Sasol: who works there
The group is organised into two upstream business units, three regional operating hubs and several market-facing strategic business units, so site procurement usually follows the relevant hub or unit.
Sasol · explosion proof
Explosion-Proof Smartphone for Sasol
Sasol is a South African chemicals and energy company producing fuel components, chemicals and co-products such as ammonia, methanol and sulphur. Sasol was formed in 1950 at Sasolburg around coal liquefaction, and today it develops synthetic fuel technologies and produces liquid fuels, chemicals, coal tar and electricity. If you are specifying an explosion proof smartphone for Sasol, 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 topicexplosion proof
DeviceSmartphone
RouteSpecification
WhereSasol
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Sasol: 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 · explosion proof
Checklist: explosion proof smartphone for Sasol
| 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 | Sasol: Synthetic fuels and chemical plants, Refinery process units, Gas processing | Classified by the site operator |
Product · South Africa
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 South Africa. 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 organisation · Sasol
Sasol Limited and the IS-04Z1
Where it operates and the kinds of classified area a handset would meet there.
Sites and areas
- Secunda
- Sasolburg
- Natref refinery (Sasolburg)
- Mozambique gas operations
Classified areas
- Synthetic fuels and chemical plants
- Refinery process units
- Gas processing
- Coal mining operations
Supplier approval · Sasol
How suppliers reach Sasol
Sasol runs supplier applications through the Supplier Information Management (SIM) module on Ariba for suppliers working with it in South Africa and Mozambique; confirm current requirements with Sasol Supplier Management. The Ex certificate and an organisation's own vendor or engineering approval are two separate timelines; SAMS is working towards both and holds neither today.
Field notes · Sasol
More about Sasol that matters for portable equipment
Sasol: geography and layout
The company is headquartered in Sandton, with its main plants at Secunda and Sasolburg and retail garages around Johannesburg, so site contacts may sit in different places from head office.
Sasol: industry on the ground
Beyond fuels, Sasol sells over 200 chemical products worldwide, including ammonia-based fertilizers and explosives, which adds dust, ammonia and solvent hazards to the plant mix.
Sasol: infrastructure
Most gasifiers at Sasolburg have been replaced by autothermal reformers fed with natural gas piped from Mozambique, which shifts feedstock handling from coal to gas pipelines and process gas.
The term · explosion proof
What “explosion proof” means for a smartphone
“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 Sasol. Synthetic fuels, chemical plants and refinery units show that explosion-proof is shorthand for several concepts. Flameproof Ex d covers fixed motors and enclosures, and intrinsic safety suits handhelds. A phone relies on the second. The IS-04Z1 target marking is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4, subject to certification.
The route · specification
Specifying an explosion proof smartphone for Sasol
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 · Sasol
Frequently asked questions
Can Sasol buy the IS-04Z1 today?
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.
What does an explosion proof smartphone for Sasol cost?
There is no list price yet. SAMS gives indicative pre-launch pricing in writing, against a stated quantity and site, and does not commit to a lead time before certification completes.
Is the IS-04Z1 explosion proof or intrinsically safe?
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.
How does Sasol approve suppliers?
Sasol runs supplier applications through the Supplier Information Management (SIM) module on Ariba for suppliers working with it in South Africa and Mozambique; confirm current requirements with Sasol Supplier Management.
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.
Is Sasol a good target for a new supplier of Ex-rated devices?
Sasol is a large multi-site buyer, but supplier approval is run by the company and its units. Typically a new supplier needs to register, pass technical and HSE review and often start with a pilot. Confirm the current route with Sasol's procurement and the relevant site engineering group.
Which Sasol areas are most likely to need intrinsically safe handhelds?
Typical candidates are gas and liquid process units, tank farms and loading areas at Secunda and Sasolburg, plus underground coal mines where methane and coal dust create their own classification rules. Zoning is decided per installation, so ask each site's HSE team for classification drawings.
How do suppliers apply to work with Sasol?
The sheet says Sasol runs supplier applications through the Supplier Information Management (SIM) module on Ariba, for suppliers working with it in South Africa and Mozambique. Confirm current requirements with Sasol Supplier Management. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and has no certificate.
Related guides
Keep exploring
More on Sasol, and on other places in South Africa.
IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for SasolSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier for SasolSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone for SasolSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier for SasolSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for PetroSAElsewhere in South Africa
South Africa market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for South AfricaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Sasol
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Sasol, South Africa
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · Sasol
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Sasol?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.