Underwriters Laboratories (UL)

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is a global safety-science organization and the largest, oldest independent testing laboratory in the United States. UL evaluates products, systems, and materials for safety and compliance, issuing marks and certifications used by manufacturers and regulators worldwide.

Key facts

• Founded in the late 19th century; evolved from an electrical testing bureau to a broad safety science organization.
• Employs over 14,000 people across roughly 40 countries.
• UL Marks appear on billions of products annually; UL serves customers in more than 140 countries.
• Operates as a not-for-profit organization; in 2012 it created a for-profit subsidiary, UL LLC.

What UL does

UL tests and certifies a wide range of products and technologies, including:
* Consumer electronics and appliances
Alarms and security systems
Medical devices and life-safety equipment
* Industrial machinery, robotics, and lasers

Services are organized across strategic areas such as product safety, environment, life and health, verification services, and education/university programs. UL also develops consensus safety standards and offers ongoing follow-up and maintenance services for certified products.

Funding and organization

UL is funded primarily through fees charged to manufacturers for testing, certification, and ongoing maintenance services, as well as through document licensing and grants. Operating as a not-for-profit, surplus revenue is reinvested into UL’s work rather than distributed as profit.

History (overview)

• Origins: Began when electrical testing work at a major Chicago exposition inspired the creation of a dedicated electrical testing bureau.
• Early years: Funded initially by insurance underwriters, the bureau evolved into the Electrical Bureau of the National Board of Fire Underwriters and hired its first employees in the 1890s.
• Establishment of UL: The organization formally became Underwriters Laboratories, established its Illinois headquarters, and expanded its mission to promote safety in workplaces and homes.
• Standard setting: In the early 1900s UL began publishing safety standards, initially covering items such as fire doors, and continued expanding standards and testing capabilities over the 20th and 21st centuries.
• Modern era: UL expanded globally, broadened its services to include environmental and health-related testing, and established a for-profit subsidiary (UL LLC) in 2012 to support certain operations.

Impact and reach

UL’s marks and certifications help manufacturers demonstrate compliance with safety standards, assist regulators and buyers in assessing product safety, and provide consumers with information about product reliability. Through standards development, testing, and consumer outreach, UL contributes to reducing product-related hazards and promoting safer design and manufacturing practices worldwide.

Sources

Primary information from UL’s organizational materials (about, history, marks and labels, industries, sustainability report) and public regulatory notices regarding organizational structure.