What is UL?
Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is an independent, non-profit inspection and testing organization that evaluates the safety of life and property. It has the following features
- On-site inspectors on a global scale
- Confirmation of compliance with safety standards at the manufacturing site
- Verification of safety standards in accordance with local regulations and laws
History and Overview
- Background of Establishment
- Established in 1894
- Currently has offices in five regions in the U.S.
- Initially, safety analysis and evaluation for insurance companies is the main business of the company.
- developmental process
- Developed with the support of insurance companies
- Hired in major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco
- Established as a voluntary standard that meets the requirements of the "Consumer Product Safety Act
- Operates as a voluntary certification system, not a mandatory approval item for the U.S. federal government
Importance of Certification
- Positioning in the Industry
- High reliability rating
- Adopted as a delivery requirement by major distributors
- Critical Criteria for Property Insurance Valuation by Insurance Companies
- Market Recognition
- Established as a consumer product selection criterion
- A de facto requirement for exports to the U.S. market
- Important indicator of product safety
Certification Categories and Products Covered
| Certification Category | Contents | Target Products |
| LISTING | Product available to consumers in the market (finished product) | Cords, temp holders, cordsets, fuses, and other accessories Lighting term, TVs, radios, cassettes, office equipment, refrigerators, monitors, etc. |
| RECOGNITION | Items whose end-user is not the general consumer, but only the factory that manufactures the finished product | Transfer, injection, plastic raw materials, printed circuit boards, wires, capacitors, tubing, labels, wiring harnesses, etc. |
| CLASSIFICATION | A system that grants certification based on special hazardous conditions, performance, or other standards. | Certain buildings and fire protection products fall under this category. |