France: rules and approvals
ATEX has two equipment groups, Group I for mining and Group II for surface industries, and CE plus Ex marking lets compliant equipment be sold anywhere in the EU, including France.
France · intrinsically safe
Intrinsically Safe Smartphone Supplier in France
The IS-04Z1 is an intrinsically safe Android handset designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21, aimed at the refineries, chemical platforms and LNG terminals that make up the French Seveso estate. This page sets out how an intrinsically safe smartphone supply route to France will work for the IS-04Z1, and what is and is not available before launch.
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
DeviceSmartphone
RouteSupply
WhereFrance
Short answer. An intrinsically safe smartphone for France cannot be bought yet: the SAMS IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued), and the datasheet, certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
For the record, no certificate exists for the IS-04Z1 today. The programme is under way ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. A buyer's engineering review is separate from the certificate. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · intrinsically safe
Checklist: intrinsically safe smartphone for France
| 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 | France: Feyzin and the Vallée de la Chimie, Roussillon and Salaise, Gonfreville-l'Orcher | Classified by the site operator |
Product · France
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 France. 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 · France
Where an Ex phone is used in France
Operators and classified areas drawn from the SAMS France market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- TotalEnergies
- Normandy platform at Gonfreville plus Donges and Feyzin, and the Grandpuits zero-crude platform.
- North Atlantic
- Port-Jérôme-Gravenchon refinery and chemical plant in Normandy since 2025.
- Rhône Énergies
- Operates the Fos-sur-Mer refinery near Marseille since 2024.
- Petroineos
- Lavéra refinery and petrochemical site on the Étang de Berre.
- Arkema
- Specialty chemicals at Jarrie, Pierre-Bénite, Lacq and Carling.
- Air Liquide
- Industrial gas and hydrogen pipeline networks in Normandy and Fos.
Industrial areas and sites
- Gonfreville-l'Orcher
- Normandy refining and petrochemical platform beside Le Havre.
- Port-Jérôme
- Seine valley refinery and chemical site in Seine-Maritime.
- Donges
- Refinery and jetties on the Loire estuary near Saint-Nazaire.
- Montoir-de-Bretagne
- LNG import terminal on the same estuary.
- Feyzin and the Vallée de la Chimie
- Refinery and chemical plants along the Rhône south of Lyon.
- Roussillon and Salaise
- Chemical platform further down the Rhône corridor in Isère.
Field notes · France
More about France that matters for portable equipment
France: geography and layout
Fos-sur-Mer lies about 50 km north-west of Marseille on the Mediterranean coast, west of the Etang de Berre, and hosts a major port development run by the Autonomous Port of Marseille.
France: industry on the ground
Fos-sur-Mer's port includes container terminals and a methane terminal, and its waterside industrial zone attracts steel, chemical and oil industry sites, making it a typical mixed-hazard industrial coast.
France: projects and investment
In 2022 France announced plans to build six new reactors, reversing a 2014 plan to reduce nuclear supply, which points to long-running construction and maintenance work.
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 France. A grand arrêt on a French refinery or chemical platform puts large contractor crews through many zones in a short window. An intrinsically safe handheld lets inspectors photograph, record and sign off at the point of work. That is the design intent; the device is not yet certified.
The route · supply
Sourcing the IS-04Z1 for France
There is no stock to order for France yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch, certification is in progress, and supply will run through authorised distributors after the certificates are issued. Procurement teams can prepare now with the datasheet, the certification schedule and a safe-area evaluation.
- 01
Request the datasheet
The technical specification, marking target and conditions of use, sent by email.
- 02
Ask for the certification schedule
Which certificates are in progress, in what order, and what is still to be confirmed.
- 03
Evaluate in a safe area
Evaluation units can be used for connectivity, MDM enrolment and workflow testing outside classified areas.
- 04
Register for launch
Tell us the site, zone, gas group and quantity so the right authorised distributor can contact you.
Questions · France
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an intrinsically safe smartphone in France 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 smartphone in France 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 France does this cover?
The market guide for France covers Gonfreville-l'Orcher, Port-Jérôme, Donges, Montoir-de-Bretagne, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
How will SAMS supply France?
Through authorised distributors once certificates exist. Until then SAMS can send the datasheet and certification schedule and arrange safe-area evaluation units.
Should documentation be in French for French industrial sites?
French is generally expected for instructions and safety documentation at French sites, and ATEX user instructions are typically required in the language of the destination country. International operators may also accept English. Ask the site contact which language they require for contractor equipment files.
How do nuclear outages affect device planning in France?
Large reactor outages bring many contractors at once, so site access, induction and equipment registration can be tightly scheduled. Nuclear sites also have conventional hazardous areas, for example for hydrogen and fuel stores, so agree device approval early with the plant's safety office.
Can one device be used across a shared French platform?
Zones and rules are set by the site operator and can differ between units on the same platform. A device would need a marking suitable for each zone it enters. Check the zone plan and permit rules with the platform operator before carrying a handset in.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Other guides for France, other places in France, and the pages behind them.
Industrial Mobile Phone Supplier in FranceSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone in FranceSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in FranceSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone in FranceSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in FranceSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone Supplier in FranceSame place, different guide
France market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for FranceEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · France
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for France
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 · France
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for France?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.