What Does It Mean To Be UL Listed?

UL stands for Underwriters Laboratories which is a testing and approving organization that was founded in 1894. In short, their job is to perform safety tests on different types of products such as electrical, mechanical, and many other types of consumer products. Originally, UL’s function was to determine whether or not certain electrical and fire safety components were safe for the public. As of today, they’ve expanded to test practically anything and everything to ensure the safety of the general public. This includes the UL Listing of electronics, medical equipment, wire and cable, and much more.

A UL Rating on a piece of equipment means it was tested by UL, and that they have endorsed it. This requires them to have performed certain tests to determine if the product will perform up to the safety standards required and expected. This provides consumers confidence in the products that they buy and therefore gives manufacturing organizations a motive to implement more sustainable practices when designing and manufacturing their goods.

The downside of the UL Listing for the manufacturer is that it can often be very time-consuming and extremely costly. Each individual component of the overall product will need to be fire-tested and deemed safe in particularly harsh conditions. Although it can be tough for some manufacturers to hop on board, Power Assemblies believes it is absolutely necessary in order to ensure your products are fit for real-world scenarios and therefore allowing the consumer peace of mind.

Why Are UL Listings Important?

How many electrical fires would you guess happen annually? According to the National Fire Protection Agency, more than 46,000 fires involving electrical equipment occur each year. Some of the most common causes of these fires include the following:

There are certainly more ways for electrical fires to begin, but overall this gives us a good explanation as to why it can be so important to be certain that the equipment you’re using for your home or business has been tested by UL so you can keep your family and your employees safe. It’s important to note that U.S. UL Listings and certifications are vastly different from one another. Therefore, using certified equipment that’s from the U.K. in the U.S. is not acceptable and vice-versa.

There are so many reasons as to why it’s important to manufacture and supply UL Listed products. For example, when an electrical distributor is supplying a great deal of electrical materials for a contractor, there’s going to be a lot of moving parts and therefore more room for error. If the contractor has requested UL Listed equipment, it’s because they want to do the right thing for the job and minimize problems and liabilities down the road. Ultimately, UL listings ensure that certain electrical devices can handle it’s optimal voltage and amperage and that the construction of the product was comprised with integrity. If you’re an electrical distributor looking for the right product for your customer, what would you do? Are you going to choose a UL Listed or a Non-UL product? To us, the answer is simple.

Does Power Assemblies Have UL Listed Products?

Absolutely! We have quite a few UL Listed products, one of which is our most sought-after product – The Generator Docking Station. In terms of the developmental stage of our products, our team strives to be an organization that can promise to go above and beyond when it comes to the development, manufacturing, and safety of our goods. We accomplish this by using only the highest quality materials to build our innovative power solutions. High-quality materials combined with an ever-growing and talented team allows Power Assemblies to manufacture some of the best portable power products in the industry that we’re proud to put our name on!

We believe in taking the extra step to give electrical distributors and their customers the confidence needed to ensure that our products are safe and that they’ll stand up to expectations and out-perform on the job site. To show we’re serious about this, our team builds every last one of our enclosures with all UL Listed components. Furthermore, we’ve invested in our products and our brand by going one step further, taking the necessary precautions to develop exceptional products that pass UL Listing tests and requirements with flying colors. Some of our most popular UL Listed products that you can find on our website are the Load Bank Station, Generator Connection Box, and the Company Switch. One of Power Assemblies’ core values is to do what’s right for our partners and for each other. That’s why you can be sure when we recommend you a specific product for the job at hand, you can trust in our team and our expertise to do what is right.

Are UL Listings Required?

Well, sometimes. UL Listings are not necessarily required by law but it may be preferred by the contractor or place of business. Nonetheless, the UL Rated seal and symbol is a sign of good intent to show that your products were strategically designed to ensure they were built with the utmost quality and the safety of the consumer in mind. Again, while these aren’t necessarily required by law, there are a few scenarios where National Electric Code (NEC) will require certain UL Listed products for a project. For example, any critical life-safety facilities such as health-care facilities, treatment centers, data centers, or airports will require UL Listed products that are in accordance with National Electric Code. If you have any questions regarding UL Listings or ratings after reading this article, please reach out to our team at [email protected] or give us a call directly at (866)-825-8525.