Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL)

What is UL?

UL is a global independent safety science company with more than a century of expertise innovating safety solutions from the public adoption of electricity to new breakthroughs in sustainability, renewable energy and nanotechnology. Dedicated to promoting safe living and working environments, UL helps safeguard people, products and places in important ways, facilitating trade and providing peace of mind.
Basically, UL is a company that has developed standards on how products should operate safely. Manufacturers send their products to UL to be tested by UL to UL standards. If the product passes the tests, the manufacturer can place the UL mark on the product.

What about fire alarms and UL?

• Fire alarm service companies and monitoring centers apply to UL to become listed companies.
• UL investigates the company and ensures the company understands and can comply with applicable standards UL audits listed companies once per year to ensure the company is maintaining compliance.
• Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) will require a UL certificate on a system.
• The UL Certificate is the UL mark for fire alarm systems.
• The UL certificate on a fire alarm system ensures the AHJ that the system was designed, installed, tested and maintained properly.
• One of the main reasons an AHJ will require a UL certificate is to reduce false alarms.

Factory Mutual (FM)

FM basically provides the same service as UL. At one time, when a property was insured by Factory Mutual insurance, they required the fire alarm system to be FM approved.

UL Runner Response

·      Runner response is required on all UL Listed/FM Placard fire alarm systems.

·      Central Station is responsible for the dispatch of Runners in accordance with procedures based on NFPA 72 after normal business hours. During normal business hours, Customer Care/Service is responsible.

·      Runner Service is defined as a service performed at the protected premises, including resetting and silencing of all equipment transmitting fire alarm or supervisory signals to an off-premises location.

·      A UL Runner is a person (other than the required number of operators on duty at central, supervising, or runner stations) available for prompt dispatching, when necessary, to the protected premises.

·      A Runner shall not be required if there will not be a fire department or customer representative on-site.