UL achieves technical assessment body designation for fire safety products

UL’s latest designation as a technical assessment body allows the organisation to help manufacturers of new and innovative fire safety products in achieving CE marking. Its product scope includes – among other areas – firefighting equipment, fire and smoke control, fire stopping, fire sealing and fire protection and retardant products.

This new designation means that customers with relevant products can now achieve global market acceptance and compliance, in turn opening up new markets for themselves across the world. 

The designation is in addition to UL’s existing roles as a notified body for CE marking, its approved body status for UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) marking and all of its existing third party certification services for the internationally recognised UL Mark.

Complex process

Since Britain’s exit from the EU, conformity assessment and required conformity markings have become considerably more complex for many product manufacturers operating in the construction and fire safety sectors.

The UKCA mark is being introduced for products intended for the market in England, Scotland and Wales and will replace the European CE marking regime first introduced in 1985. UKCA marking will likely be mandatory for certain regulated products from 1 January 2023, following on from the UK Government’s recent agreement to extend the deadline for 12 months.

However, for manufacturers looking to place products in both British and European markets, assessments must be completed by both an EU-notified or technical assessment body for the CE marking and a UK-approved body for the UKCA marking. UL can now provide all options through a combined safety testing and certification assessment process, thereby saving time and cost.

Comprehensive service provider

“UL is now a comprehensive service provider for conformity marking needs through our third party testing, assessment and certification activities on a wide range of fire safety products in the UK and Europe,” explained Chris Miles, EMEA regional business director for UL’s Built Environment Group.

“This will deliver significant efficiencies and economies of scale for our customers, as well as vital safety reassurances for their customers. We would urge manufacturers looking to place fire safety products on the British market to start their UKCA marking applications very soon. Don’t wait until just before the revised deadline of 1 January 2023. For products that already enjoy full market acceptance in the UK and Europe, we can help guide customers about additional market opportunities provided by the UL Mark in all other parts of the world.”

*Further information on UL’s approval as an EU technical assessment body is available here. As stated, the approval specifically covers fixed firefighting equipment (fire alarms/detection systems, fixed firefighting, fire and smoke control and explosion suppression products), fire stopping, fire sealing and fire protective products in addition to fire retardant products