Certification Labels & Understanding Warning Label Standards
We produce our one-of-a-kind labels for OEM, electrical, automotive, outdoor power, point-of-purchase, and biomedical applications. Depending on what industry we’re fitting, a number of certification marks will appear on our labels.
Importance of Product Safety Warning Labels
The four most frequent markings that appear on our labels are C-UL (Underwriters Laboratories of Canada), CSA (Canadian Standards Association), CE (Conformité Européenne), ETL (Intertek and ETL Semko), and UL (Underwriters Laboratories). Although these letters seem like gibberish printed on a label, we cannot stress enough how important these standards are to ensure the quality and safety of products.
Defining Regulated Labels & Warning Label Standards
Below, we’ve laid out each mark’s meaning and what it guarantees.
C-UL (Underwriters Laboratories of Canada)
Gas appliances, lighting, medical devices, and fire alarms are a few examples of products tested by the C-UL for safety. The overall goal of the evaluation is to prevent accidents and ensure public health, public safety, and environmental protections.
CSA (Canadian Standards Association)
The Canadian Standards Association tests electrical, construction, communications, gas, mechanical, and plumbing products. Although the group is based in Canada, it sets the standard for alternative energy and gas products across North America, Europe, and Asia, serving as a universally recognized safety certification.
CE (Conformité Européenne)
Products purchased in the European Economic Area (consisting of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and 27 European Union states) are required to get CE certified before launching on the market. The European Commission assesses medical devices, machinery, lifts, and other equipment and will mark it CE certified if they adhere to European Union health, safety, and environmental requirements.
ETL (Intertek)
Originally named for Electrical Testing Labs in 1896, the North American safety mark more than 100 years later still validates electrical, gas, and other safety standards. Chemicals, textiles, IT products, medical appliances, and household objects that bear the ETL marking have been rigorously tested.
UL (Underwriters Laboratories)
The UL certifies product safety for knowledge services, verification services, environment, product safety, and life and health businesses. Since 1894, this mark has served as a platform to earn marks in more than 46 countries, and it is one of the few companies approved by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The company evaluates products in a number of industries from electrical and fire safety to water quality, food safety, and environmental sustainability.