UL Standards & Engagement Standards for Canada

UL Standards & Engagement has been developing standards for over 100 years. In 2013, UL Standards & Engagement was accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) as a nationally recognized Standards Development Organization (SDO) to develop National Standards of Canada (NSCs). UL Standards & Engagement develops joint Canada-US standards using a streamlined process that involves a single consensus body administered by a single SDO accredited by the SCC in Canada and ANSI in the US.

ACCREDITED SDO IN CANADA AND THE US

A streamlined process involving a single consensus body administered by a single SDO:

• A new mechanism for joint standards for US-Canada without the delays associated with coordinating SDOs and eliminating duplication of efforts

• Streamlining resources to lower standards development costs, allowing one joint committee and reducing effort, resources and time

• Increased harmonization to reduce additional testing requirements and lower manufacturing costs, with less retooling and greater efficiencies for industry

• Innovation / Market Access allows new technology quicker access to market, reducing delays and stimulating innovation

• Continuously harmonized requirements means that standards updates are completed at a quicker pace, closing gaps in safety between the US and Canada.

FEATURED

SCOPE OF ACCREDITATION

The scope of the SCC accreditation is for the process of standards development and intended to deliver standards that will advance the national economy, support sustainable development, benefit the health, safety and welfare of workers and the public, assist and protect consumers, facilitate domestic and international trade and further international cooperation in relation to standardization.

This is very similar to UL Standards & Engagement's scope of accreditation with ANSI, which is:

UL Standards & Engagement is committed to promoting safe living and working environments through its support of the development and use of products and services that are physically and environmentally safe. Our standards documents benefit all users of products and services in many ways, including through the mitigation of safety hazards, protection of life and health, protection of property, and protection of the environment. New standards activities may be initiated at the request of stakeholders in all areas covered by UL Standards & Engagement's business units. Our Standards program supports our broad mission through the development of consensus standards documents by Technical Committees.

STANDARDS ACTIVITIES

As part of the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) requirements to provide reasonable access for all potential stake holders to participate in the process of standards development, the public must be notified at specific milestones in the development process. This includes:

a) At the inception of a new Standard, new edition, amendments, reaffirmation or withdrawal of an already published standard;

b) When the draft is available for public review; and

c) At the time of publication of the approved standard.

In order to fulfill these requirements there are 3 separate notifications: New Project Activity, Public Review, and Recently Published.