Trelawny ATEX tools for Gas Zone 1 and Dust Zone 21
VL-Ex pistol grip - Ex-marked label
Trelawny's Ex range is the certified version of their surface preparation tools: needle and chisel scalers, hand-held and walk-behind scaling hammers, and the dust extraction to go with them. Trelawny's 2024 ATEX brochure gives the markings as II 2 G Ex h IIC T4 Gb and II 2 D Ex h IIIC T135 °C Db, certified through Element Materials Technology, a European Notified Body, under Directive 2014/34/EU.
That marking means Category 2, which covers Gas Zone 1 and Dust Zone 21, and gas group IIC, the demanding end that includes hydrogen. Consumables are beryllium copper so the working face does not throw incendive sparks.
✓SepcoTech is an authorised Trelawny distributor
Certified at the label, spark-resistant at the needles
The VL223Ex figures on this page, pinned to the tool. Hover or tap a number to trace it to the hardware.
- 01Ex markingIIC / IIICII 2 G Ex h IIC T4 Gb and II 2 D Ex h IIIC T135 °C Db: Category 2, Gas Zone 1 and Dust Zone 21.
- 02Front grip2.95 m/s²At the worse grip, from the matching VL tool: 5 h 45 min to the 2.5 m/s² action value.
- 03Air inlet1.89 l/s4.0 cfm. Run it on anti-static air hose 421.3530X.
- 04Needles19 × 3 mmBeryllium copper, so the working face does not throw incendive sparks. Or 51 × 2 mm.
- 05Body2.35 kgThe lightest of the three: an in-line body for tight access. 2,400 BPM.
Models, Kits & Spark-Resistant Consumables
The Ex / spark-resistant versions of Trelawny's core tools, gathered in one place. Every item carries its genuine Trelawny part number (with IMPA where available) and adds straight to your quote. ShipServ TN 317548.
Which one you need
All seven are ATEX Category 2 for Gas Zone 1 and Dust Zone 21, and by extension Zones 2 and 22, with both gas (IIC) and dust (IIIC) markings held. Start from the job.
- Spot repairs, welds, tight accessBehind structuresVL223Ex. Lightest at 2.35 kg, in-line body; 2.95 m/s² at the worse grip, 5 h 45 min to the action value.
- General descalingPistol grip preferredVL203Ex. 2,400 BPM, 19 needles; 3.26 m/s² at the worse grip.
- Sustained work on heavy coatingsOutput per operator firstVL303Ex. 3,000 BPM and 28 needles; 3.70 m/s² at the worse grip, 3 h 39 min to the action value.
- Heavy scale, small or awkward areasHard coatingVLSF1-EX. 2.5 kg, beryllium copper cutter. A burst tool: 31 min to the action value at the front hand.
- Heavy scale across open areasSpeed firstSF3-EX. Three heads, but a 17-minute tool against the action value.
- Whole decksTank tops, open plateSF11-Ex. 11 heads, 252 mm working width, integrated extraction. Deck hammers →
- Dust collection in Zone 1 or 21With any of the aboveKAV30. The only certified vacuum in the set. Dust collectors →
One point to plan around. The heavy-duty VL303Ex has the lowest vibration of the three needle scalers only on the primary grip. At the worse grip the order reverses, 3.70 m/s² against 3.26 for the VL203Ex and 2.95 for the VL223Ex, so the lighter tools give more trigger time and the VL303Ex earns its place on output. Trelawny publishes the -Ex tools' primary-grip figures only; these are the matching VL tools' secondary-grip figures.
What the certificate is actually worth
- The permit overhead goes, not just the tool cost. Conventional scaling in a live hazardous area carries gas testing, a fire watch, standby crew and a time-limited permit. The certified tool costs 10 to 50% more than its uncertified twin; the overhead it removes usually exceeds that within the first weeks of a shutdown.
- Vibration in hours, not minutes. The VL-Ex needle scalers reach the action value after 3 h 39 min to 5 h 45 min of trigger time at the worse grip, against about 17 minutes for the SF3-EX hammer.
- Gas and dust certified. Both markings are held; plenty of equipment sold into hazardous areas carries only one.
- One certified system. TVS® shrouds, the KAV30 vacuum, fall arrestors and anti-static air hose are all available certified, so the ignition source removed at the tool does not come back through the extraction or the air line.
How the certification works
Trelawny's 2024 ATEX brochure gives the tools II 2 G Ex h IIC T4 Gb and II 2 D Ex h IIIC T135°C Db, under Directive 2014/34/EU Annex VIII, with Element Materials Technology as Notified Body. Select each part to decode it.
Category 2 is Gas Zone 1 and Dust Zone 21, where an explosive atmosphere is likely in normal operation, roughly 10 to 1000 hours a year. Category 2 equipment also covers the less demanding Zones 2 and 22.
- Directive 2014/34/EU
- The equipmentThe manufacturer: marking, Notified Body assessment, EU Declaration of Conformity.
- Directive 1999/92/EC
- The workplaceThe employer: explosion risk assessment, zone classification, the Explosion Protection Document. Permits sit here.
- Trelawny state the Ex range is certified for use without hot work permits. The reasoning holds, since a certified tool is not a recognised ignition source. The decision still belongs to the site's risk assessment, and some operators require a cold work or confined space permit regardless. Hot work permits and Zone 1 →
- Old literature still shows
EX II 2 G c IIA T4under Directive 94/9/EC. IIA covers propane and methane; IIC adds hydrogen and acetylene. For a hydrogen site, specify against the current EU Type Examination certificate, not a web page, ours included. - Certificate numbers. The VLSF1-EX and SF3-EX manuals print EMT19ATEX0020X. The brochure reproduces the rest of the range's certificate as an image without a legible number; ask us and we will obtain it from Trelawny for your file.
Limits worth knowing
We would rather say this now than take the return.
- Acetylene
IIC does not mean acetylene-safe
The consumables are beryllium copper, above 80% copper. Acetylene reacts with alloys above roughly 65 to 70% copper to form copper acetylide, a shock-sensitive explosive. The certificate addresses ignition energy, not that reaction. Acetylene in your classification: talk to us first.
- Housekeeping
Non-sparking depends on clean tools
EN 1127-1 identifies rust with light metals as a thermite risk; even copper-beryllium striking aluminium smears on rusty steel can do it. Inspect consumables, replace needles with embedded steel, know what tooling has been on the substrate.
- Vibration
Plan on the worse grip
The -Ex literature quotes the primary grip. At the worse grip needle configurations run 2.95 to 3.70 m/s² and chisel configurations 3.69 to 4.30. Full table: Zone 1 guide.
- Beryllium dust
Extract at source
Beryllium dust or fume is linked to chronic beryllium disease. The alloys are about 2% beryllium, alloyed not free, and no cases are recorded from non-sparking hand tools; the risk is in melting and machining. Still a reason to extract.
Trelawny ATEX Tools: Common Questions
What zones are Trelawny ATEX tools certified for?
Gas Zone 1 and Dust Zone 21, as ATEX Category 2 equipment. Trelawny's 2024 ATEX brochure gives the markings as II 2 G Ex h IIC T4 Gb and II 2 D Ex h IIIC T135 °C Db, certified through Element Materials Technology under Directive 2014/34/EU. Category 2 equipment is also acceptable in Zones 2 and 22.
Do I still need a hot work permit?
Trelawny state that the Ex range is certified for use without hot work permits, because a certified tool is not a recognised ignition source. The permit decision belongs to the site operator under Directive 1999/92/EC and the site's Explosion Protection Document, so confirm it against your own risk assessment. Some operators require a cold work or confined space permit regardless. Our guide to permits and Zone 1 descaling works through it.
What is the difference between the VL203Ex, VL223Ex and VL303Ex?
The VL223Ex is an in-line body at 2.35 kg for tight access. The VL203Ex is the same 2400 BPM mechanism in a pistol grip at 2.7 kg. The VL303Ex is the heavy-duty tool at 3000 BPM with 28 needles instead of 19. On the primary grip it declares the lowest vibration of the three, but at the worse grip the order reverses: 3.70 m/s² against 3.26 for the VL203Ex and 2.95 for the VL223Ex, taking the matching VL tools' secondary-grip figures.
Can I use these tools where acetylene is present?
No, not with the standard beryllium copper consumables. Acetylene forms copper acetylide with alloys above roughly 65 to 70 % copper, and beryllium copper is above 80 %. This is a chemical reaction rather than an ignition question, so the IIC certification does not resolve it. Contact us with your hazardous area classification and we will tell you what does.
Do you supply the IMPA codes?
Yes. The SF11-Ex is IMPA 59.04.00, the beryllium copper cruciform cutter head is IMPA 59.03.89, and the TVS® shrouds carry codes too - 59.25.06 and 59.25.07. Ask and we will quote against the codes your procurement system uses. SepcoTech is on ShipServ TradeNet as TN 317548.
Is the dust extraction certified as well?
The KAV30 is certified separately, II 2 G Ex h IIC T6 Gb and II 2 D Ex h IIIC T50 °C Db, which is a higher temperature class than the tools. Each unit ships with an earth path continuity certificate, and Type H units add a filtration test certificate.
Keep planning
Do you need a hot work permit in Zone 1?
What the certificate removes from the permit question, and what stays with the site.
Read the guide → DustATEX costs you airflow
The KAV30 moves 110 m³/h against 295 m³/h for the electric equivalent, and a pneumatic station needs about 39 cfm.
Read the guide → ReferenceEvery Trelawny tool, one vibration table
The -Ex hammers, and the VL scalers the VL-Ex figures are taken from, sorted by trigger time.
Open the table →Build Your Quote
Tell us the zone, the gas group from your hazardous area classification, and what you are removing. We will name the exact model and part number, and say what we ruled out and why. Your selected items appear below automatically.
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