Climate
A subtropical, humid climate with the highest annual rainfall of the lower 48 states. Most refineries are in the south of the state and are exposed to storms.
The state sits at the junction of the Mississippi River system and the Gulf of Mexico, with the Gulf no more than about 200 miles from any point. Zone 1 and Zone 21 areas arise at refinery units, petrochemical plants, LNG trains and storage across the state. An explosion proof smartphone distributor in Louisiana would carry the IS-04Z1 to these buyers once certification completes.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. Louisiana 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.
Where things stand: the IS-04Z1 has not launched, and none of its four certification routes has produced a certificate yet. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Protection concept | Flameproof (Ex d) or intrinsic safety (Ex i) | Intrinsic safety, level ib |
| Zone suitability | Zone 1 gas and Zone 21 dust | Design target for Zone 1 and 21 |
| Certificate | Number, issuing body and schedule of conditions | In progress; not issued |
| Where it applies | Louisiana: LNG liquefaction and loading, Tank farms and terminals, Refinery process units | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Louisiana. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
Who operates there and which kinds of classified area a handset would meet, from the SAMS site research.
A subtropical, humid climate with the highest annual rainfall of the lower 48 states. Most refineries are in the south of the state and are exposed to storms.
The 15 refineries can process almost 3 million barrels of crude a day, and three of them rank among the ten largest in the United States, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Southern Louisiana has long, hot, humid summers, with highs averaging 90 degrees Fahrenheit or more from June to September and overnight lows above 70, and frequent brief tropical downpours.
Louisiana has 14 operable refineries with about 3.0 million barrels a day of crude capacity, around 17 percent of the US total and second only to Texas.
The Mississippi River runs about 600 miles through the state to the Gulf, and the low alluvial coastal region of swamp, marsh and barrier islands covers around 12,350 square miles.
Chemical products and petroleum and coal products are among the main contributors to Louisiana's gross state product, alongside food, transport equipment and paper.
“Explosion proof” is the phrase most buyers use for equipment that may be taken into a classified hazardous area. Strictly, it covers several protection concepts: a flameproof enclosure (Ex d) contains an internal explosion, while intrinsic safety (Ex i) limits electrical energy so that an ignition cannot start. Phones are normally intrinsically safe, because a flameproof handset would be too heavy to carry all shift.
The IS-04Z1 uses intrinsic safety, with a marking target of Ex ib IIC T4, and is designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21. It is pre-launch, certification is in progress and no certificate has been issued.
In Louisiana. Statewide, the term explosion-proof covers refinery units, petrochemical plants, LNG loading and tank farms in everyday speech. The engineering choices differ: flameproof Ex d contains a blast, while intrinsic safety prevents ignition by limiting energy. The IS-04Z1 is designed for the latter, with Ex ib as its marking target.
Distribution of the IS-04Z1 is by authorised partners only, and SAMS has not yet granted a territory for Louisiana. Each application is reviewed on its merits. Because opening a certified Ex handset in an ordinary workshop invalidates its certificate, the partner must be able to support and service the device locally.
Not yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and its certification is still in progress ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. No unit goes into a classified area before the certificate covering it exists. The datasheet, the certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
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.
It is intrinsically safe (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), which is the usual way to make a phone for hazardous areas. It is not a flameproof (Ex d) design, and certification is still in progress.
Likely candidates are refinery process units, petrochemical plants, lng liquefaction and loading, tank farms and terminals. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
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 Louisiana.
Yes, Louisiana's political subdivisions are called parishes, so local permits, emergency planning and site addresses are organised by parish. This matters when preparing paperwork for a plant in, for example, St. Charles or Calcasieu Parish.
Southern Louisiana has long hot summers with nights above 70 degrees Fahrenheit and frequent downpours, so look for sealed, water-resistant devices with an operating range that covers summer plant temperatures. Check the datasheet figures instead of relying on general claims.
Louisiana is humid and has very high rainfall, with storm exposure in the south. IP68 helps against water ingress, but connectors and chargers still need to be kept clean and dry, and charging belongs in safe areas. Ask each site about storm shutdown procedures for portable equipment.
Related guides for Louisiana and for United States.
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.