CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING THE RESISTANCE TO IMPACT TEST APPLICABLE TO ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT DESIGNED FOR USE IN POTENTIALLY EXPLOSIVE ATMOSPHERES.

For some types of protection, the equipment enclosure has an important role in providing explosion protection. Therefore, the explosion characteristics must be maintained even in case of a mechanical impact produced by an object falling on equipment's enclosure. The property of enclosure to provide mechanical protection against the damage produced by falling objects must be tested to mechanical impact. In this paper the specific requirements for performing the resistance to impact tests applicable to equipment designed for use in explosive atmospheres are considered, together with the new requirements provided by the latest standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]