In English-speaking countries, ” UL Approval ” refers to the certification of a product or component by UL, the best-known government-recognized testing laboratory in the United States.
Relation to UL
Since many regulatory authorities and facility operators require UL certification, UL approval is an important factor for exporting products to the United States.
UL Approval as a Mark of Safety and Quality
To be eligible for UL approval, products or components must be tested in accordance with UL standards. UL is a private testing laboratory recognized by the U. S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration ( OSHA). Any private testing laboratory can offer tests based on its own standards. However, government recognition as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) is only possible if the service provider’s standards are aligned with the requirements of national laws.
UL is the most widely recognized NRTL in the United States
Currently, only 19 private testing laboratories meet the strict requirements for recognition as an NRTL. UL is not only the oldest of these laboratories, but also the best known. A UL approval therefore carries significant weight among private and commercial end users as well as government officials. This goes so far that UL’s standards are sometimes even referenced when a law such as the National Electrical Code ( NEC/NFPA 79) is to be revised. Given such authority, it is surprising that UL approval does not actually officially exist.
Why There Isn’t Actually a UL Approval
In colloquial speech in the U.S. and Canada, people often say that a product or component is “UL approved,” just as we in German often use the term “UL certification.” However, both terms are incorrect. UL does not grant approvals for products; rather, it issues its own labels, which serve as an externally visible indication that the tested product meets the requirements set forth in UL standards. These labels can be issued for virtually any product.
Which products are eligible for UL approval?
Underwriters Laboratories was originally founded with the goal of better managing the hazards posed by electricity—which was a novelty at the time—namely electric shock and fire hazards. This is still evident in UL today, as electrical safety and fire protection remain the organization’s core competencies. Unlike in the past, UL now offers a wide range of certifications, ranging from software solutions and financial products to solar power systems and the environmental sustainability of landfills.
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What types of UL approvals are there?
Given such a wide variety of certifiable products, it stands to reason that there cannot be just one type of UL approval for all applications. This overview is therefore limited to the certification marks and UL approvals that are most widely used in industrial settings.
UL Listing
A UL listing is granted for finished products when representative samples have demonstrated that the product complies with the relevant UL standards. This label is therefore primarily intended for customers, who can thus be confident that the product they have purchased fully meets UL’s safety requirements. It is the best-known certification mark and is therefore usually what is meant when people refer to a UL approval or UL certification. Such UL certification can also be granted for components intended for on-site assembly.
UL-Recognized Component
A UL Recognizedlabel, on the other hand, can only be granted to components that are not intended for installation by the end user. This UL approval is therefore of little relevance to consumers. For manufacturers of UL-certified products, however, it is all the more important, as the use of such components facilitates the approval of the finished product. UL inspectors can immediately verify that the components installed in the product meet the institute’s requirements. If components are installed by the end user in violation of the regulations, the UL listing may be revoked.
UL Classified
A UL Classified label is awarded when a product has been successfully tested to ensure it meets specific requirements. However, the testing applies only to this one characteristic, not to the safety of the product as a whole. A product that is UL Classified may be labeled as such, but it must be clearly indicated that it is not a fully tested product. This is stipulated in UL’s marketing guidelines.
UL Approval in Practice
But why go to all the trouble of obtaining UL approval in the first place? After all, it isn’t even a government-issued certification mark. To wrap things up, let’s take a look at the reasons for pursuing UL approval and which parts of a system or machine actually need to be UL-certified.
What are the benefits of UL approval?
UL certification is not required by law to market a product in the United States. For that reason alone, it is misleading to refer to UL’s safety testing as “approval.”
However, in practice, it is often impossible to sell a product to the U.S. that has not undergone UL testing. This applies not only to consumer products but also when a machine or piece of equipment is to be exported to the U.S.
Simplified Acceptance Thanks to UL Approval
Local authorities are responsible for the safety of these systems. Their inspectors must approve each system before it is put into operation. This process can be time-consuming and complex. In this context, UL approval can make the process significantly easier. By looking at the corresponding label, the responsible inspector can immediately see that the system complies with UL standards.
Alternative: UL Approval for the control cabinet
Since the high regard in which UL approval is held by government officials is widely known in the U.S., many companies specify UL certification in their requirements specifications. Whether the entire system must be certified or whether a control cabinet that is “UL approved” is sufficient varies from case to case. The control cabinet typically accounts for the majority of the total inspection effort, which is why the added value of inspecting the entire system may be questionable.
Zusammenfassung
“UL Approval ” is the colloquial term for the certification of a product or component by UL, a private, government-recognized testing laboratory in the United States. Such approval is virtually indispensable if a product is to be marketed in the United States.
