Hazardous Location Lighting

What Is Hazardous Location Lighting?

Hazardous Area Lighting is a category of lights designed to work in explosive environments. The environments can be either ones where gas or dust is present. The lights are designed not to cause a spark that turns into an explosion in these areas.

Are Hazardous Location Lights the Same As Explosion Proof Lights?

For the most part yes, we typically think of hazardous area led lighting as the same thing as explosion proof lights. There are areas that are hazardous and non explosive, but in those cases, our standard lines of LED products would work there.

These lights are designed for use when areas of flammable gases, flammable liquids and combustible dust are present in either normal or abnormal conditions. These lights are available as Class i, Class ii and Class iii lights for extreme environments.

A few exceptions would be in areas where food or consumables are manufactured or areas where high temperatures exist. In those cases, food safe lights and high temperature lights should be used.

What Are the Benefits of using LED Fixtures for Hazardous Location Lighting?

The main benefit is that these lights are designed to keep a dangerous environment safer. The lights are designed and UL certified to be safe in hazardous environments.

Another benefit is that they stay cooler and use less electricity and reduced energy consumption than the metal halide lights and fluorescent lighting they are designed to replace. Light quality is excellent, providing high quality lighting and providing superior illumination.

When Does It Make Sense to Use Hazardous Location Fixtures?

There are typically rules and regulations that mandate the use of these lights, but for the most part, they’re used in any environment, indoors or outdoors, where a spark from a light could cause a hazardous consequence. A refinery or underground mine is an example where hazardous location led lights should be used.

What Types of Hazardous Locations Lights Are Available?

All sorts of lights are available for both indoor and outdoor uses, such as ceiling mounted interior lights, flood lights, linear lights, jelly jars and exit signs.

What Are the Best Applications for Hazardous Location Lights?

LED hazardous location lights are designed to replace existing metal halide and fluorescent fixtures in indoor and outdoor hazardous locations. These include industrial applications such as:

Chemical processing plants
Aircraft maintenance areas
Enclosed fueling stations
Paint spray booths
Offshore oil and gas rigs
Chemical storage units
Ship tanks
Refineries
Oil and gas storage
Grain silos

How Do You Install LED Lighting for Hazardous Areas?

This should be installed by a licensed electrician who is familiar with hazardous location lighting. It’s important that all fixtures, conduit and junction boxes are also rated properly, and the lights themselves are not modified.