Port
The Port of Greater Baton Rouge is the farthest inland point on the Mississippi that ocean-going vessels can reach, linking industry to rail, pipeline and barge.
Baton Rouge is the Louisiana state capital on the Mississippi River. About 6,300 people work across the sites, around 4,000 direct employees with the rest contractors, so contractor induction is a central part of site access. If you are specifying a hazardous area smartphone for Baton Rouge, this page covers the markings, the approvals and the current certification status of the IS-04Z1.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Baton Rouge: 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. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Zone | 0, 1 or 2 for gas; 20, 21 or 22 for dust | Designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 |
| Gas group | IIA, IIB or IIC | IIC (target) |
| Area drawing | The operator's own classification drawing | Decided by the site operator |
| Where it applies | Baton Rouge: Refinery process units, Chemical plant units, Tank farms | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Baton Rouge. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
The companies on site and the hazardous-area types a handset is likely to meet there.
The Port of Greater Baton Rouge is the farthest inland point on the Mississippi that ocean-going vessels can reach, linking industry to rail, pipeline and barge.
Dow operates in neighbouring Iberville Parish, outside the city itself.
The Port of Greater Baton Rouge is the northernmost Mississippi River port able to take Panamax ships, with its shipping channel kept at about 45 feet and jurisdiction covering roughly 85 miles of the river.
The refinery runs its own power plant, which supports continuous operation of the interconnected process units.
Baton Rouge is the Louisiana state capital with more than 800,000 residents and is a significant port and a major industrial and petrochemical centre on the Mississippi River.
The refinery operates under a Title V major air permit and reports greenhouse gas emissions to the EPA each year, so environmental compliance is part of site management.
A hazardous area is a place where flammable gas, vapour or combustible dust may be present. Standards divide these into zones: Zones 0, 1 and 2 for gas and vapour, and Zones 20, 21 and 22 for dust. Zone 1 and Zone 21 are the tier where an explosive atmosphere is likely to occur in normal operation, which is where the IS-04Z1 is designed to work. Anything carried in must be marked for the zone, gas group and temperature class of the area.
No certificate has been issued for the IS-04Z1 yet, so it must not be taken into a classified area until the certificate covering it exists and the site operator has accepted it.
In Baton Rouge. Baton Rouge has refinery process units, chemical plant units, tank farms and dock and loading facilities. ExxonMobil's refinery is in the city, whereas Dow operates in neighbouring Iberville Parish. The operator classifies the areas as Class I Division or Zone locations, not SAMS, and procurement follows its own safety rules.
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
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.
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.
Zone 1 and Zone 21 (gas and dust) with gas group IIC and temperature class T4, subject to certification. It must not be used in a classified area before its certificate is issued and the site has accepted it.
Likely candidates are refinery process units, chemical plant units, tank farms, dock and loading facilities. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
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.
US refineries traditionally use NEC Class and Division, and many now accept IEC Zone-marked equipment. Confirm which scheme and gas group the facility's classification uses and what certification mark it accepts.
The Gulf Coast has a hurricane season, which can alter work schedules and site access. Confirm schedule risk and weather policy with the operator and contractor.
US plants have traditionally used Class and Division, and Zone-based classification is also used. Which applies depends on the operator's engineering standards for each area. ExxonMobil's engineering and safety teams approve equipment, so confirm requirements with the site operator before specifying.
More on Baton Rouge, and on other places in 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.