Underwriters Laboratories - UL

If you thought your mom was extreme in the “safety first” realm, you haven’t met the Underwriters Laboratories (UL). You know...the org giving out safety certifications to those deemed worthy. Like being knighted, but for safety instead of...wait, why do people get knighted again?

UL is approved by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the federal safety agency in the U.S., to perform legit safety tests, among others. They might just be the reason your kids’ PJs aren’t flammable, and why your blender shut down instead of catching fire that one time (or many times).

What kind of tests, you ask? From UL, you could get certificates for buildings’ safety (are your fire alarms working correctly?). UL also tests safety for products, like all kinds of electronics, industrial equipment, and building parts (think: lights, switches, deck construction, wires, etc.). They also do sustainability testing on things like phones and light bulbs.

Probably every electronic good you use in the U.S. has gone through testing of UL or a similar safety organization approved by OSHA.