Sometimes it seems like there’s a million of these, and figuring out the differences can be difficult. Below is an explanation of some of the most common ones:
- UL (Underwriters Laboratories) mark – This is one of the most common certifications. UL provides safety-related certification, validation, testing, inspection, auditing, advising and training services to a wide range of clients, including manufacturers, retailers, policymakers, regulators, service companies, and consumers. UL is one of several companies approved to perform safety testing by the US federal agency Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). UL also issues “Recognized Component Marks,” which are placed on products intended to be part of a UL listed product, but which cannot bear the full UL logo themselves. http://ul.com/
- ETL (Edison Testing Laboratories) mark – This mark is proof of product compliance to North American safety standards. Retailers in the United States and Canada accept the ETL mark as proof of product safety. It also indicates that the manufacturing site has been audited, and that the applicant has agreed to periodic factory follow-up inspections. http://www.intertek.com/marks/etl/
- Energy Star – Energy Star is an international standard for energy efficient consumer products; it originated in the United States. Devices with the Energy Star mark generally use 20-30% less energy than required by federal standards. The Energy Star program has helped spread the use of LED traffic lights, power management systems for office equipment, and low standby energy use. https://www.energystar.gov/
- RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) compliance – RoHS, also known as Lead-Free, originated in the European Union and restricts the use of six hazardous materials found in electrical and electronic products. Any RoHS compliant component is tested for the presence of Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Hexavalent chromium, Polybrominated biphenyls, and Polybrominated diphenyl ethers. http://www.rohsguide.com/
- CE (European Commission) mark – This mark is a sort of passport that allows manufacturers to circulate industrial products within the European Union. All manufacturers must have the CE mark on producs covered by the “New Approach” directives to market their products in Europe. Most products can be self-certified by the manufacturer. The best way to meet the requirements of the CE mark directives is to use the EU harmonized standards, which offer specific guidelines and tests to meet safety requirements. http://ec.europa.eu/growth/single-market/ce-marking/index_en.htm
- DLC (DesignLighs Consortium) mark – The qualified products list is a resource for program administrators to help them decide which solid state lighting products to include in energy efficiency promotions. Their primary reference tool is Energy Star, though the regional list fills in gaps in categories which Energy Star doesn’t include. https://www.designlights.org/
- IP (Ingress Protection) ratings – The IP rating is a two-digit number established by the International Electro Technical Commission, and is used to provide an Ingress Protection rating to a piece of electronic equipment or to an enclosure for electronic equipment. The code consists of the letters IP followed by two numbers. The two digits represent different forms of environmental influence: The first digit represents protection against solid objects (from hands and large tools to dust particles) and the second digit represents protection against liquids (from condensation to complete and prolonged immersion). The larger the value of each digit, the greater the protection. http://www.dsmt.com/resources/ip-rating-chart
Written by Natalya Bakay