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By Martin Constable, Operations Director, EPIT Group
For many organisations adopting hydrogen technologies, the biggest challenge isn’t the innovation, it’s the uncertainty.
Questions like “What standards do we need to follow?” and “How do we apply them correctly?” are at the heart of operational risk management as hydrogen scales across infrastructure and industry.
As production, storage, and use of hydrogen expand, robust and consistent safety practices are no longer optional, they’re essential. This blog explores the core international standards shaping hydrogen safety and explains why understanding them is critical for anyone involved in hazardous area operations, equipment selection, or workforce training.
Why Standards Matter in Hydrogen Operations
Hydrogen isn’t a new substance, but its large scale use in decentralised, high visibility environments is. Whether it’s fuelling vehicles, powering industrial processes, or being piped into new infrastructure, hydrogen presents well documented risks: wide flammability range, extremely low ignition energy, and high diffusivity, to name a few.
Managing those risks safely and consistently depends on more than equipment – it requires a shared understanding of expectations, responsibilities, and performance criteria.
That’s what standards provide: a common language and benchmark for design, certification, installation, inspection, and operation.
The Five Key Standards and Frameworks to Know
1. IEC 60079 – Explosive Atmospheres (Electrical Equipment)
This series of international standard covers the design, selection and maintenance of electrical equipment intended for use in explosive atmospheres.
Why it matters for hydrogen:
Hydrogen is categorised as Group IIC – the most demanding gas group – due to its low ignition energy and high explosion risk. IEC 60079 outlines protection concepts like Ex d (flameproof), Ex e (increased safety), and Ex i (intrinsic safety), which are directly applicable to hydrogen installations.
2. IEC 80079 – Explosive Atmospheres (Non-Electrical Equipment)
Not all ignition sources are electrical. The IEC 80079 series of international standards extend safety principles to mechanical equipment – covering issues like hot surfaces, impact sparks, and moving parts.
Why it matters:
Valves, gearboxes, fans and pumps used in hydrogen systems must also be assessed for explosion risk. This standard ensures they’re designed or selected with appropriate protection techniques, such as “constructional safety” or “liquid immersion”.
3. ATEX – The EU Framework for Equipment and Workplace Safety
- ATEX refers to two key EU directives:
ATEX 2014/34/EU – Equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres - ATEX 1999/92/EC – Minimum requirements for improving the safety and health of workers potentially at risk from explosive atmospheres
Why it matters:
Many hydrogen facilities in the UK and Europe operate under ATEX aligned regulations. Equipment must carry appropriate markings (e.g. II 2G Ex db IIC T3 Gb), and workplaces must define hazardous zones with clear responsibilities.
4. IECEx – The Global Certification Scheme
IECEx provides a framework for verifying that equipment and personnel comply with IEC standards. It includes:
- Equipment certification (IECEx CoC)
- Service facility approval (e.g. for repair workshops)
- Personal competence certification (CoPC)
Why it matters:
As hydrogen projects become more international, IECEx ensures consistency across markets. It’s particularly valuable for OEMs, project developers, and employers sourcing or operating equipment globally.
5. ISO 19880 – Hydrogen Fuel Infrastructure
This ISO standard series sets out safety and design guidelines for hydrogen refuelling stations and related infrastructure.
Why it matters:
While more specialised, ISO 19880 reflects the growing relevance of hydrogen in transport and public-facing applications – where consistent layout, leak detection, venting, and user protection are paramount.
At EPIT, our Hydrogen Safety Awareness training is designed not just to meet requirements, but to embed competence from day one.
As I explained in my previous blog on applying hydrogen safety principles across the supply chain, standards are only effective when the people applying them have the knowledge and confidence to do so. We focus on bridging the gap between regulation and reality, helping HSE leaders, technicians, and engineers understand not only what the standards say, but why they matter, and how to put them into practice.
In a rapidly expanding hydrogen landscape, standards aren’t just paperwork. They’re the structure behind safe systems, trusted equipment, and competent people.
For organisations working with hydrogen – whether directly or indirectly –
understanding and applying the right safety standards is one of the most valuable forms of risk management available.
Explore more from EPIT’s hydrogen series at epitgroup.com
Or learn more about our Hydrogen Safety Awareness course, which helps translate safety standards into everyday operational competence.
For more information on Navigating the Hydrogen Safety Landscape: Key Global Standards You Must Know talk to EPIT Group