United Kingdom: rules and approvals
Great Britain applies SI 2016 No. 1107, the UK version of the ATEX rules, so equipment for explosive atmospheres is assessed by UK approved bodies and carries UKCA marking and a body number.
United Kingdom · Ex-proof
Ex-Proof Cell Phone in United Kingdom
The IS-04Z1 is an intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 work, from a North Sea deck to a gas governor kiosk at the end of a street. If you are specifying an Ex-proof cell phone for United Kingdom, this page covers the markings, the approvals and the current certification status of the IS-04Z1.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Marking targetEx ib IIC T4Intrinsic safety, Zone 1 / 21 design target · certification in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
Search topicEx-proof
DeviceCell Phone
RouteSpecification
WhereUnited Kingdom
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for United Kingdom: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
For the record, no certificate exists for the IS-04Z1 today. The programme is under way ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · Ex-proof
Checklist: Ex-proof cell phone for United Kingdom
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Ex marking | Group, category, protection concept, gas group, temperature class | II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4 (target) |
| Gas group | IIA, IIB or IIC matched to the area drawing | IIC (target) |
| Temperature class | T-class below the ignition temperature of the gas | T4, 135 °C (target) |
| Where it applies | United Kingdom: Aberdeen, St Fergus, Sullom Voe | Classified by the site operator |
Product · United Kingdom
The product behind this search: the SAMS IS-04Z1.
SAMS IS-04Z1
An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in United Kingdom. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
- IP68 sealed
- 4,000 mAh battery
- 50 MP camera
- Android 16
- Zone 1 / Zone 21 design target
The market · United Kingdom
Hazardous-area industry in United Kingdom
The main operators, industrial areas and sites that the SAMS United Kingdom market guide covers.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- Harbour Energy
- One of the largest producers on the UK continental shelf.
- Adura
- Shell and Equinor joint venture with interests in Mariner, Clair, Shearwater and Buzzard (operators vary by field).
- Ithaca Energy
- Operator and partner across central and northern North Sea hubs.
- EnQuest
- Operates Magnus and the Sullom Voe terminal.
- Serica Energy
- Operates the Bruce, Keith and Rhum fields.
- Wood
- Aberdeen engineering, maintenance and shutdown contractor.
Industrial areas and sites
- Aberdeen
- Supply base, heliports and the offshore contractor market.
- St Fergus
- Reception terminal for northern North Sea gas pipelines.
- Sullom Voe
- Shetland oil and gas terminal with export jetties.
- Grangemouth
- INEOS petrochemical complex and the fuels import terminal.
- Fawley
- ExxonMobil refinery and petrochemicals on Southampton Water.
- Stanlow
- Refinery and the Mersey chemical corridor.
Field notes · United Kingdom
More about United Kingdom that matters for portable equipment
United Kingdom: geography and layout
Historically most UK gas came from Morecambe Bay and the Southern North Sea off East Anglia and Lincolnshire, both now in decline, while oil comes mainly from the Central Graben of the North Sea.
United Kingdom: industry on the ground
Around 39 billion barrels of oil equivalent have been extracted from the UK Continental Shelf over four decades, and Brent crude from the British North Sea remains a major international price benchmark.
United Kingdom: rules and approvals
The UK government has legislated to keep recognising CE marking alongside UKCA for a range of product regulations, so check whether the route applies to your product category.
The term · Ex-proof
What “Ex-proof” means for a smartphone
“Ex-proof” is shorthand for equipment carrying an explosion-protection marking (the Ex mark) that matches the area it enters. The marking states the protection concept, gas or dust group and temperature class, and it must be backed by a certificate issued by a recognised body, so a phone described as Ex-proof should come with a certificate number you can check.
The IS-04Z1 is designed to carry the marking II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4. That is a target: certification is in progress, no certificate has been issued, and SAMS will publish the certificate numbers when they exist.
In United Kingdom. A UK marking check reads II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4 and compares it with the zone on the permit. Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas at gas networks, water and waste sites are common inland, and the IS-04Z1 target covers Zone 21 dust as well. The gas group needed depends on the process on site.
The route · specification
Specifying an Ex-proof cell phone for United Kingdom
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
Check on the paper
- Marking
- Equipment group, category, protection concept, gas group and temperature class, matched to the area drawing.
- Certificate and schedule
- A certificate number, issuing body and the schedule of conditions, not a brochure claim.
- Standards edition
- The IEC 60079 or national standard edition the certificate was issued against.
Check for the IS-04Z1
- Marking target
- II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: a target, not yet a certificate.
- Certificate status
- IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 in progress; none issued.
- Operator approval
- Separate from the certificate and handled with the site operator.
Questions · United Kingdom
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an Ex-proof cell phone in United Kingdom today?
Not today. Until the certificates are issued the IS-04Z1 stays out of classified areas, and until launch there is nothing to purchase. You can ask for the datasheet and the certification schedule, or book a safe-area evaluation unit.
What does an Ex-proof cell phone in United Kingdom cost?
SAMS has not published a price. Any figure you are offered for an uncertified Ex phone should be treated with caution; written indicative pricing is available for a defined quantity and site.
What Ex marking will the IS-04Z1 carry?
The marking target is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4. It becomes a marking only when the certificate is issued; until then it is a design target.
Which sites in United Kingdom does this cover?
The market guide for United Kingdom covers Aberdeen, St Fergus, Sullom Voe, Grangemouth, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
Is intrinsically safe the same as explosion proof?
Not exactly. Explosion proof is a broad everyday term; intrinsic safety is one protection concept, which limits energy so ignition cannot occur. Flameproof (Ex d) is a different concept that contains an explosion. The IS-04Z1 is intrinsically safe by design.
Do UK offshore installations have different rules for portable devices?
Offshore installations typically add their own permit-to-work, helicopter-transport and zone rules on top of UK law, and operators often keep lists of approved portable devices. Ask the duty holder or contractor for its approved-equipment procedure before sending devices offshore.
How does UKCA marking relate to ATEX for new equipment?
Equipment for Great Britain can be placed on the market under UKCA, using SI 2016 No. 1107 and a UK approved body, or under CE. Manufacturers usually keep both routes open if they sell in the EU too. Confirm the current labelling and importer details requirements with a UK approved body.
Can photographs from the handset support a permit or inspection record?
The 50 MP camera with PDAF is designed to give photographs sharp enough to act on, and GNSS can record where each was taken. Whether they are accepted as permit evidence is a matter for your duty holder and permit-to-work procedure.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for United Kingdom and for United Kingdom.
UKEX Mobile Phone in United KingdomSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone in United KingdomSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone Distributor in United KingdomSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in United KingdomSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier in United KingdomSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in United KingdomSame place, different guide
United Kingdom market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for United KingdomEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · United Kingdom
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for United Kingdom
Share the site details and quantity. You will get the datasheet and the certification schedule back by email; pricing is indicative only until launch.
Enquiry · United Kingdom
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for United Kingdom?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.