Specifies general and testing requirements for electrical resistance trace heaters for application in explosive gas atmospheres. The standard covers trace heaters that may comprise either factory- or field- (work-site) assembled units, and which may be series heating cables, parallel heating cables or heating pads and heating panels that have been assembled and/or terminated in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

This standard also includes requirements for termination assemblies and control methods used with trace heating. The hazardous areas referred to by this standard are those defined in IEC 60079-10.