A perfectly spec'd Class I Division 1 LED fixture means nothing if the conduit seal is missing or the cable gland is the wrong type. Most hazloc inspection failures aren't about the fixture — they're about what's around it. Here's the practical install reference for Canadian electricians.
Sealing fittings — what they do and where they go
Sealing fittings (a.k.a. seal-offs, conduit seals) are conduit fittings filled with listed sealing compound that prevents flammable gas from migrating through conduit between zones. Without a seal, a leak in a Class I area can travel through the conduit into a non-classified room and ignite there.
Where they're required (per CEC Section 18 + NEC 501.15):
- Within 18 inches of every Class I Division 1 enclosure
- At every penetration of the Division 1 / Division 2 boundary
- At every penetration of the classified / unclassified boundary for ¾" or larger conduit
- Where conduit enters/exits enclosures rated Division 1 with arcing parts
The 5 most common mistakes that fail inspection:
- Filling with silicone or putty. Non-compliant. Use only the listed sealing compound supplied with the fitting.
- No damming before pour. Compound runs out, leaves gap. Use the supplied damming fiber or rope.
- Too thin. Minimum 5/8 inch thick AND not less than the trade size of the conduit. A ¾" conduit needs at least ¾" of compound.
- Splices inside the seal. Forbidden. The seal must contain only conductors, no splices, no taps.
- Inaccessible location. Sealing fittings must be installed in accessible locations for future inspection. Buried inside a wall? Re-do.
Cable glands — the cable equivalent
When you use armored cable (TECK90, MC-HL, ACWU90) instead of conduit, cable glands seal the cable entry into hazardous-area enclosures. Canadian standard: CSA C22.2 No. 174.
What to verify on every gland:
- Match cable outer diameter exactly (use manufacturer's gland sizing chart)
- Match armor type (interlocked aluminum vs continuous metal vs braided)
- Match hazloc rating (Div 1 vs Div 2)
- Match environment (stainless body for marine / corrosive; brass for general industrial)
- CSA certification visible on the gland
Common mistakes:
- Using a Div 2-rated gland in a Div 1 enclosure (under-rated)
- Wrong sizing — gland too large lets the seal slip; too small crushes the cable
- Mixing manufacturer parts (gland body from one maker, sealing ring from another — voids listing)
- Zinc-plated gland in chlorine wastewater zone (corrodes within months — needs stainless or polymer)
Junction boxes — listed for the zone, not just the cover
Every junction in a hazardous area needs a JB listed for that classification. A standard NEMA 12 box doesn't cut it for Class I Div 1 even if you bolt the cover tight.
For Class I Division 1: Cast metal explosion-proof JB with threaded hubs (no knockouts), gasketed cover with multiple bolts, listed for the relevant Group (B for hydrogen, D for general).
For Class I Division 2: Heavy-duty NEMA 4 with vapor-tight gasket; some installations accept properly sealed standard industrial JBs in Div 2 — verify with your AHJ.
For Class II Division 1 or 2: Dust-tight or dust-ignition-proof JB. Smooth body (no horizontal ledges where dust accumulates).
For corrosive environments: 316 stainless steel or fiberglass-reinforced polyester (FRP). Aluminum corrodes in salt or chlorine air.
Conduit — when and what type
In Canada, TECK90 and TECK90-HL eliminate most conduit needs for industrial installations because they can run in free-air, cable tray, or raceway. But conduit is still needed for:
- Flexible connections to fixtures: liquid-tight flexible metal conduit (LFMC) with hazloc-rated connectors
- Single-circuit branches in unclassified areas connecting to standard wire types
- Building service entrances where cable must transition to wire-in-pipe
Conduit types accepted in CEC Section 18:
- Threaded rigid metal conduit (RMC) — Class I Div 1
- Threaded intermediate metal conduit (IMC) — Class I Div 1
- Type MI (mineral insulated) cable — Class I Div 1
- EMT — only in specific Class I Div 2 limited applications
- LFMC — flexible connections only, not main runs
Bonding and grounding — don't forget
Hazardous-area bonding requirements are stricter than general industrial. CEC Section 10 + Section 18 together require:
- Continuous bonding throughout the hazardous-area system
- Bonding bushings or threaded hubs at every conduit transition
- Equipment grounding conductor in every cable assembly
- Verification that the entire installation maintains an unbroken grounding path
A loose ground at one fitting compromises the safety of the entire run.
The pre-inspection checklist
Before you call ESA or notify RBQ, walk through:
- Every conduit penetration into Class I Div 1 enclosure has a sealing fitting within 18"
- Every Division 1 / Division 2 boundary has a sealing fitting
- All sealing fittings are filled with listed compound (not silicone / putty)
- All cable glands match cable, armor type, and zone rating
- All cable glands carry CSA C22.2 No. 174 listing
- All junction boxes are listed for their zone
- All flexible connections use LFMC with listed connectors
- Bonding is continuous throughout the system
- All fixture nameplates match the area classification
- T-codes match or exceed the worst-case chemical autoignition margin
- No splices inside any seal-off
- All listed equipment markings are visible and legible
If anything fails this checklist, fix before the inspector arrives.
Common questions
My existing install uses silicone-filled seals from years ago. Grandfathered? No. If the inspector flags it, you fix it. Hazardous-area code is enforced retroactively when work is done in the area.
Can I splice in a junction box adjacent to a sealing fitting? Yes — splices are fine in a properly listed JB. The forbidden splice is INSIDE the seal-off itself.
Does TECK90 still need conduit if I run it in cable tray? No. TECK90 in tray is the standard Canadian industrial install. Cable tray + TECK90 + cable glands at every classified-zone enclosure entry covers Div 2 fully.
Who can install hazardous-area lighting? Quebec: licensed master electrician (CMEQ-member). Ontario: Licensed Electrical Contractor (LEC) with ESA notification. Both provinces require a P. Eng. for Division 1 design seals on any non-trivial install.
How long does a typical hazloc inspection take? Quebec: RBQ often does compliance audits, not pre-inspections — could be days, weeks, or never depending on the project. Ontario: ESA inspects within 5–10 business days of notification for most jobs; staged inspections on large projects.
See your industry
This page covers the install. For where each install method applies:
- Paint Booth — Class I Div 1 inside, sealing fittings every 18" + at booth penetrations
- Cannabis Extraction — Class I Div 1 throughout, MC-HL with C22.2 No. 174 glands
- Oil & Gas — TECK90-HL with sealed glands at every classified penetration
- Wastewater — Stainless or FRP glands + JBs in chemical zones
We supply the sealing fittings, glands, and JBs alongside the fixtures so your contractor doesn't run out of parts on install day.
Sources: CEC Section 18, NEC 501.15, CSA C22.2 No. 174-18, ESA Bulletin 18-1-21, RBQ, IAEI Magazine (sealing in Class I), EC&M magazine, Eaton hazardous installation white papers.
Need a fixture spec'd to your environment? Send the room dimensions, classification, and ambient — we'll come back same day.
Request Quote