How to Get UL Certification

By Peyton Holland

Many consumer appliances and electronics are subject to the UL label.
i iron image by Goran Bogicevic from Fotolia.com

Underwriters Laboratories, or UL, are responsible for accrediting consumer products based upon criteria set in place by major consumer safety organizations, such as the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). UL certification lends credibility to a product and its safety of use 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.

Visit the Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. website. On the website, navigate to the "Contact Us" section, which contains links to all relevant forms and information regarding submission of a product sample for UL testing.

Submit a sample of the product to be tested to Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. All shipping and handling costs must be paid by the organization or entity sending the product. Ensure the sample of the product being shipped is packaged such that the product will not be damaged during the shipping process.

Upon receipt of the product sample, UL begins evaluating the product for safety based on a battery of testing designed to test and ensure that the product fulfills OSHA and ANSI standards. After testing the product, UL either deems the product to be in compliance with requirements and standards, or rejects it based on lack of compliance with those standards. A fee is charged for the administration of tests by UL.

Once UL verifies the product is safe and adheres to OSHA and ANSI standards, a certificate is issued by UL to the product's manufacturer authorizing the placement of the UL logo to all manufactured products. The UL logo represents that the product has been tested and approved by UL to adhere to OSHA, ANSI, and other standards.

Audits are performed by UL Field Representatives intermittently to ensure the manufacturer of the certified product follows all relevant guidelines and remains in compliance with UL standards.

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