This European Standard specifies the requirements for venting devices used to protect enclosures against the major effects of internal explosions arising from the rapid burning of suspended dust, vapour or gas contained within. It includes the requirements for the design, inspection, testing, marking, documentation and packaging. This European Standard specifies explosion venting devices which are put on the market as autonomous protective systems.

Explosion venting devices are safety devices comprised of a pressure sensitive membrane fixed to and forming part of the structure that it protects, designed to intervene in the event of an explosion at a predetermined low pressure, to immediately open a vent area sufficient to ensure that the maximum pressure attained by the explosion within the enclosure does not exceed its designed resistance to pressure.

The application and specification of explosion venting devices is outlined for dust explosion protection in EN 14491 and for gas explosion protection in prEN 14994. The use of venting devices according to this European Standard on pipelines and on applications other than described in EN 14491 or prEN 14994 needs to be carefully evaluated and where appropriate their suitability needs to be confirmed by tests.

Flameless explosion venting devices avoid the breakthrough of flames into the surroundings. They are used to allow explosion venting in situations where the hazards of flames resulting from the venting action are not acceptable. Flameless explosion venting devices are treated in a separate standard.

This European Standard does not cover details for the avoidance of ignition sources from detection devices or other parts of the venting devices.