Italy: industry on the ground
The Sarroch refinery in Sardinia, run by Saras since it began operating in 1965, has a refining capacity of about 15 million tonnes a year, equal to roughly 15% of total Italian refining capacity.
Italy · explosion proof
Explosion-Proof Smartphone in Italy
The IS-04Z1 is an intrinsically safe Android handset designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21, built for the refineries, petrochemical poles and gas terminals from Porto Marghera to Priolo and Sarroch. This page explains what to look for in an explosion proof smartphone for Italy, and where the IS-04Z1 stands against that list today.
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
WhereItaly
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Italy: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
Where things stand: the IS-04Z1 has not launched, and none of its four certification routes has produced a certificate yet. 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 Italy
| 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 | Italy: Priolo, Melilli and Augusta, Gela, Milazzo | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Italy
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 Italy. 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 · Italy
Where an Ex phone is used in Italy
Operators and classified areas drawn from the SAMS Italy market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- Eni
- Refining and biorefining at Sannazzaro, Taranto, Gela and Venice.
- Versalis
- The Eni petrochemical arm, with plants at Brindisi, Priolo and Ravenna.
- Sarlux
- Runs the Sarroch refinery and its power complex in Sardinia.
- ISAB
- Priolo Gargallo refinery, around 320,000 barrels a day.
- Raffineria di Milazzo
- Refinery and marine terminal on the north Sicilian coast.
- Snam
- National gas transmission, underground storage and regasification.
Industrial areas and sites
- Priolo, Melilli and Augusta
- The largest Sicilian petrochemical belt, refining and chemicals together.
- Gela
- South Sicilian coastal site, now producing biofuels.
- Milazzo
- Refinery and port on the Tyrrhenian side of Sicily.
- Sarroch
- Sardinian refinery of about 300,000 barrels a day.
- Taranto
- Refinery and heavy industry on the Ionian coast.
- Brindisi
- Petrochemical plant, power generation and port on the Adriatic.
Field notes · Italy
More about Italy that matters for portable equipment
Italy: rules and approvals
Directive 2014/34/EU became mandatory for manufacturers on 20 April 2016, replacing Directive 94/9/EC, and equipment groups divide into Group I for mining and Group II for surface industries.
Italy: infrastructure
Natural gas supplies more than half of Italian electricity, and an important share of electricity is imported, mainly from Switzerland and France, so gas-fired power stations are a large source of classified areas.
Italy: logistics and access
Petroleum is mostly used for transport and natural gas for electricity and heating, so fuel terminals, depots and gas distribution networks are found across the whole country.
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 Italy. In Italy explosion-proof can mean several things. A refinery, a regasification terminal and a petrochemical pole use different concepts. Flameproof Ex d suits some fixed equipment, while a handset used on a fermata, moving between units, suits intrinsic safety. The IS-04Z1 is designed around intrinsic safety for Zone 1 and Zone 21.
The route · specification
Specifying an explosion proof smartphone for Italy
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 · Italy
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an explosion proof smartphone in Italy today?
No. Nothing can be bought or taken into a classified area today: certification is in progress and launch is planned for Q4 2026. What is available now is the datasheet, the written certification schedule and evaluation units for safe-area use.
What does an explosion proof smartphone in Italy cost?
No price is published. While certification is in progress there is no list price and no committed lead time, and a supplier quoting a firm figure for an uncertified Ex handset is promising something it cannot stand behind. Indicative pre-launch pricing is issued in writing against a stated quantity and site.
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.
Which sites in Italy does this cover?
The market guide for Italy covers Priolo, Melilli and Augusta, Gela, Milazzo, Sarroch, 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.
Does Italian summer heat matter for Ex handheld devices?
Southern Italian summers can be very hot, and direct sun can push surface and battery temperatures up. Check the maximum ambient temperature on the certificate and avoid leaving devices on hot equipment. Coastal and offshore sites add salt air, which affects ports and contacts.
How should I prepare documents for Italian industrial sites?
Prepare the EU declaration of conformity, the ATEX or IECEx certificate, Ex marking details and instructions in Italian where required. Italian sites often ask for a safety data pack for contractor equipment, so ask the site safety office for its template before sending devices.
Does Italy require ATEX evidence specifically?
ATEX is the reference in the EU, applied in Italy through national legislation. Some operators and contractors may also ask for IECEx. Ask the operator which evidence it accepts, and note that the IS-04Z1 programme is in progress and no certificate has been issued.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for Italy and for Italy.
Industrial Mobile Phone Distributor in ItalySame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in ItalySame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier in ItalySame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone in ItalySame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone Supplier in ItalySame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in ItalySame place, different guide
Italy market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for ItalyEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Italy
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Italy
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 · Italy
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Italy?
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.