We often hear the product “needs to have UL approval”. This requirement often comes from customers, local authorities, counties and even insurance companies.
What the above customers are actually asking for is that the product is approved per UL standards. Not that it is actually approved by the UL organization
itself. This is where the confusion arises.
All products with CSA and FM certificates are approved according US standards and most of them list UL standards as well. See page 4 of this F103 CSA certificate. The same goes for our E-series, F0-Series, D490 & F490.
Any accredited US Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) can approve per the safety standards requested. As Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states: “Given that each NRTL has met the requirements for recognition, OSHA considers NRTLs recognized for the same product safety test standard to be capable of testing to, and certifying under, that standard”.
Our co-workers and customers often run into a wall of red tape with purchasers who may not understand that there are “others out there” such as FM Approvals, CSA, ETL Intertek, MET, QPS, etc. who provide the same services. They simply will not buy it if it is for example FM or CSAc-us marked instead of UL: “Computer says no”.
What adds to the confusion, is that the same standard often gets published by different publishers. For example the “Safety Requirements for electrical equipment for measurement, control and laboratory use”, known as standard UL 61010-1 (former UL 508) is also published as CSA C22.2 No. 61010-1-12 and ANSI/ISA-61010-1.
Some standards covering the same requirements may not be so easily recognizable and are even numbered differently. For example; Fluidwell model F103 complies with ANSI/UL 121201 (Nonincendive Electrical Equipment) which is the same as CSA 22.2 No. 213 and FM3611.
Being an insurance company as well, FM Approvals added requirements with regard to chemical compatibility for products to be allowed to bear their mark. This extra layer of safety allows installations to be insured easier by FM when using FM approved products. The F0-Series and E-series made by Fluidwell bare this FM mark.
When in doubt which standards apply, ask OSHA or your local authority.
HazardEx magazine: Debunking the myths of Ex product approvals in North America
Questions?
We're happy to answer any questions about UL standards, our approvals, products and services.
Just send us a message or give us a call +31 - (0)413 - 343 786.
