Belgium: infrastructure
After Groningen gas supply fell, Belgium converted affected customers from low-calorific L-gas to high-calorific H-gas, a programme that began in 2018 and was completed by the end of summer 2024.
Belgium · intrinsically safe
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Distributor in Belgium
The IS-04Z1 is an intrinsically safe Android handset designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21, aimed at the chemical belt along the Scheldt, the terminals at Zeebrugge and the platforms in Hainaut. Belgium imports raw materials and semi-finished goods and re-exports them after processing, with the Port of Antwerp the most notable of its ports, canals, railways and highways. Distribution partners for Belgium 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 topicintrinsically safe
DeviceMobile Phone
RouteDistribution
WhereBelgium
Short answer. Belgium 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. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · intrinsically safe
Checklist: intrinsically safe mobile phone for Belgium
| 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 | Belgium: Zeebrugge, Ghent canal zone, Feluy | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Belgium
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 Belgium. 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 · Belgium
Where this applies in Belgium
The classified areas, operators and sites below are the ones covered in the SAMS Belgium market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- BASF Antwerpen
- Second largest BASF site in the world, on the right bank.
- TotalEnergies
- Antwerp refining and petrochemical platform, its largest integrated site in Europe.
- ExxonMobil
- Antwerp refinery, coker and lubricants production on the Scheldt.
- INEOS
- Project ONE ethane cracker under construction on the left bank.
- Covestro
- Polyurethane and polycarbonate production inside the Antwerp cluster.
- Borealis
- Polyolefin production at Kallo and Beringen.
Industrial areas and sites
- Antwerp right bank
- The Scheldelaan chemical belt, from BASF to the refineries.
- Antwerp left bank
- Kallo and Doel, with crackers, polymers and Project ONE.
- Zeebrugge
- LNG import terminal, jetties and the gas interconnection point.
- Ghent canal zone
- North Sea Port industry along the canal to Terneuzen.
- Feluy
- Hainaut petrochemical platform and polymer production.
- Jemeppe-sur-Sambre
- Chemical site in the Sambre valley near Namur.
Field notes · Belgium
More about Belgium that matters for portable equipment
Belgium: rules and approvals
Under ATEX, equipment in use before July 2003 can remain in use indefinitely provided a risk assessment shows it is safe, which matters when mixing older and newer devices at long-established plants.
Belgium: industry on the ground
Chemicals, pharmaceuticals, petroleum products, metals and motor vehicle assembly feature among Belgium's industrial base, and chemicals are also a leading export, which means many process plants with flammable solvents and gases.
Belgium: infrastructure
Fluxys is the main natural gas transmission operator, and gas imports came mainly from the Netherlands and Norway in 2021, so compressor and metering stations are part of the classified-area network.
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 Belgium. Turnaround shifts at Antwerp, Zeebrugge and Feluy involve long days inside plant fences with a work order application open and no charging point in a classified area. An intrinsically safe handheld is designed for those rounds, with a 4,000 mAh battery sized for a full stop shift, since walking out to charge costs more than the battery.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in Belgium
A distributor for Belgium 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 Belgium.
- 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 · Belgium
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an intrinsically safe mobile phone in Belgium today?
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.
What does an intrinsically safe mobile phone in Belgium cost?
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.
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 Belgium does this cover?
The market guide for Belgium covers Antwerp right bank, Antwerp left bank, Zeebrugge, Ghent canal zone, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for Belgium?
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 Belgium.
Do Belgian plants require ATEX certified phones?
Belgium is an EU member, so ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU applies to equipment placed on its market, and employers zone workplaces under Directive 1999/92/EC. Zone 1 and Zone 2 devices should carry the Ex and CE markings. Confirm the exact accepted categories with each site operator.
What documentation language is usual for Belgian industrial sites?
Dutch in Flanders, French in Wallonia and sometimes English at international chemical sites. Instructions are typically expected in the user's language for ATEX equipment, so ask the operator which language it expects. Bilingual documentation packs can avoid delays at gate control.
Will an ordinary phone policy at the Seveso gate apply to this device?
Camera control is why ordinary phones are refused at the gate on Seveso sites. Android 16 with EMM and MDM lets the camera, location services and application list be set centrally, so permissions can be shown during evaluation. Whether a site accepts it still depends on its own rules. Confirm with the operator before taking a unit in.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Other guides for Belgium, other places in Belgium, and the pages behind them.
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone in BelgiumSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier in BelgiumSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier in BelgiumSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone in BelgiumSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone in BelgiumSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone in BelgiumSame place, different guide
Belgium market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for BelgiumEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Belgium
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Belgium
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 · Belgium
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Belgium?
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.