---
title: Levels of Protection
description: "Encapsulated equipment may be manufactured with EPL ‘ma’, mb’ or ‘mc’. ‘ma’ – must not be capable of causing ignition: - In normal operation and installation conditions - Any specified abnormal conditions - In defined failure conditions ‘mb’ – must…"
url: "https://www.eicstech.com/kb/encapsulation-ex-m-eex-m/basics-on-levels-of-protection-encapsulation/"
updated: "2022-06-02"
category: Explosion Proof Basics / Encapsulation (Ex m / EEx m)
---

# Levels of Protection

Encapsulated equipment may be manufactured with EPL ‘ma’, mb’ or ‘mc’.

‘ma’ – must not be capable of causing ignition:

- In normal operation and installation conditions
- Any specified abnormal conditions
- In defined failure conditions

‘mb’ – must not be capable of causing ignition:

- In normal operation and installation conditions;
- In defined failure conditions

‘mc’ – must not be capable of causing ignition:

- During normal operation and installation conditions

#### Level of protection ‘ma’

- Has the highest integrity of protection.
- Remain safe with two internal countable faults.
- The working voltage at any point in the circuit shall not exceed 1 kV.
- May be used in areas requiring EPL ‘Ga’, ‘Gb’ and ‘Gc’ or Category 1,2 and 3.

#### Level of protection ‘mb’

- Remain safe with one internal countable faults.
- May be used in areas requiring EPL ‘Gb’ and ‘Gc’ or Category 2 and 3.

#### Level of protection ‘mc’

- May only used in areas requiring EPL ‘Gc’ or Category 3.