This short article was sent to me from a subscriber who engaged me in an email conversation about the safety of light fixtures on the market today - both new and antique.

The UL stands for "Underwriters Laboratory". It used to be an Insurance Industry organization, but now it is independent and non-profit. It tests electrical components and equipment for potential hazards. When something is UL-listed, that means that the UL has tested the device, and it meets their requirements for safety - ie: fire or shock hazard. It doesn't necessarily mean that the device actually does what it's supposed to, just that it probably won't kill you.

The UL does not have power of law in the U.S. -- you [in USA] are permitted to buy and install non-UL-listed devices. However, [USA] insurance policies sometimes have clauses in them that will limit their liability in case of a claim made in response to the failure of a non-UL-listed device. Furthermore, in many situations the NEC will require that a wiring component used for a specific purpose is UL-listed for that purpose. Indirectly, this means that certain parts of your wiring must be UL-listed before an inspector will approve it and/or occupancy permits issued.
Subject: What is CSA approval?

Every electrical device or component must be certified by the Canadian Standards Association before it can be sold in Canada. Implicit in this is that all wiring must be done with CSA-approved materials. They perform testing similar to the UL (a bit more stringent), except that CSA approval is required by law.

Again, like the UL, if a fire was caused by non-CSA-approved equipment, your insurance company may not have to pay the claim.In Canada, there is a branch organization of the UL, called ULC (UL of Canada). ULC does not have power of law, and seems to be more a liaison group between the CSA and insurance companies.

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