Italy: geography and layout
The Val d'Agri area in Basilicata hosts the largest onshore hydrocarbon field in Europe, so upstream work extends to the south of the country as well as offshore.
Italy · intrinsically safe
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone in Italy
The IS-04Z1 is an intrinsically safe Android handset designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21, built for the refineries, petrochemical poles and gas terminals from Porto Marghera to Priolo and Sarroch. If you are specifying an intrinsically safe mobile phone for Italy, this page covers the markings, the approvals and the current certification status 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
RouteSpecification
WhereItaly
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Italy: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
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 Italy
| 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 | Italy: Priolo, Melilli and Augusta, Gela, Milazzo | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Italy
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 Italy. 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 · Italy
Where an Ex phone is used in Italy
Operators and classified areas drawn from the SAMS Italy market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- Eni
- Refining and biorefining at Sannazzaro, Taranto, Gela and Venice.
- Versalis
- The Eni petrochemical arm, with plants at Brindisi, Priolo and Ravenna.
- Sarlux
- Runs the Sarroch refinery and its power complex in Sardinia.
- ISAB
- Priolo Gargallo refinery, around 320,000 barrels a day.
- Raffineria di Milazzo
- Refinery and marine terminal on the north Sicilian coast.
- Snam
- National gas transmission, underground storage and regasification.
Industrial areas and sites
- Priolo, Melilli and Augusta
- The largest Sicilian petrochemical belt, refining and chemicals together.
- Gela
- South Sicilian coastal site, now producing biofuels.
- Milazzo
- Refinery and port on the Tyrrhenian side of Sicily.
- Sarroch
- Sardinian refinery of about 300,000 barrels a day.
- Taranto
- Refinery and heavy industry on the Ionian coast.
- Brindisi
- Petrochemical plant, power generation and port on the Adriatic.
Field notes · Italy
More about Italy that matters for portable equipment
Italy: geography and layout
Moderate natural gas reserves have been found mainly in the Po Valley and offshore in the Adriatic Sea, which concentrates gas production and processing in the north and east.
Italy: background
Hydropower was practically the only source of electricity until 1960, and all of Italy's active geothermal plants are in Tuscany, so dam and geothermal sites sit alongside oil and gas facilities.
Italy: who works there
Eni, which operates in 79 countries, is counted among the world's seven oil and gas supermajors, so Italian refineries and gas sites often follow large-operator procedures for contractors and equipment.
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 Italy. A fermata at an Italian refinery or petrochemical pole brings large contractor crews through many zones in a short window. An intrinsically safe handheld lets inspectors record and report at the point of work. That is the design intent, and the device remains subject to certification and site approval.
The route · specification
Specifying an intrinsically safe mobile phone for Italy
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 · Italy
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an intrinsically safe mobile phone in Italy 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 intrinsically safe mobile phone in Italy 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 Italy does this cover?
The market guide for Italy covers Priolo, Melilli and Augusta, Gela, Milazzo, Sarroch, 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.
Does Italy require ATEX certified phones in hazardous areas?
Italy applies ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU as an EU member, and employers zone workplaces under Directive 1999/92/EC. Devices for Zone 1 and Zone 2 should carry CE and Ex markings with Italian-language instructions where required. Operators usually add their own approval and permit procedures.
Where is upstream hazardous-area work in Italy?
The Val d'Agri area in Basilicata hosts the largest onshore hydrocarbon field in Europe, and the Po Valley and offshore Adriatic hold moderate gas reserves. Refineries, fuel terminals and gas stations add downstream sites. Confirm site lists with the operator.
Can a device be trialled during a fermata?
The market guide says teams can test a unit through a fermata while certification runs. Trial terms and site access are set by the plant operator, and a unit would need to be accepted for the zones it enters. Ask the operator's HSE team before arranging a trial.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for Italy and for Italy.
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone in ItalySame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone Supplier in ItalySame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone in ItalySame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in ItalySame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone in ItalySame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone Supplier in ItalySame place, different guide
Italy market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for ItalyEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Italy
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Italy
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 · Italy
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Italy?
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.