Your lab employee comes to you in pain and tells you he burned his hand. Something happened when he plugged in a piece of lab equipment into the workbench where he was stationed and the electrical plug exploded. Clearly, he has a bad burn, so you send him to the doctor to have it looked at, as per your safety plan.
You report the injury to your worker’s compensation carrier, and while you are concerned about your employee’s injury, you are relieved that at least you are covered by insurance.
You work out what you will have the employee do as part of your return to work program, while his hand is healing. Everything is going according to that well thought out safety plan you created with your Worker’s Compensation Carrier.
Or so you thought…
You find out that your employee has hired an attorney because the injury now looks like it is going to be a permanent long-term disability.
The attorney wants big bucks for his client and is now suing your company. You are confused because you did everything you were supposed to do as an employer.
Or did you?
Did you ensure that the lab workbench where the employee was working had a high safety rating? If not, your employee’s injury is now a huge problem!
If you bought an import product because it was less expensive, you incorrectly assumed that it would save money. In reality, it could now cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars in attorney’s fees to fight the lawsuit and increased worker’s compensation premiums for the claim payout, not to mention the OSHA fines!
And, if you don’t have hundreds of thousands of dollars lying around, it could cost you more. It could cost you your business!
Don’t worry, though. The above scenario is just a dream … or rather a nightmare. The good news is that you can prevent this from happening by investing in a UL Listed Lab Workbench for your workspace.
What Is UL?
Underwriters Laboratory (UL) has been testing products in the United States for over 120 years, they are the preferred
NRTL for most manufacturers. And, let’s be honest, it isn’t easy or cheap for companies to get UL approval.
During the design of a lab workbench, the best manufacturers will ensure that all electrical components are UL tested. This means that the electrical components have undergone rigorous testing by UL to ensure they meet safety standards and regulations.
Products that bear the UL mark have been evaluated for factors like potential fire hazards, electric shock risks and other safety concerns. So, when electrical components on a lab workbench are UL tested, it provides assurance to users that the equipment is safe to use and meets industry standards for electrical safety.
What’s Your Risk By Not Buying Domestically?
Buying a product from a manufacturer outside the United States does not mean that the product is unsafe. However, it does indicate that the product may be held to different safety standards dictated by the manufacturer’s home country or region.
Without a deep understanding of the various safety standards across multiple countries, it can be challenging to understand the level of safety assurance provided by the electrical components of your workbench.
Manufacturers outside the United States may not have their workbenches UL tested for several reasons:
- Different Regulatory Standards: Countries outside the United States may have their own regulatory bodies and safety standards that products must adhere to. These standards may differ from those required by UL. As a result, manufacturers may prioritize compliance with local regulations rather than seeking UL certification.
- Cost Considerations: Obtaining UL certification can be expensive, particularly for smaller manufacturers or those operating on tighter budgets. The cost of testing, certification and ongoing compliance efforts may outweigh the perceived benefits for manufacturers targeting markets outside the United States.
- Market Focus: If a manufacturer primarily targets domestic or regional markets where UL certification is not a requirement or a strong selling point, they may opt not to pursue it. They may instead focus on meeting the regulatory requirements of their target markets.
- Alternative Certification: Some manufacturers may opt for certification from other recognized testing and certification bodies that are more relevant or widely accepted in their target markets. For example, in Europe, CE marking is often used as a certification mark indicating conformity with health, safety and environmental protection standards.
- Product Differentiation: In some cases, manufacturers may choose not to pursue UL certification as a deliberate decision to differentiate their products. They may prioritize other features or aspects of their workbenches and rely on alternative selling points to attract customers.
Overall, the decision not to have workbenches UL tested by manufacturers outside the United States can stem from a combination of factors related to regulatory differences, cost considerations, market focus and alternative certification options. The question is: Can you afford to invest in non-UL Listed products?
How Does A Product Get UL Listed?
Depending on the product, the process to get UL Listed may look different. At Workstation Industries, all of the electrical components in our workbenches are UL Listed. That means:
- UL tests all electrical components for safety.
- We make sure we use all UL electrical parts in industrial workbenches and lab benches.
- UL visits our plant routinely to make sure we use only UL certified components.
- UL tests our workbenches to withstand a certain weight load to ensure they can maintain structural integrity.
- UL also tests our work surfaces to make sure they are fire rates per local codes.
When a company doesn’t pass any of the tests relevant to their manufacturing processes or products, they must make corrections and submit a request for testing again for as many times as it takes to get approval. Most companies will spend thousands of dollars for each UL approval. But, in the end, it means protection for them and for you.
Next time you look to buy a lab workbench, don’t simply focus on the few dollars it will save you now. Make sure that the manufacturer you buy from took the time and spent the money to get it UL Listed so you don’t find yourself in the situation we just told you about above. It could save your business!
