Ireland: rules and approvals
Directive 2014/34/EU replaced the earlier 94/9/EC equipment directive and became mandatory for manufacturers on 20 April 2016, so older Ex devices may carry earlier markings.
Ireland · IECEx
IECEx Cell Phone Distributor in Ireland
The IS-04Z1 is an intrinsically safe Android handset designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21, aimed at the solvent suites and powder rooms of the Irish pharmaceutical cluster, and at the refinery, gas terminal and alumina plant that make up the rest. The Corrib field was discovered in 1996 and was the first reported commercial gas discovery in Ireland since the Kinsale Head field in 1971, which shows how few upstream gas sites exist. An IECEx cell phone distributor in Ireland would carry the IS-04Z1 to these buyers once certification completes.
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 topicIECEx
DeviceCell Phone
RouteDistribution
WhereIreland
Short answer. Ireland has no appointed SAMS distributor yet: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued, launch planned for Q4 2026), and distributor applications are open.
Where things stand: the IS-04Z1 has not launched, and none of its four certification routes has produced a certificate yet. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · IECEx
Checklist: IECEx cell phone for Ireland
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of conformity | Number checkable on the IECEx online register | In progress; not issued |
| Standards edition | The IEC 60079 edition the certificate cites | Stated on the certificate when issued |
| Schedule of conditions | Limits of use, batteries and accessories | Published with the certificate |
| Where it applies | Ireland: Little Island and Carrigaline, Shannon Estuary, Grange Castle and Clondalkin | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Ireland
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 Ireland. 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 · Ireland
Where this applies in Ireland
The classified areas, operators and sites below are the ones covered in the SAMS Ireland market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- Irving Oil
- Whitegate refinery in Cork Harbour, the only refinery in the state.
- Aughinish Alumina
- The largest alumina refinery in Europe, on the Shannon Estuary.
- Pfizer
- Active ingredient and biologics plants at Ringaskiddy and Grange Castle.
- MSD
- Sites at Brinny, Ballydine, Carlow and Dunboyne.
- Eli Lilly
- Active ingredient manufacturing at Dunderrow near Kinsale.
- Janssen Sciences Ireland
- Biologics manufacturing at Ringaskiddy in Cork Harbour.
Industrial areas and sites
- Ringaskiddy
- Pharmaceutical and biologics plants on the lower harbour.
- Whitegate
- Refinery, crude jetty and product storage in Cork Harbour.
- Little Island and Carrigaline
- Chemical, pharmaceutical and industrial estates east of Cork.
- Shannon Estuary
- Aughinish, Foynes and the deep-water industrial berths.
- Grange Castle and Clondalkin
- Dublin biopharma campuses and process plants.
- Bellanaboy
- Corrib gas terminal and pipeline landfall in north Mayo.
Field notes · Ireland
More about Ireland that matters for portable equipment
Ireland: rules and approvals
Under Directive 1999/92/EC employers must classify areas where explosive atmospheres may occur into zones, with the size and location depending on likelihood and persistence, so every Irish site has its own zoning document.
Ireland: infrastructure
Corrib consists of subsea wells, offshore and onshore pipelines and an onshore gas processing plant at Bellanaboy, which began producing gas in 2015, a typical Zone 1 and Zone 2 process site.
Ireland: who works there
Irving Oil runs Ireland's only oil refinery, at Whitegate in County Cork.
The term · IECEx
What “IECEx” means for a smartphone
IECEx is the international scheme for certifying equipment used in explosive atmospheres. A certificate of conformity is issued by an accredited certification body against a specific edition of the IEC 60079 standards and carries a schedule of conditions of safe use. It is not a legal requirement in most countries on its own, but many national schemes accept it as the technical basis.
The IECEx certificate for the IS-04Z1 is in progress and has not been issued. The marking target is Ex ib IIC T4, the intrinsic safety concept for Zone 1 gas with the hardest gas group (IIC) and a 135 °C temperature class.
In Ireland. Ireland's pharmaceutical cluster belongs mostly to multinational groups that run sites in several countries. For them the IECEx certificate of conformity and its schedule of conditions are a familiar global reference. IECEx certification for the IS-04Z1 is in progress, so no document can be cited yet.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in Ireland
SAMS is appointing authorised distributors ahead of the Q4 2026 launch. No territory has been granted for Ireland yet and applications are reviewed company by company. Because a certified Ex device cannot be opened by an ordinary phone workshop without invalidating its certificate, SAMS looks for partners who can provide competent technical support and after-sales service locally.
What SAMS looks for in a partner
- Operator relationships
- Existing supplier registrations or a clear route to them with the main operators and contractors in Ireland.
- Ex-competent staff
- People who understand zone classification, markings and the conditions of a certificate.
And equally important
- Local-language support
- Documentation, training and helpdesk in the languages the workforce uses.
- Service capability
- Spares, battery replacement and repair routed through SAMS-approved channels.
Questions · Ireland
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an IECEx cell phone in Ireland 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 IECEx cell phone in Ireland 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.
Does the IS-04Z1 hold an IECEx certificate?
No. The IECEx certificate is in progress and has not been issued. SAMS will publish the number when it exists.
Which sites in Ireland does this cover?
The market guide for Ireland covers Ringaskiddy, Whitegate, Little Island and Carrigaline, Shannon Estuary, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for Ireland?
Apply through the distributor page with your company details and the territory you cover. SAMS reviews applications company by company and has not yet granted a territory for Ireland.
Where is Ireland's main hazardous-area gas site?
The Corrib gas field off County Mayo, with its onshore processing plant at Bellanaboy, is Ireland's only domestic gas production source. Other hazardous areas include fuel terminals, power stations and chemical or pharmaceutical plants. Request the operator's zone drawings before planning device use.
Who approves contractors' devices at Bellanaboy?
The project operator, currently Vermilion Energy, sets contractor and equipment requirements for the Corrib onshore plant, normally through its HSE team. Contact the site HSE office for the current induction, device registration and certificate requirements before travelling.
Can a handset be used in a pharmaceutical solvent suite?
That depends on the zone, gas group and the site's rules. The device would need a marking suited to the classified room, and the site may add its own IT, cleaning and data rules. Ask the site's HSE team to review the evidence before bringing any device in.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Other guides for Ireland, other places in Ireland, and the pages behind them.
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone Supplier in IrelandSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone in IrelandSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone Distributor in IrelandSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone in IrelandSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Distributor in IrelandSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in IrelandSame place, different guide
Ireland market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for IrelandEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Ireland
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Ireland
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 · Ireland
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Ireland?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.