EAC Certification for Ex Equipment: CU TR 012/2011

What is CU TR 012/2011 and when does it apply?

CU TR 012/2011 “On the safety of equipment for operation in explosive atmospheres” applies to all machinery and components intended for use in environments where an explosion risk may occur. It does not apply to personal protective equipment (covered under CU TR 019/2011) or to medical devices, which is one of the differences compared to the European ATEX system.

The regulation divides products into three groups:

• Group I – Equipment for mines, quarries, and mineral processing plants.
• Group II – Equipment for use in areas exposed to gas, except underground construction.
• Group III – Equipment for use in areas exposed to combustible dust, except underground construction.

Within these groups, equipment is categorized by level of explosion protection and by type of Ex marking, which defines the design concept and testing requirements. These protection types are based on the international IECEx standards and are therefore the same in ATEX (EU) and EAC Ex (EAEU), even if the certification systems are different.

• Ex d – Flameproof enclosure: the equipment housing is built to withstand an internal explosion without transmitting it outside.
• Ex e – Increased safety: equipment is designed to avoid sparks, arcs, or hot surfaces under normal operating conditions (e.g., reinforced insulation, clearances).
• Ex i – Intrinsic safety: the energy in the circuits is limited so that ignition cannot occur, even under fault conditions.
• Ex p – Pressurization: the enclosure is kept under positive pressure (with clean air or inert gas) to prevent explosive gases from entering.
• Ex m – Encapsulation: sensitive parts are fully encapsulated in resin or another protective material to prevent contact with explosive atmospheres.
• Ex o – Oil immersion: live parts are immersed in oil, preventing contact between sparks and explosive gases.
• Ex q – Powder filling: the enclosure is filled with fine powder (such as quartz sand) that quenches arcs or sparks.
• Ex n – Non-sparking: equipment is built so that, under normal operation, no sparks or hot surfaces capable of ignition are produced (used mainly for Zone 2).

How does an EAC Ex Certificate for serial production work?

An EAC Ex Certificate for serial production is the standard option for manufacturers exporting equipment to the EAEU market on a continuous basis. Validity periods are typically 1, 3, or 5 years, depending on the chosen scheme.

As any other EAC Certificate of Conformity, testing must always be carried out in accredited laboratories within the EAEU. In addition, an audit of the manufacturer is mandatory:

• It includes an analysis of the production process, similar in scope to an ISO 9001 review.
• It also includes sampling, where the inspector selects the products that will be tested in Russia or another EAEU country.

This audit is repeated every year for as long as the certificate remains valid.

Finally, it is important to note that the technical manual must be adapted to a very specific format required by CU TR 012/2011, which differs from the documentation normally prepared for CE or ATEX approvals.