North America Product Safety (ETL) Certification

The ETL mark is an NRTL listing issued by Intertek against the same standards as UL. The product is tested to the UL standard, but the certification and the mark belong to Intertek. It is recognised as equivalent to a UL listing before OSHA; the difference comes from the service provider and, often, the time-cost balance.

• Manufacturers selling products into the US and Canada
• Firms looking for an alternative to UL listing
• Project suppliers needing local electrical-code compliance in North America

As with UL, there is no federal mandate; it becomes effectively mandatory through OSHA, the NEC and local inspections. Because ETL is an OSHA-recognised NRTL, it has the same level of acceptance as a UL listing.

• Determining the relevant UL/ANSI/CSA standard
• Type testing and critical-component verification
• Factory audit and periodic follow-up audits
• Licensing the ETL mark and marking rules
• Separately assessing cETL (Canada) scope

1. 1Application and Product DescriptionThe product family, model list, technical specifications and target market are determined. The applicable standard and certification route become clear at this step.
2. 2Technical File ReviewDesign documents, the bill of materials, critical-component certificates and the instructions for use are examined.
3. 3Product TestingThe tests the relevant standard requires are carried out. The test report is the fundamental basis for the certification decision.
4. 4Factory AuditIf the scheme requires it, the continuity of manufacturing and factory production control (FPC) are verified on site.
5. 5Issuing the Certificate and MarkingOnce conformity is verified, the certificate is issued; the marking rules for the product and packaging are applied.
6. 6Follow-up AuditsDepending on the scheme, periodic factory audits and/or follow-up testing on samples taken from the market are carried out.

The validity period varies by scheme: some product certificates are indefinite and rely on periodic factory audits, while some schemes (e.g. country market marks) require annual or per-shipment renewal. Every design change to the product requires the certificate to be reviewed.

• The list of product models and variants
• Technical drawings, diagrams and the bill of materials
• Certificates for critical components
• The instructions for use and a sample label
• Existing test reports, if any
• Production-site details

There is no fixed list price; the cost is calculated based on the following variables and provided in writing in the quote.

• The number of models and variants in the product family
• The test scope the applicable standard requires
• Whether a factory audit is required
• The number of target markets and whether each requires separate testing
• Whether existing test reports can be accepted

Product certification is carried out under ISO/IEC 17065; The tests that form the basis for certification are carried out in laboratories with ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation. The two scopes are separate. Recognition between accreditation bodies is provided through IAF and ILAC agreements.

The scope under which this scheme can be offered varies according to your product and activity; it is confirmed in writing at the quote stage.

• ULNorth America Product Safety
• CSACanada Product Safety
• FCCRadio/EMC
• Energy StarEnergy Efficiency
• WaterSenseWater Efficiency
• CEEU Product Conformity
• UKCAUnited Kingdom Conformity
• ENECElectrical Product Safety