Underwriters Laboratories Inc.

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Operation Decoration 2005 Update

NORTHBROOK, Ill., - December 22, 2005 - Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) is notifying consumers to look for the UL Listing Mark on seasonal decorative outfits. Decorative outfits are factory-assembled products such as wreaths, stars, treetop units, and motorized or illuminated figures. Evaluation of the overall product to UL's requirements for decorative outfits is indicated by the words "Decorative Outfit" and "Listed" on the UL Holographic Marking Label. UL Listed seasonal decorations may also bear the familiar UL Mark on the packaging.

Some seasonal decorative products use UL Listed adapters or other UL Listed parts. While this contributes to the overall safety of the product, use of these parts alone does not mean the overall product complies with UL's requirements for decorative outfits. Seasonal decorative products that do not bear the UL Holographic Mark including the words 'Decorative Outfit" and "Listed" have not been evaluated by UL to the applicable requirements for the overall product. Statements such as "UL adapter included" on the packaging of seasonal decorative products are a sign that the overall product may not comply with UL's requirements for decorative outfits.

An example is the recent US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recall of a spinning Christmas tree topper. This product uses a UL Listed adapter, but is not a UL Listed Decorative Outfit. Neither the overall tree topper, nor the combination of the tree topper and adapter, was evaluated by UL to UL's requirements for decorative outfits.

For additional tips on holiday safety refer to our publication Operation Decoration 2005.

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