When specifying hazardous area equipment for immediate use this autumn-winter, it’s natural to take temperature into account, especially if the equipment is to be installed outdoors without insulation.
Some hazardous area equipment can be insulated to provide extra protection against extremes of cold, but some inherently need to be exposed, for example, hazardous area lighting systems for outdoor areas.
The operating temperature range of outdoor hazardous area lighting systems should help you to decide if they are suitable, and often the lower end of the range is well below freezing point and far beyond any temperatures likely to occur in a normal British winter.
But it’s also considering factors like warm-up time, as some exterior lighting is specifically rated for full operation from a cold start.
You might not need this – a short delay while the lighting element warms up is fine in many general applications – but in some applications, such as emergency lighting that only comes on when an incident is detected, you want full illumination immediately.
By specifying hazardous area equipment designed for instant operation even in cold weather, you prepare for the depths of the coming season and ensure there is no increase in risk, whatever the conditions on the day.
