United Kingdom: industry on the ground
UK crude oil and condensate production had fallen to about 630,000 barrels a day by 2024, so much of the current work is maintenance, life extension and decommissioning of mature installations.
United Kingdom · intrinsically safe
Intrinsically Safe Cell Phone in United Kingdom
The IS-04Z1 is an intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 work, from a North Sea deck to a gas governor kiosk at the end of a street. This page explains what to look for in an intrinsically safe cell phone for United Kingdom, 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 topicintrinsically safe
DeviceCell Phone
RouteSpecification
WhereUnited Kingdom
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for United Kingdom: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
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 · intrinsically safe
Checklist: intrinsically safe cell phone for United Kingdom
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Level of protection | ia, ib or ic matched to the zone | ib, for Zone 1 |
| Entity parameters | Uo, Io and Po within the device limits | Published with the certificate |
| Accessories | Chargers and cases certified with the device | Defined at certification |
| Where it applies | United Kingdom: Aberdeen, St Fergus, Sullom Voe | Classified by the site operator |
Product · United Kingdom
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 United Kingdom. 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 · United Kingdom
Where an Ex phone is used in United Kingdom
Operators and classified areas drawn from the SAMS United Kingdom market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- Harbour Energy
- One of the largest producers on the UK continental shelf.
- Adura
- Shell and Equinor joint venture with interests in Mariner, Clair, Shearwater and Buzzard (operators vary by field).
- Ithaca Energy
- Operator and partner across central and northern North Sea hubs.
- EnQuest
- Operates Magnus and the Sullom Voe terminal.
- Serica Energy
- Operates the Bruce, Keith and Rhum fields.
- Wood
- Aberdeen engineering, maintenance and shutdown contractor.
Industrial areas and sites
- Aberdeen
- Supply base, heliports and the offshore contractor market.
- St Fergus
- Reception terminal for northern North Sea gas pipelines.
- Sullom Voe
- Shetland oil and gas terminal with export jetties.
- Grangemouth
- INEOS petrochemical complex and the fuels import terminal.
- Fawley
- ExxonMobil refinery and petrochemicals on Southampton Water.
- Stanlow
- Refinery and the Mersey chemical corridor.
Field notes · United Kingdom
More about United Kingdom that matters for portable equipment
United Kingdom: industry on the ground
About 98 per cent of UK oil and gas production comes from offshore fields, and the services industry in Aberdeen has been a leader in offshore technology.
United Kingdom: rules and approvals
The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 require employers to identify and classify areas where explosive atmospheres may occur and to avoid ignition sources from unprotected equipment in them.
United Kingdom: rules and approvals
Since 1 October 2024 CE marking has been recognised in Great Britain without an end date, so ATEX-certified products can be sold there without UKCA, while Northern Ireland still requires CE.
The term · intrinsically safe
What “intrinsically safe” means for a smartphone
Intrinsic safety limits the electrical and thermal energy in a circuit so that neither a spark nor a hot surface can ignite a gas or dust atmosphere, even when a fault occurs. The ib level, used for Zone 1, tolerates one fault. It is the usual way to make a handheld device that a worker carries continuously through a hazardous area.
The IS-04Z1 is designed on this principle for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4). Intrinsic safety is a design basis, not a certificate: certification is in progress and none has been issued yet.
In United Kingdom. Intrinsic safety suits the long shifts on a platform or terminal and the lone-worker visits to rural gas sites. A handheld that limits ignition energy lets a worker take photographs sharp enough for permit or inspection evidence, avoiding a second trip into the zone, and keep a position and connection.
The route · specification
Specifying an intrinsically safe cell phone for United Kingdom
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 · United Kingdom
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an intrinsically safe cell phone in United Kingdom 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 intrinsically safe cell phone in United Kingdom 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.
What does ‘intrinsically safe’ mean for the IS-04Z1?
The circuits are designed to limit energy so a spark or hot surface cannot ignite a gas or dust atmosphere, even with one fault (level ib, Zone 1). Certification of that design is in progress.
Which sites in United Kingdom does this cover?
The market guide for United Kingdom covers Aberdeen, St Fergus, Sullom Voe, Grangemouth, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
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.
What does DSEAR mean for choosing a phone for UK plants?
DSEAR places duties on employers to classify areas where explosive atmospheres may occur and to avoid ignition sources from unprotected equipment. A site will therefore expect devices used in classified areas to be suitable for the zone, gas group and temperature class stated in its area classification records.
Is CE-marked ATEX equipment accepted in Great Britain?
Yes. Since 1 October 2024 CE marking has been recognised in Great Britain without an end date, so an ATEX-certified product can be sold there without UKCA, although a UKCA route with a UK approved body also exists. Northern Ireland still requires CE. Check the current rules before shipping.
How does the IS-04Z1 cope with patchy coverage on a UK platform or rural site?
It combines 4G LTE, Wi-Fi and four-constellation GNSS to hold a position and a connection where one network is not enough. Actual coverage depends on the site, so test the unit on your own route before relying on it.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for United Kingdom and for United Kingdom.
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier in United KingdomSame place, different guide
UKEX Mobile Phone Distributor in United KingdomSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone in United KingdomSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone Supplier in United KingdomSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone Distributor in United KingdomSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone in United KingdomSame place, different guide
United Kingdom market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for United KingdomEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · United Kingdom
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for 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 · United Kingdom
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for United Kingdom?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.