Australia: rules and approvals
An IECEx certificate for an assembly of several items is not automatically accepted unless it is validated against the current AS/NZS 60079.14 or the assembly is independently inspected.
A Zone 1 / Zone 21 smartphone for crews on Australian LNG trains, offshore facilities, processing plants and remote mine sites. This page sets out how a hazardous area smartphone supply route to Australia will work for the IS-04Z1, and what is and is not available before launch.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. A hazardous area smartphone for Australia cannot be bought yet: the SAMS IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued), and the datasheet, certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
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.
| 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 | Australia: Bowen Basin, Queensland, Pilbara, Western Australia, Karratha and the Burrup Peninsula | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Australia. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
Operators and classified areas drawn from the SAMS Australia market guide.
An IECEx certificate for an assembly of several items is not automatically accepted unless it is validated against the current AS/NZS 60079.14 or the assembly is independently inspected.
Australia works on the IECEx scheme and the AS/NZS 60079 series, and the national ANZEx scheme is harmonised with IECEx, so IECEx-certified equipment can be used almost without separate national testing.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority regulates the supply of radiocommunications equipment and made rule changes in 2023 to simplify and streamline that regulation.
An ATEX marking alone is not automatically accepted, because ATEX is an EU directive that allows self-declaration for some categories, and such equipment usually needs a conformity assessment.
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 Australia. Australian classified areas are large and far apart: LNG trains and offshore support at Karratha, Onslow, Darwin and Gladstone, gas processing at Moomba, and coal handling in the Bowen Basin. Coal dust makes Zone 21 a live classification, while iron ore and alumina are not normally combustible. Operators classify these areas themselves, not SAMS.
There is no stock to order for Australia yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch, certification is in progress, and supply will run through authorised distributors after the certificates are issued. Procurement teams can prepare now with the datasheet, the certification schedule and a safe-area evaluation.
The technical specification, marking target and conditions of use, sent by email.
Which certificates are in progress, in what order, and what is still to be confirmed.
Evaluation units can be used for connectivity, MDM enrolment and workflow testing outside classified areas.
Tell us the site, zone, gas group and quantity so the right authorised distributor can contact you.
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.
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.
The market guide for Australia covers Karratha and the Burrup Peninsula, Onslow, Western Australia, Darwin, Gladstone and Curtis Island, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
Through authorised distributors once certificates exist. Until then SAMS can send the datasheet and certification schedule and arrange safe-area evaluation units.
Often yes. An IECEx certificate for an assembly is not automatically accepted unless validated against the current AS/NZS 60079.14 or the assembly is independently inspected. Ask the site engineer or an inspection body how a packaged or modular system will be treated before shipping.
Yes. Australia accepts a current IECEx or ANZEx Certificate of Conformity under the AS/NZS 60079 series, with the gas group and temperature class matching the classified area. ATEX-only equipment is not automatically accepted. Confirm the installation documentation expected for your site with the operator's electrical engineer.
No: underground coal equipment is Group I, regulated at state level, which is a different regime from the Group II surface certification the IS-04Z1 targets. Surface coal handling with Zone 21 dust, and gas areas at LNG and processing plants, are the intended duty. Check the classification with the mine operator and regulator.
Related guides for Australia and for Australia.
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.