Canada: rules and approvals
Hazardous locations in Canada fall under Section 18 of the Canadian Electrical Code Part I, which uses the Zone system, while the older Class and Division rules are kept in Annex J for existing installations.
Canada · NEC 500 Class I Division 1
NEC 500 Class I Division 1 Cell Phone in Canada
The IS-04Z1 is an Ex phone for people working inside classified areas at Canadian oil sands plants, gas plants, refineries and offshore platforms. This page explains what to look for in an NEC 500 Class I Division 1 cell phone for Canada, 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 topicNEC 500 Class I Division 1
DeviceCell Phone
RouteSpecification
WhereCanada
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Canada: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
Status: pre-launch. IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress and no certificate has been issued; launch is planned for Q4 2026. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · NEC 500 Class I Division 1
Checklist: NEC 500 Class I Division 1 cell phone for Canada
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Location class | Class I, Division 1 (gas and vapour) | Part of the certification programme |
| Listing | Listing by a nationally recognised testing laboratory | In progress; not issued |
| Group | Gas groups A to D | Group listing to be confirmed |
| Where it applies | Canada: Athabasca oil sands, Cold Lake and the Lakeland, Alberta Industrial Heartland | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Canada
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 Canada. 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 · Canada
Where this applies in Canada
The classified areas, operators and sites below are the ones covered in the SAMS Canada market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- Suncor Energy
- Base Plant, Fort Hills, Sarnia and Edmonton refining
- Cenovus Energy
- Foster Creek, Christina Lake, Lloydminster, offshore Atlantic
- Imperial Oil
- Kearl and Cold Lake, Strathcona and Sarnia refineries
- Canadian Natural Resources
- Horizon and Albian mining, Jackfish and Primrose thermal
- Syncrude
- Mildred Lake mining and upgrading, operated by Suncor
- Shell Canada
- Scotford upgrader, refinery and chemicals in the Heartland
Industrial areas and sites
- Athabasca oil sands
- Fort McMurray mines, upgraders and in situ plants
- Cold Lake and the Lakeland
- Thermal in situ pads and steam generation
- Alberta Industrial Heartland
- Fort Saskatchewan, Scotford and Redwater refining and chemicals
- Montney and Duvernay
- Gas plants around Grande Prairie and Fort St John
- Sarnia Chemical Valley
- Three refineries and dozens of chemical plants
- Kitimat and the north coast
- LNG Canada trains and jetty, Cedar LNG building
Field notes · Canada
More about Canada that matters for portable equipment
Canada: industry on the ground
The Athabasca oil sands in Alberta hold bitumen so viscous that it will not flow unless heated or diluted with lighter hydrocarbons such as condensate, so diluent and heating systems feature heavily at sites.
Canada: rules and approvals
Electrical products for hazardous locations must be certified by a body accredited by the Standards Council of Canada, and IECEx or ATEX certificates are not accepted in place of that certification.
Canada: background
The Great Canadian Oil Sands plant, now part of Suncor, opened in 1967, and Fort McMurray's growth took off as further oil sands plants followed after the 1970s energy crises.
The term · NEC 500 Class I Division 1
What “NEC 500 Class I Division 1” means for a smartphone
North America classifies hazardous locations by Class and Division under the National Electrical Code (NEC 500, with NEC 505 as the zone-based alternative); Canada uses the Canadian Electrical Code. Class I Division 1 is the closest counterpart to Zone 1 for flammable gases and vapours. Equipment must be listed by a nationally recognised testing laboratory.
NEC 500 Class I Division 1 is one of the four routes in the IS-04Z1 certification programme. It is in progress and no listing has been issued.
In Canada. In Canada one operator calls an area Zone 1 IIC while the plant down the road calls it Class I Division 1 Group B, because Section 18 of CSA C22.1 classifies by Zone and Annex J18 keeps the older Division system. The IS-04Z1 has Class I Division 1 as a target on the same intrinsic safety basis, still in progress.
The route · specification
Specifying an NEC 500 Class I Division 1 cell phone for Canada
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 · Canada
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an NEC 500 Class I Division 1 cell phone in Canada 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 NEC 500 Class I Division 1 cell phone in Canada 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.
Will the IS-04Z1 be listed for Class I Division 1?
NEC 500 Class I Division 1 is part of the certification programme and is in progress. No listing has been issued.
Which sites in Canada does this cover?
The market guide for Canada covers Athabasca oil sands, Cold Lake and the Lakeland, Alberta Industrial Heartland, Montney and Duvernay, 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 radio approval does a smartphone need in Canada?
Devices with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or cellular radios generally need ISED certification and must meet the applicable Radio Standards Specifications, along with interference limits such as ICES-003. A certification body recognised by ISED can issue it. Confirm the exact requirements for your device with ISED or an accredited body.
Do Canadian sites use Zones or Divisions?
The Canadian Electrical Code now uses Zones in Section 18, while Class and Division rules remain in Annex J for existing installations, so older plants may still be classified by Division. Check the classification drawing for the area and make sure the device marking matches the system used there.
Does the phone carry both Zone and Division markings?
The marking target is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4, with Class I Division 1 pursued on the same intrinsic safety basis. Nothing has been issued: certification is in progress. Canadian Section 18 classifies by Zone while Annex J18 keeps Division. Check which system your site's drawings use before anything is specified.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Other guides for Canada, other places in Canada, and the pages behind them.
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier in CanadaSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone in CanadaSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone in CanadaSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone Distributor in CanadaSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Distributor in CanadaSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier in CanadaSame place, different guide
Canada market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for CanadaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Canada
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Canada
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 · Canada
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Canada?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.