Stanlow scale
Stanlow has been owned by Essar since 2011, was renamed EET Fuels in January 2024, and is reported at about 296,000 barrels a day.
Liverpool · explosion proof
Explosion-Proof Smartphone in Liverpool
Liverpool sits on the Mersey estuary. The Port of Liverpool is the UK's fourth busiest by freight tonnage, handling about 33 million tonnes in 2022, and is the largest port on the UK west coast. This page explains what to look for in an explosion proof smartphone for Liverpool and the Mersey, 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
WhereLiverpool
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Liverpool and the Mersey: 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 Liverpool and the Mersey
| 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 | Liverpool and the Mersey: Refinery process units at Stanlow, Marine oil terminal jetties, Product pipelines and pump stations | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Liverpool
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 Liverpool. 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 site · Liverpool and the Mersey
Liverpool and the Mersey: where the IS-04Z1 would work
Who operates there and which kinds of classified area a handset would meet, from the SAMS site research.
Operators and companies on site
- EET Fuels (Essar)
Classified areas to expect
- Refinery process units at Stanlow
- Marine oil terminal jetties
- Product pipelines and pump stations
- Tank farms
Local conditions · Liverpool and the Mersey
Conditions in Liverpool and the Mersey that affect handheld equipment
Decarbonisation plans
EET Fuels has announced a 1.2 billion dollar decarbonisation programme, including a hydrogen-ready combined heat and power plant planned for 2027 to 2029, so project work is expected.
Field notes · Liverpool and the Mersey
More about Liverpool and the Mersey that matters for portable equipment
Liverpool and the Mersey: rules and approvals
In 2023 the UK government designated Liverpool a Freeport to encourage international commerce, which affects customs handling and site development around the port.
Liverpool and the Mersey: who works there
Liverpool hosts UK offices of shipping lines including Atlantic Container Line, Bibby Line, Hapag-Lloyd, Irish Ferries and Maersk, so marine buyers and technical managers are close together.
Liverpool and the Mersey: background
The port handles about 45 percent of the UK's trade with the United States, and the city's economy also includes maritime, life sciences and advanced manufacturing sectors.
Liverpool and the Mersey: projects and investment
The Liverpool2 container terminal, completed in 2022, increased the port's capacity and allows it to handle the world's biggest container vessels.
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 Liverpool and the Mersey. At Stanlow and the Tranmere jetties, 'explosion-proof' covers refinery process units, tank farms, pump stations and marine terminals. Flameproof Ex d suits fixed motors and junction boxes, while intrinsic safety suits a handheld carried along pipeline routes. The operator decides which concept applies in each area, whatever the everyday term implies.
The route · specification
Specifying an explosion proof smartphone for Liverpool
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 · Liverpool
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an explosion proof smartphone in Liverpool 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 explosion proof smartphone in Liverpool 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.
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 areas at Liverpool and the Mersey would use it?
Likely candidates are refinery process units at stanlow, marine oil terminal jetties, product pipelines and pump stations, tank farms. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
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 the Freeport status affect equipment imports into Liverpool?
It can change customs processes for goods moved within the Freeport area, but product-safety and radio rules still apply. Confirm treatment of electronic devices with your customs agent and the Freeport operator before shipping.
Are UK explosive-atmosphere rules the same in Liverpool as elsewhere in Britain?
Yes. The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations apply across Great Britain, with HSE as regulator. Port operators and tenants must classify areas and control ignition sources, so ask for the site's hazardous-area register before using electronics.
Where are the hazardous areas near Liverpool?
Mainly at the Stanlow refinery in Ellesmere Port on the Manchester Ship Canal and at the Tranmere Oil Terminal on the Mersey, which supplies crude to Stanlow by a pipeline of about 24 km. The city itself is not the classified site. Check zone details with the operator.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Other guides for Liverpool, other places in United Kingdom, and the pages behind them.
Industrial Mobile Phone in LiverpoolSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone in LiverpoolSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in LiverpoolSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in LiverpoolSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in LiverpoolSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone in LiverpoolSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in EnglandElsewhere in United Kingdom
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in EdinburghElsewhere in United Kingdom
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in NorwichElsewhere in United Kingdom
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in Northern IrelandElsewhere in United Kingdom
United Kingdom market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for United KingdomEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Liverpool and the Mersey
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Liverpool and the Mersey, United Kingdom
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 · Liverpool and the Mersey
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Liverpool?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.