Zone 1 vs Zone 2 tablets: which certification does your site need?

The rule itself is simple. A tablet that will ever be carried into Zone 1 must be certified for Zone 1, and a Zone 1 tablet can be used in Zone 2 as well. A Zone 2 tablet can’t go the other way. This guide covers what changes between the two certifications, why sites with both zones usually standardize on Zone 1, and when Zone 2 is enough.

Zone 0, Zone 1 and Zone 2 in brief

Hazardous areas are classified by how often an explosive atmosphere is present. In Zone 0 it’s present continuously or for long periods, in Zone 1 it’s likely in normal operation, and in Zone 2 it’s unlikely and short-lived if it occurs. Dust areas follow the same pattern as Zones 20, 21 and 22.

Equipment is matched to the zone through its equipment protection level, shown at the end of the Ex marking. Zone 1 needs Gb or better (Category 2 under ATEX, marked II 2G), and Zone 2 accepts Gc (Category 3, marked II 3G). Zone 21 needs Db or better, and Zone 22 accepts Dc, so a tablet used where there is combustible dust needs a dust rating as well as a gas rating. Xshielder’s guide to ATEX and IECEx zone classifications covers the definitions in more depth.

What changes between a Zone 1 and a Zone 2 tablet

The certification level shapes the whole tablet, from the protection method to the features the maker can offer. The table compares the current tablets, cases and conversions in our database.

A few patterns stand out. Zone 1 protection takes more engineering, whether that means limiting energy to a level that stays safe with a fault or building a housing that contains an internal ignition, so the range is smaller and the tablets tend to be heavier. The Ex versions of rugged tablets from Getac, Durabook, Winmate and BARTEC are all Zone 2 only, which is why built-in scanners, hot swap and the widest choice of Windows tablets sit on the Zone 2 side. Zone 1 has the stricter temperature classes. Three Zone 1 tablets with a confirmed marking reach IIC T6, against one Zone 2 product, the Armadex Ex UniCase.

Why mixed sites usually choose Zone 1 tablets

On a site with both zones, a Zone 2 tablet brings a boundary to police. Crews have to know exactly where Zone 1 starts, and any job that crosses into it needs a different device or a permit. Plant layouts make that harder than it sounds, since Zone 1 areas often sit around the equipment people work on most, such as pumps, valves, sample points and loading arms.

One Zone 1 fleet removes that decision from the working day. Every tablet can go anywhere in the classified area, crews don’t carry the wrong device into the wrong zone, and spares and accessories come from one range. The Zone 1 range has also grown well past the heavy, specialist tablets of a few years ago. It now includes the Xshielder iPad Pro 11-inch for teams that want a current iPad with its cameras and LiDAR, Android tablets such as the i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 with security updates until Q4 2032, and the Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC for Windows.

Most hazardous-area tablets are priced on request, so it’s worth quoting both versions. A single Zone 1 fleet also means one set of accessories, training and device management, and no second device for the jobs that cross the boundary.

When Zone 2 is enough

Some sites have no Zone 1 areas at all. Some flammable-goods stores and parts of process plants, for example, are classified only as Zone 2 or Zone 22, though only the site’s zone drawing can confirm it. A Zone 2 tablet is the natural choice there, and it brings real advantages.

Zone 2 has the widest choice of hardware. Teams that scan all day can choose a tablet with a built-in barcode imager, such as the BARTEC ET60/65EX2 Android or the Getac Ex range, and long shifts suit the hot-swap batteries on the BARTEC ET60/65EX2, Getac F110-EX G7 and Winmate tablets, as long as the swap happens outside the hazardous area. Windows users get the most choice, with Intel-based tablets from Getac, Durabook, Winmate, BARTEC and ecom. Zone 2 tablets also tend to be lighter, with the Getac ZX80-EX at 780 g.

The decision should rest on the zone drawing, not the expected work, because jobs change and contractors move between areas. If a Zone 1 area could be added later, or crews from a Zone 2 site also work on sites with Zone 1, a Zone 1 tablet avoids buying twice.

The same tablet in Zone 1 and Zone 2 versions

Several makers sell one design in both versions, which shows what Zone 1 certification adds on the same hardware.

• The ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ1 is a flameproof Zone 1 tablet at IIC T6 with a North American Class I Division 1 listing. The ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ2 is intrinsically safe (Ex ic) for Zone 2 at T5, listed for Division 2.
• The i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 and IS940.2 share a 10.1-inch design and weigh the same 1,059 g. The IS940.1 is intrinsically safe to Ex ib for Zone 1 and Division 1, the IS940.2 to Ex ic for Zone 2 and Division 2, and both are confirmed for charging inside the hazardous area.
• Atexxo converts the iPad mini 7 for both zones. The Zone 1 version is a flameproof conversion at 990 g with published ATEX and IECEx certificates, and the Zone 2 version weighs 800 g, with a marking Atexxo states without publishing the certificate.

Our head-to-heads compare these in detail, for example the ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ1 vs i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 for Zone 1 and the ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ2 vs i.safe MOBILE IS940.2 for Zone 2.