We sometimes hear the claim that a product is “OSHA certified” or “OSHA approved.” These are always false claims, as OSHA does not certify or approve any products. OSHA has set up an approval process, using third party testing facilities, called Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories (NRTL). Probably the most common NRTL are UL (Underwriters Laboratories) and CSA (Canadian Standards Association).
When purchasing certain products, especially electrical, look for the approval stamp from one of the NRTL. Here is a list of NRTLs,. From there you can see a list of all of the product standards for which that lab tests.
Look for the stamp on products and make sure it looks correct. Counterfeit stamps and markings do exist. OSHA explains this all further in a recent Safety and Health Information Bulletin.
For more information on this or other safety and health issues, please contact us.