Australia: rules and approvals
ANZEx has been owned by JAS-ANZ since August 2016, and Queensland's Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 took effect on 1 September 2026, so state rules continue to evolve.
Australia · IECEx
IECEx Smartphone Distributor in Australia
A Zone 1 / Zone 21 smartphone for crews on Australian LNG trains, offshore facilities, processing plants and remote mine sites. 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. Distribution partners for Australia are being identified ahead of the Q4 2026 launch of the IS-04Z1.
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
DeviceSmartphone
RouteDistribution
WhereAustralia
Short answer. Australia 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.
Current position: certification in progress, nothing issued, launch targeted for Q4 2026. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · IECEx
Checklist: IECEx smartphone for Australia
| 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 | Australia: Darwin, Gladstone and Curtis Island, Bowen Basin, Queensland | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Australia
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 Australia. 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 · Australia
Where an Ex phone is used in Australia
Operators and classified areas drawn from the SAMS Australia market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- Woodside Energy
- North West Shelf, Pluto LNG and the Karratha Gas Plant
- Chevron Australia
- Gorgon on Barrow Island and Wheatstone at Onslow
- INPEX
- Ichthys LNG at Darwin and Browse Basin facilities
- Shell Australia
- Prelude FLNG and QCLNG on Curtis Island
- Santos
- GLNG at Gladstone and the Moomba gas plant
- ConocoPhillips and Origin Energy
- Australia Pacific LNG and Surat Basin coal seam gas
Industrial areas and sites
- Karratha and the Burrup Peninsula
- Karratha Gas Plant, Pluto LNG and offshore support
- Onslow, Western Australia
- Wheatstone LNG and the Ashburton North estate
- Darwin
- Ichthys LNG, marine supply base and harbour work
- Gladstone and Curtis Island
- Three LNG trains plus alumina and coal wharves
- Bowen Basin, Queensland
- Coal mining, methane drainage and handling plants
- Pilbara, Western Australia
- Iron ore mines, workshops and bulk fuel handling
Field notes · Australia
More about Australia that matters for portable equipment
Australia: rules and approvals
Operators typically check for a current IECEx or ANZEx certificate, a suitable gas group and temperature class, a Hazardous Area Verification Dossier under AS/NZS 60079.14 and installer competency.
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.
Australia: rules and approvals
The Australian Communications and Media Authority regulates the supply of radiocommunications equipment and made rule changes in 2023 to simplify and streamline that regulation.
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 Australia. Australia takes part directly in the IECEx system, and AS/NZS 60079 is harmonised with IEC 60079, so the certificate of conformity is the practical basis for equipment at Woodside, Chevron, INPEX, Shell and Santos sites. The reviewer reads the schedule of conditions for ambient range and special conditions. The ANZEx certificate would follow from the same test reports.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in Australia
A distributor for Australia would carry the IS-04Z1 after certification completes; the Q4 2026 launch is the planning date and no appointment has been made. SAMS reviews applicants one by one and prefers companies with their own Ex-competent technical and service staff, since certified devices must not be repaired outside approved channels.
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 Australia.
- 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 · Australia
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an IECEx smartphone in Australia 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 smartphone in Australia 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.
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 Australia does this cover?
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.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for Australia?
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 Australia.
What conditions affect devices in the Pilbara?
The Pilbara is hot, dry and dusty, with long distances between sites and towns. Check the operating temperature range, dust ingress rating and battery life in heat, and confirm with the operator any site rules on permits, inductions and mobile devices in classified areas.
What is the Hazardous Area Verification Dossier?
It is the installation documentation expected under AS/NZS 60079.14, showing that the equipment, its certificate and its installation suit the classified area. Operators and inspectors look for it before energising equipment, so ask the site electrical team what must be supplied with portable and fixed equipment.
Will a handset cope with Pilbara heat and a long roster day?
The target marking is T4 with the ambient range to be fixed on the certificate, which is not yet issued. The 4,000 mAh battery is sized for a roster day with radio, camera and GNSS running. Check the certified range against your site's worst summer ambient and trial a unit before fleet orders.
Related guides
Keep exploring
More on Australia, and on other places in Australia.
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone in AustraliaSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone in AustraliaSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier in AustraliaSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier in AustraliaSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone Distributor in AustraliaSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone Distributor in AustraliaSame place, different guide
Australia market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for AustraliaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Australia
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Australia
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 · Australia
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Australia?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.