Using professional quality Intrinsically Safe two-way radios should be a must for anyone working around combustible dust.
Intrinsically Safe two-way radios are designed to eliminate the potential for spark, heat, or flame when being used.
Six Absolute Must Haves for Intrinsically Safe Radios
1. Intrinsically Safe Two-Way Radios must meet military specifications MIL-STD-810 as maintained by the United States Air Force, Army, and Navy. These specifications address environmental conditions that include heat, pressure, vibration, and shock resistance.
2. Intrinsically Safe Two-Way Radios must meet Division 2 Requirements (i.e. Abnormal situation where potentially hazardous material is expected to be safely confined within closed containers or closed systems and will be present in the atmosphere only through accidental rupture, breakage, or abnormal operation.)
3. Intrinsically Safe Two-Way Radios must meet all three classifications of hazardous environments including:
Class I: Flammable vapors and gasses
Class II: Flammable dust
Class III: Flammable fibers
4. Intrinsically Safe Two-Way Radios should also be waterproof and rated at least IP67.
5. Intrinsically Safe Two-Way Radios must be tested and certified by independent agencies such as SGS to comply to the UL 913 5th Ed., TIA 4950-A, CSA C22.2 No. 157- 92 standards.
6. All radio accessories also must be certified as Intrinsically Safe.
