What happens when digitalization plans meet Ex zones in the process industries? 

Hazardous area classification can have an impact how and where digital technologies and the types of equipment needed for it to be deployed safely. Zone 0, 1 and 2 requirements influence the devices and connectivity being used for your intended application.  

A site will often contain a combination of safe and hazardous areas, requiring both standard safe-area and Ex-certified devices to provide coverage across the entire space. For example, a chemicals factory may be Zone 2 in the stores, Zone 1 in the manufacturing areas and Safe Area in the Sales Office. Understanding how these areas are configured is therefore essential, as it will influence the type, location, and overall deployment of devices needed to support your digitalization plans.

What might digitalization look like across Ex zones?  

Digitalization transitions can involve a combination of: 

• Wireless infrastructure: Providing the reliable connectivity needed to connect workers, devices, sensors, and applications across both safe and hazardous areas. 

• Connected workers: Equipping personnel with connected devices and digital tools that give them real-time access to information, communication, and support while working in the field. 

• Mobile workflows: Replacing paper-based processes with digital applications that allow workers to complete inspections, maintenance, reporting, and other tasks directly at the point of work. 

• Industrial sensors: Capturing real-time data from equipment, processes, and the surrounding environment to enable monitoring, analysis, predictive maintenance, and better operational decision-making. 

These applications are not necessarily specific to one hazardous area classification. A connected worker application, for example, could be required in a both the safe areas, and hazardous areas. What changes is how the technology can be deployed safely in each location and the equipment required to support it. 

The way equipment is used also matters. Portable technologies such as smartphones, tablets and wearables may move with workers between different hazardous areas, while fixed infrastructure such as wireless access points, gateways and sensors is installed in a specific location and selected according to the classification of that area.

How does the zone influence technology selection?

The more likely it is that an explosive atmosphere could be present, the more protection equipment needs. 

• Zone 0/20: Has the highest level of risk, where an explosive atmosphere is present continuously, for long periods or frequently.  

• Zone 1/21: An explosive atmosphere may occur during normal operation.  

• Zone 2/22: It is not expected during normal operation and, if it does occur, it is only likely to be present for a short time. 

This distinction directly affects equipment selection. IEC 60079-14:2024 sets out the relationship between hazardous zones and Equipment Protection Levels (EPLs): 

• Zone 0/20 – EPL Ga: Equipment must provide the highest level of protection. 

• Zone 1/21 – EPL Gb or Ga: Equipment rated for Zone 1 can be used, as well as equipment with the higher Zone 0 level of protection. 

• Zone 2/22 – EPL Gc, Gb or Ga: A wider range of equipment can be used, including equipment rated for Zone 2 and equipment with the higher protection levels required for Zones 1 and 0. 

For digitalization projects, the application may stay the same across different areas of a site, but the equipment used to deliver it must be suitable for the zone in which it will operate. 

This is where Ex protection concepts also influence equipment choice. A protection concept describes how equipment is designed to prevent ignition, and the level of protection provided can vary depending on the zone. 

Intrinsic safety (Ex i) is a useful example. It limits the electrical and thermal energy available so that the equipment cannot cause ignition, but there are different levels of intrinsic safety: 

• Ex ia: Can provide the protection required for Zone 0/20. 

• Ex ib: Can provide the protection required for Zone 1/21. 

• Ex ic: Can provide the protection required for Zone 2/22. 

This means that simply knowing a device is intrinsically safe is not enough; its specific certification determines where it can be used. 

For portable equipment, the areas a worker moves through can directly influence device selection. For example, a connected worker may move between safe areas, Zone 2 and Zone 1 during a shift. In this case, selecting a device suitable for the most demanding hazardous area they enter can allow them to use the same device throughout the workflow, rather than changing equipment between zones. 

Fixed equipment is different. Once installed, equipment such as a wireless access point or gateway remains within its designated area, so its certification needs to be appropriate for the classification of that specific installation location. 

For digitalization planning, the key is to understand where the technology will be used and select certified equipment that is suitable for those environments. Considering this early can simplify device selection and help create a more practical deployment across the site. 

Turning Operational Requirements into Safe Digitalization 

A successful digitalization strategy should start with the operational requirement.  

• What information do you need?  

• Where is connectivity required?  

• Which people, assets or processes would benefit from greater digital access and visibility? 

Beyond the applications already mentioned, digitalization can support a range of other operational improvements, including: 

• Personnel mustering and emergency response: Helps teams understand who is on site and account for personnel more quickly during an emergency. 

• Asset and material location: Makes it easier to find tools, equipment and materials, reducing time spent searching and improving utilization. 

• Remote visual inspection: Allows teams to view equipment or processes from another location, helping reduce unnecessary entry into difficult or hazardous areas. 

• Turnaround and shutdown coordination: Gives teams greater visibility of people, equipment and work activity during complex maintenance periods, helping improve planning and reduce delays. 

Once the operational requirement is understood, hazardous area classification helps determine how the technology can be deployed. This includes selecting appropriately certified equipment and designing the supporting infrastructure around the environments in which it needs to operate. 

For example, if wireless connectivity is required in a Zone 1 / Division 1 area, the equipment must be suitable for that environment, such as the iWAP107 Zone 1/Div 1 Wireless Enclosure System. In a Zone 2 / Division 2 area, the iWAP XN3 Zone 2/Div 2 Wireless Enclosure System provides an option designed for that classification. 

As discussed, equipment suitable for Zone 1 can also be used in Zone 2, provided the rest of its certification and application requirements are met. Equipment certified only for Zone 2, however, cannot be used in Zone 1. 

The aim is not simply to choose the highest-rated equipment everywhere. It is to understand where the technology needs to operate and select a solution that is appropriate for both the application and the hazardous area. 

By taking this approach, organizations can: 

• Identify where digitalization can deliver the greatest operational value. 

• Understand where Ex-certified equipment is required. 

• Plan technology around how people and devices actually move around the site. 

• Build a practical deployment strategy based on both operational and hazardous area requirements. 

Applying this in practice 

Once you understand what the application needs to achieve and where it needs to operate, the next step is selecting the technology that will support it. 

Extronics solutions are designed to help extend digitalization into hazardous areas, including: 

• Wireless solutions: Helping extend Wi-Fi, LTE and industrial IoT connectivity into Zone 1 and Zone 2 environments. 

• RTLS and RFID solutions: Supporting the location and identification of people, assets and equipment across a site. 

• Hazardous area mobile devices: BARTEC mobile devices can give workers access to digital applications, information and communication tools while operating in hazardous areas. 

Hazardous area classification does not have to be a barrier to digitalization. Instead, it should be treated as a design requirement that helps determine which technology can be used, where it can be deployed and how the overall solution should be built. 

By considering these requirements early and designing around the operational need, organisations can create a digitalization strategy that is both practical for the people using it and suitable for the hazardous environments in which it operates. If you require any support, contact a member of our team.  

About the Author

ST

Simon Taylor

Configured Products Manager

Simon specializes in the testing, certification, and compliance of wireless enclosures, ensuring strategies that remain both innovative and Ex-safe. He has a deep passion for industry standards and isn’t afraid of a good compliance debate. Known for quickly identifying the critical path in complex projects, he brings clarity, confidence, and real value to his team and customers.

Last updated on August 14, 2026

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