IEC 61340-4-4:2012/AMD1:2014

IEC 61340-4-4 ®
Edition 2.0 2014-11
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
colour
inside
A MENDMENT 1
AM ENDEMENT 1
Electrostatics –
Part 4-4: Standard test methods for specific applications – Electrostatic
classification of flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBC)

Électrostatique –
Partie 4-4: Méthodes d'essai normalisées pour des applications spécifiques –
Classification électrostatique des grands récipients pour vrac souples (GRVS)

IEC 61340-4-4:2012-01/AMD1:2014-11(en-fr)

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IEC 61340-4-4 ®
Edition 2.0 2014-11
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
colour
inside
A MENDMENT 1
AM ENDEMENT 1
Electrostatics –
Part 4-4: Standard test methods for specific applications – Electrostatic

classification of flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBC)

Électrostatique –
Partie 4-4: Méthodes d'essai normalisées pour des applications spécifiques –

Classification électrostatique des grands récipients pour vrac souples (GRVS)

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
PRICE CODE
INTERNATIONALE
CODE PRIX E
ICS 17.220.99; 29.020; 55.080 ISBN 978-2-8322-1915-7

– 2 – IEC 61340-4-4:2012/AMD1:2014

© IEC 2014
FOREWORD
This amendment has been prepared by IEC technical committee 101: Electrostatics.

The text of this amendment is based on the following documents:

CDV Report on voting
101/421/CDV 101/447/RVC
Full information on the voting for the approval of this amendment can be found in the report

on voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The committee has decided that the contents of this amendment and the base publication will
remain unchanged until the stability date indicated on the IEC web site under
"http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data related to the specific publication. At this date, the
publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
IMPORTANT – The 'colour inside' logo on the cover page of this publication indicates
that it contains colours which are considered to be useful for the correct
understanding of its contents. Users should therefore print this document using a
colour printer.
_____________
1 Scope
Replace the last sentence of NOTE 3 by the following new sentence:

IEC TS 60079-32-1 [1] gives guidance on additional precautions that may be necessary.
5 Safe use of FIBC
Replace the first paragraph by the following new text:
The requirements and specifications that FIBC shall meet and the ways in which they are
used depend on the nature and sensitivity of any explosive atmosphere present during filling
and emptying. The final goal for the construction of FIBC is to exclude incendiary discharges
from the FIBC fabric during their intended use. FIBC constructed in compliance with the
requirements specified in this standard do not necessarily ensure that hazardous electrostatic
discharges, e.g. cone discharges or spark discharges from charged conductive products, will
not be generated by the contents in FIBC. Information on the risks associated with cone
discharges is given in Annex E.

© IEC 2014
Replace the fifth paragraph by the following new text:

In accordance with general safety guidance (see IEC TS 60079-32-1), all conductive objects,

including personnel, Type C FIBC and any conductive contents of FIBC, within a hazardous

explosive atmosphere shall be properly earthed. Type D FIBC are not considered to be

conductive objects and are not required to be earthed.

6 Labelling
Replace the text of item j) by the following new text:

j) for Type B, Type C and Type D the phrase “All conductive objects, including personnel
shall be earthed during FIBC filling and emptying operations”;
Replace Figures 1 to 3 by the following new figures:
IEC 61340-4-4
• Permitted in dust zone 21-22 with
MIE > 3 mJ
• Electrical properties may be
affected by general usage,
contamination and reconditioning
• All conductive objects, including
TYPE
personnel shall be earthed during
FIBC filling and emptying
operations
B
IEC
Figure 1 – Example of a label for Type B FIBC

– 4 – IEC 61340-4-4:2012/AMD1:2014

© IEC 2014
IEC 61340-4-4
FIBC shall be properly earthed

according to manufacturer’s
instructions
• Permitted in dust zones 21-22 and in

gas zones 1-2 (explosion groups IIA/IIB)

• Electrical properties may be affected by
general usage, contamination and
reconditioning
TYPE
• All conductive objects, including
personnel shall be earthed during FIBC
filling and emptying operations
C
IEC
Figure 2 – Example of a label for Type C FIBC
IEC 61340-4-4
FIBC does not require earthing
• Permitted in dust zones 21- 22 and gas
zones 1- 2 (explosion groups IIA/IIB
...