Material compliance

No, there is no law that makes UL certification mandatory.In the USA, all electrically controlled devices or systems must be approved. The legal basis in the USA is, for example, the provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA Article 29 CFR 1910.xxx; CFR: Code of Federal Regulations) and the regulations of the National Electric Code (NEC), in Canada the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and the regulations of the Canadian Electric Code (CEC).

As a result of the federal systems of the USA and Canada, different levels of the NEC or CEC with individual supplements must be complied with in the individual states and provinces. This depends, among other things, on the climatic conditions in the individual states.

Compliance with national safety regulations can be verified by so-called listing/labelling. In the case of listing/labelling, a qualified Certification Organisation (CO) confirms, after appropriate testing, that the equipment/system complies with the relevant safety standards or is suitable for the specific purpose by issuing a label (trademark, "UL mark") which the manufacturer can use. In the USA, qualified COs are test laboratories recognised by OSHA: Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL). In Canada, so-called Certified bodies (CB) are mandated by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC).

One of these NRTL and probably the most recognised is UL. UL stands for Underwriters Laboratories and means as much as the testing laboratories of the insurance companies. UL tests according to UL standards, which have national standards as an integral part. Ultimately, the aim is to minimise the liability risks for insurance companies caused by equipment and the associated hazards (electric shock, fire and mechanical injury). In the USA, it can quickly come to existence-threatening compensation sums for manufacturers, sellers and users (companies).

Who pays attention to the test mark?

The necessary measures leading to compliance with national safety regulations depend on the respective application. Electrical systems and equipment are tested on site. The "Authority Having Jurisdiction" (AHJ) is the person carrying out the test. The UL mark enables a simplified acceptance by the local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). Delays in commissioning the system and high costs due to changes to installations can be avoided.

According to which UL standards are Festo products certified?

Electrical products are tested with regard to their electrical and mechanical hazards. For fire protection tests, for example, the housing materials and insulation materials are also evaluated. In the case of valves, a burst pressure test is also carried out at 5 times the nominal pressure. UL conducts production inspections at regular intervals. This ensures that the products correspond to their originally assessed design.

Do connection cables have to be UL certified?
Many Festo devices are certified as devices for "Class 2 Circuits" because of their intended use. "Class 2 Circuits" are energy-limited circuits with a max. voltage of 30 V AC or 42 V DC, max. current of 5 A and a max. power of 100 VA. Here, according to UL definition, there is neither the danger of electric shock nor the danger of fire. Thus, there is no UL rating for plugs and cables. For devices not rated for "Class 2 Circuit", an approval for the cables is required.

What do the UL marks on Festo products mean?

UL is authorised to certify according to US (NEC) as well as Canadian (CEC) safety regulations. This is represented by the respective UL mark. The C-UL-US or C-UR-US mark replaces a CSA certification for Canada.