UL Standards for Canada
Underwriters Laboratories Inc. Standards Department has been developing standards for over 100 years. In 2012, UL applied to the Standards Council of Canada for approval to develop Canadian National Standards, and in 2013 UL received its accreditation. UL develops consensus based Standards as required by the CAN-P-1. Standards Technical Panels (STPs) are the consensus bodies that are responsible for the development and maintenance of the UL Standards. Each STP has a designated STP Chair and Project Manager. All formal standards development activity, including voting, is conducted electronically to remove cost and travel barriers to participation while fostering an effective standards development environment. Meetings are scheduled on an as-needed basis but attendance is not required and phone-in participation is available.
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's scope of accreditation with ANSI, which is:
UL 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. UL 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's business units. UL's Standards program supports UL's broad mission through the development of consensus standards documents by Standards Technical Panels.
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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 Projects, Public Review, and Recently Published.
Resources
Procedures for UL National Standards for Canada » SCC-Accredited Procedures Governing UL's Standards Development Process for Canada.
SCC CAN-P-1 Program Requirements » SCC Program Requirements for the Accreditation of Standards Development Organizations and for the Approval of National Standards of Canada.
