18 Nov What is a UL Listing and why does it matter?

If you are in the process of selecting and purchasing commercial LED lighting, such as Area Lights, Flood Lights, or High Bays, you may have noticed that many products in this category are labeled as UL Listed. What does it mean for a LED lighting product to be UL Listed, and how does it affect your project?

What does it mean when a product is UL Listed?

 
A UL Listed label indicates that the product has undergone thorough safety testing by Underwriters Laboratories, a top Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL), and has been certified as meeting the Underwriters Laboratories safety standards for that product category. Though the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) currently recognizes almost 20 NRTLs, Underwriters Laboratories is one of the most (if not the most) trusted and recognized, making UL the industry benchmark for safety certification in the United States.

Originally founded as a non-profit in 1894, Underwriters Laboratories has expanded to 64 laboratories with offices across 46 countries. The organization has been instrumental in establishing nationwide safety standards for commercial and consumer products, defining over 1,500 sets of proprietary safety standards for its independent testing and certification. After a product receives a UL certification, representatives from Underwriters Laboratories conduct periodic follow-up visits with the manufacturer, ensuring continued compliance with Underwriters Laboratories safety standards.

All GKOLED commercial LED lighting products are UL Listed, which is the Underwriters Laboratories certification for end products or complete components. Most of our products are UL Listed for Wet Locations, which means they may be safely used in areas where they may come in direct contact with water. This is especially important for lights that are used outdoors or in wet environments, such as Area Lights or High Bays. Information on specific product UL certifications may be found on the product spec sheets.

Why is it important to use UL Listed lighting products?

 
Why is it important that our LED fixtures are UL Listed? Almost all commercial building codes require that installed light fixtures carry a NRTL safety certification. By obtaining the UL Listed certification for our commercial LED products we ensure that our fixtures are compliant, and that their safety certification is readily accepted.

Additionally, though a UL Listed certification is an indication of safety, not quality, being UL Listed makes a lighting product eligible for DLC Standard and DLC Premium qualification by the Design Lights Consortium, one of the major organizations that help define the standards for quality in LED lighting. A DLC Standard or DLC Premium qualification indicates that a LED lighting product meets or exceeds the standards of quality set by the Design Lights Consortium and is a requirement for most utility rebate programs. In addition to being UL Listed, most of our commercial LED lighting products are either DLC Standard or DLC Premium qualified, ensuring eligibility for utility rebates.

If you would like more information on our products, or a no-obligation, volume-based quote for your project, contact our Chicago-based sales team at 630-793-9449 or at info@gkoled.com.