermal behaviour can all influence how a battery performs under both normal operation and fault conditions. Selecting an appropriate battery technology early in the design process can help minimise development challenges later.

2. Consider the complete system, not just the battery

Battery safety cannot be assessed in isolation. Protective circuitry, charging arrangements, electrical interfaces and the surrounding equipment all influence the overall intrinsic safety of the product. Understanding how these elements interact is essential when demonstrating compliance.

3. Prepare for foreseeable fault conditions

Intrinsic safety is based on ensuring equipment remains safe even when faults occur. Manufacturers should consider scenarios such as short circuits, component failures and abnormal operating conditions early in development, rather than waiting until formal compliance testing begins.

4. Design for compliance from the outset

Battery-related design changes introduced late in a project can have significant consequences for cost and programme timelines. Incorporating intrinsic safety considerations during concept development can reduce redesign, improve efficiency and help avoid delays during product approval.

When using lithium battery technology, IEC 60079-11 is not the only standard to consider. While IEC 60079-11 governs intrinsic safety, including under fault conditions, it relies on the underlying cell being fundamentally stable. Depending on the target market, baseline cell-level safety certifications to UL 1642 (for North America) and IEC 62133-2 (globally) are typically required to validate core chemical and mechanical stability. Furthermore, regardless of the explosive atmosphere certification, UN 38.3 testing is legally mandatory for all lithium battery types to permit commercial transport and air freight.

5. Work with experienced technical specialists

Battery technologies continue to evolve rapidly, bringing new opportunities alongside new engineering challenges. Working with specialists who understand both battery behaviour and intrinsic safety requirements can help manufacturers interpret technical requirements, identify potential issues early and build confidence throughout the development process.

As demand for battery-powered equipment in hazardous locations continues to grow, intrinsic safety remains a critical design consideration rather than a final compliance exercise. By considering battery selection, system design and foreseeable fault conditions from the beginning of a project, manufacturers can reduce technical risk, streamline development and support a smoother route to certification.

Ultimately, successful battery testing is not simply about demonstrating compliance with a standard. It is about ensuring products can operate safely and reliably in some of the world's most demanding environments.

Adrian Smart, Senior Consultant Engineer, Hazardous Locations at Intertek

Learn more about Intertek’s battery testing and certification services at https://www.intertek.com/batteries/

Digitalisation is rapidly transforming hazardous industries. From maintenance and inspection to asset management and remote collaboration, field workers increasingly depend on mobile technology. Atexxo Manufacturing now brings Samsung’s latest rugged tablet technology into explosive atmospheres with ATEX-certified versions of the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active5 and Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro.

The compact Samsung Galaxy Tab Active5 ATEX is designed for use in gas Zone 1 and dust Zone 21 environments. Atexxo converts the original Samsung tablet using a modified aluminium enclosure and protected electrical circuitry, while retaining the functionality required by modern field workers. The device is certified as II 2G Ex db IIC T6 Gb and II 2D Ex tb IIIC T85°C Db under ATEX, with corresponding IECEx certification.

Its 8-inch, 120Hz display offers excellent visibility, while 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, Samsung Knox and physical SIM or eSIM connectivity support connected-worker applications. The tablet is available in Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi-plus-5G configurations, with 128GB or 256GB storage options.

For applications requiring a larger workspace, Atexxo offers the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro ATEX for gas Zone 2 and dust Zone 22. Its 10.1-inch display provides additional space for technical drawings, digital work instructions, inspection forms and industrial software. The Atexxo version carries the markings II 3G Ex ec ic IIC T4 Gc and II 3D Ex tc IIIB T85°C Dc.

The Tab Active5 Pro combines 5G connectivity with a powerful processor, Samsung Knox security, glove-compatible operation and reinforced tether points. The original Samsung platform also offers a 120Hz display, up to 600-nit brightness and expandable storage, making it suitable for demanding industrial workflows.

Together, the two tablets provide organisations with a choice between a highly portable Zone 1/21 solution and a larger Zone 2/22 productivity platform. Applications include petrochemical facilities, offshore installations, hazardous-goods storage, maintenance, digital inspections, connected-worker systems and safe industrial photography.

With these new products, Atexxo enables companies to introduce modern Samsung mobile technology into hazardous locations without compromising explosion safety.

For more information, visit www.atexxo.com