I have came across this before. I was looking to get a manual hoist into a paint store to lift cans and was quoted crazy money for one with an antistatic chain etc. Bottom line is if the area is ATEX then you must ensure everything that is used in there complies. It is extortionate money for ATEX rated equipment but if anything were to happen you have no defence. In my honest opinion I did not need the antistatic hoist as there was no more a chance of it causing a fire but I was left with very little option but to comply. Thankfully it was not my money is all I can say.

I'm pretty experienced with ATEX. Struggling to see the strong ATEX implications, without a more detailed explanation of the overall process. I assume the drum contains a flammable product/liquid. For an essentially static piece of equipment, if there is no potential for it to be a self generating source of ignition - then simple mechanical items are exempt from ATEX requirements. If you dig out the UK Government guidance on ATEX, derived from the original EU Directive there is a section about such items of mechanical equipment. file:///C:/Users/k.egerton/Downloads/atex-guidelines_en.pdf See section 3.73, last paragraph about 'own sources' of ignition and simple mechanical equipment - no requirement for ATEX rating. You should confirm to yourself that there are no sources of ignition from this item of equipment. By the sound of it, the only source would be by dropping the equipment and the impact with the ground causing a spark, if onto concrete etc. BSEN1127 Pt 1 covers recognised ignition sources.

Thanks everyone so far, Ian especially- Thanks for the link. It just seems daft that we would need an ATEX rated stainless steel clamp which is clamping to a steel drum? I dont expect the drum is ATEX rates and made from stainless steel. Ian, your comment and link has given me some ammo to go away and think / read about this. FYI - we use an ATEX truck to move drums of acetone from containers to a zoned area within the factory, but we are looking into changing current methods and this S Steel clamp was suggested. Sparks were the only though I had regarding a source of ignition - But does stainless steel have less potential to spark?

If you are moving a drum with a tight fitting lid, it won't be a ZOne 1 atmosphere, outside the drum. It will be Zone 2. If the contents of the drum aren't flammable, then the area will be whatever the area classification for the area is-still probably ZOne 2. If the general area is Zone 2 then the FLT will need to be rated for Zone 2 use - which is a bigger fish to worry about than a drum lifting attachment.