UL Listed products are critical when selecting the best electrical products, you are going to want to keep an eye out for products bearing the UL Listed mark. Products with the UL Listing mark have been tested and verified that it meets the UL standards of testing. That means that when you select that product, you are getting a safe and properly manufactured product.

What is UL?

UL leads globally in testing, inspection, certification, auditing, and validation. UL is short for Underwriters Laboratories. Founded in 1894 by William Henry Merril Jr., a graduate of MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). UL is the largest nationally recognized testing authority. UL has developed over 1,000 standards for safety. UL ensures that devices can handle the amount of current that they’re supposed to hold. UL also makes sure that the products are safely constructed and that wire sizes are correct.

Why is the UL Listing mark worth your attention?

The UL listing mark is the single most accepted certification mark in the United States. The UL listing mark helps the consumer distinguish which electrical products are quality made. If a product doesn’t carry the UL logo, it’s likely to be a knock off that wouldn’t pass UL testing. No one wants to purchase or use a product that could malfunction and hurt those in the vicinity of it. That is why we have companies such as UL certify that these products live up to their standards and our expectations. The UL mark appears on over 22 billion products annually. ATI Electrical Supply’s power distribution line of products are UL listed and carry the UL Listing mark.

How a product becomes UL listed?

Manufacturers submit products to designated laboratories for testing. If the submitted products pass a series of tests and meet satisfactory standards, then the company is allowed to use the official UL listing mark on those products, these products become UL listed. The entire process is voluntary, so companies aren’t required to get their products tested. Although it’s voluntary, most companies have to get their products UL listed because most electrical codes require UL listed products. The reason all products don’t have to be tested is because some products don’t have an applicable UL standard. Some products may not even be safe enough to be listed at all.