Underwriters Laboratories, or UL, are responsible for accrediting consumer products based upon criteria set in place by significant consumer safety organizations, such as the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). UL certifies products, facilities, processes, or systems based on industry-wide standards. They deliver over twenty different UL Certifications for a wide range of categories by doing so. Certain UL Marks are country-specific and aren’t used in the United States. There is no such thing as a general UL approval. Instead, Underwriters Laboratories break up their certification into being listed, recognized, or classified.

UL certification lends credibility to a product and its safety by establishing that it is deemed effective and safe for use by the public by testing those products based on rigorous standards put in place by OSHA and ANSI. This article explains how to get UL certification for your business.

What is the difference between UL Listed and UL Recognized?

A “listing” can only refer to stand-alone products with a specific function, tested against UL’s published and nationally-recognized standards for safety in a particular category of equipment. UL “recognized” is for a component within a system. For example, it is argued that power supplies are components since they have no intrinsic user function and are usually embedded inside other equipment.

UL recognition is for all system components down to the board level, so a “UL Recognized” power supply will typically include parts that themselves need UL recognition. For example, these could consist of “X” and “Y” capacitors and components that cross a safety isolation barrier or whose failure could be a hazard. Recognition requirements also go to the materials used in barrier components such as wire and plastics.

Simply put, a UL Listed Service is given to manufacturers that produce products that meet UL’s standards and provides the manufacturer with authorization to test products and provide the UL mark.

The title of UL Recognized Service is given to products used to manufacture another product, which specifies that it is safe to use in further production and it is not a mark seen on an end product.

UL Classification Service is a certification that can be applied to products from a manufacturer that makes products that fulfill UL’s standards and maintains follow-up with UL to ensure their products’ quality and accuracy.

How does a business get UL Certification?

Standards set by UL include the broad scientific expertise and research in safety directed by UL. The organization has developed more than 1,500 standards. To spread its mission for global public safety, UL partners with standards bodies in other countries internationally.

Environmental and safety codes can vary by municipality or geographic region. This means a UL listed product can comply within one U.S. city and not in another. Therefore, working closely with local authorities is important in maintaining compliance and in understanding the location’s applicable codes.

So how does a business get UL listed? A manufacturer can get facility certification, process certification, personnel certification, system certification, and product certification.

Facility certification happens when UL evaluates how well an operation follows to the applicable healthcare safety standards and regulations. UL will review plans, check for safety issues, assess the performance of components and products, and perform on-site evaluations.

Process certification is when UL works with you to ensure business processes meet the applicable requirements and standards.

Personnel certification is given when UL’s personnel certification can help empower practitioners with the qualifications needed to perform their work effectively and safely. In addition, UL offers system certification to appraise how individual processes and products work together. A product certification from UL can show that a product has been tested and meets applicable standards.

The following are steps should be followed to receive UL certification:

First, visit the UL website and find the “Contact Us” page. Here the links to all the relevant information and forms in regards to submitting a product sample for testing at UL can be found.

Next, submit a sample product for UL to test. The entity or organization sending the sample product should pay all handling and shipping costs. Make sure to package the sample product so that the product won’t be damaged in the shipping process.

When UL receives your sample product, they will begin safety evaluation. Evaluation is based on testing designed to ensure the product meets ANSI and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards. After UL tests the product, the product will be deemed compliant with standards and requirements or rejected based on a lack of compliance. The business will need to pay a fee for the UL’s administration of these tests.

After the product is verified as safe, a certificate will be issued by UL. Your business will then be authorized to place the UL logo on the manufactured product. Audits will be performed intermittently to ensure the product keeps to the relevant guidelines and remains compliant with the UL standards.

Source: https://www.thomasnet.com/articles/procurement/ul-certification/