Australia: rules and approvals
An IECEx certificate for an assembly of several items is not automatically accepted unless it is validated against the current AS/NZS 60079.14 or the assembly is independently inspected.
Australia · Ex-proof
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in Australia
A Zone 1 / Zone 21 smartphone for crews on Australian LNG trains, offshore facilities, processing plants and remote mine sites. ANZEx has been owned by JAS-ANZ since August 2016, and Queensland's Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 took effect on 1 September 2026, so state rules continue to evolve. An Ex-proof mobile phone distributor in Australia would carry the IS-04Z1 to these buyers once certification completes.
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
DeviceMobile Phone
RouteDistribution
WhereAustralia
Short answer. Australia has no appointed SAMS distributor yet: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued, launch planned for Q4 2026), and distributor applications are open.
Current position: certification in progress, nothing issued, launch targeted for Q4 2026. 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 mobile phone for Australia
| 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 | Australia: Darwin, Gladstone and Curtis Island, Bowen Basin, Queensland | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Australia
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 Australia. 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 · Australia
Hazardous-area industry in Australia
The main operators, industrial areas and sites that the SAMS Australia market guide covers.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- Woodside Energy
- North West Shelf, Pluto LNG and the Karratha Gas Plant
- Chevron Australia
- Gorgon on Barrow Island and Wheatstone at Onslow
- INPEX
- Ichthys LNG at Darwin and Browse Basin facilities
- Shell Australia
- Prelude FLNG and QCLNG on Curtis Island
- Santos
- GLNG at Gladstone and the Moomba gas plant
- ConocoPhillips and Origin Energy
- Australia Pacific LNG and Surat Basin coal seam gas
Industrial areas and sites
- Karratha and the Burrup Peninsula
- Karratha Gas Plant, Pluto LNG and offshore support
- Onslow, Western Australia
- Wheatstone LNG and the Ashburton North estate
- Darwin
- Ichthys LNG, marine supply base and harbour work
- Gladstone and Curtis Island
- Three LNG trains plus alumina and coal wharves
- Bowen Basin, Queensland
- Coal mining, methane drainage and handling plants
- Pilbara, Western Australia
- Iron ore mines, workshops and bulk fuel handling
Field notes · Australia
More about Australia that matters for portable equipment
Australia: rules and approvals
Australia works on the IECEx scheme and the AS/NZS 60079 series, and the national ANZEx scheme is harmonised with IECEx, so IECEx-certified equipment can be used almost without separate national testing.
Australia: rules and approvals
The Australian Communications and Media Authority regulates the supply of radiocommunications equipment and made rule changes in 2023 to simplify and streamline that regulation.
Australia: rules and approvals
An ATEX marking alone is not automatically accepted, because ATEX is an EU directive that allows self-declaration for some categories, and such equipment usually needs a conformity assessment.
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 Australia. A marking check on an Australian site would read the full string: gas group, temperature class and ambient range. With Pilbara summers past 45 degrees, the T class and the certified ambient range matter as much as the group. The target of II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4 would be compared with the area drawings, and Zone 21 dust marking separately.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in Australia
A distributor for Australia would carry the IS-04Z1 after certification completes; the Q4 2026 launch is the planning date and no appointment has been made. SAMS reviews applicants one by one and prefers companies with their own Ex-competent technical and service staff, since certified devices must not be repaired outside approved channels.
What SAMS looks for in a partner
- Operator relationships
- Existing supplier registrations or a clear route to them with the main operators and contractors in Australia.
- Ex-competent staff
- People who understand zone classification, markings and the conditions of a certificate.
And equally important
- Local-language support
- Documentation, training and helpdesk in the languages the workforce uses.
- Service capability
- Spares, battery replacement and repair routed through SAMS-approved channels.
Questions · Australia
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an Ex-proof mobile phone in Australia 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 mobile phone in Australia 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 Australia does this cover?
The market guide for Australia covers Karratha and the Burrup Peninsula, Onslow, Western Australia, Darwin, Gladstone and Curtis Island, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for Australia?
Apply through the distributor page with your company details and the territory you cover. SAMS reviews applications company by company and has not yet granted a territory for Australia.
Do assemblies of certified items need extra checks in Australia?
Often yes. An IECEx certificate for an assembly is not automatically accepted unless validated against the current AS/NZS 60079.14 or the assembly is independently inspected. Ask the site engineer or an inspection body how a packaged or modular system will be treated before shipping.
Is IECEx certification accepted in Australia?
Yes. Australia accepts a current IECEx or ANZEx Certificate of Conformity under the AS/NZS 60079 series, with the gas group and temperature class matching the classified area. ATEX-only equipment is not automatically accepted. Confirm the installation documentation expected for your site with the operator's electrical engineer.
Can the phone be used in underground coal mines?
No: underground coal equipment is Group I, regulated at state level, which is a different regime from the Group II surface certification the IS-04Z1 targets. Surface coal handling with Zone 21 dust, and gas areas at LNG and processing plants, are the intended duty. Check the classification with the mine operator and regulator.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for Australia and for Australia.
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Distributor in AustraliaSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier in AustraliaSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone Distributor in AustraliaSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone in AustraliaSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in AustraliaSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone in AustraliaSame place, different guide
Australia market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for AustraliaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Australia
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Australia
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Enquiry · Australia
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Australia?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.