September 3, 2026
Key Points
- UL Solutions field engineers conduct ongoing onsite inspections to verify that manufacturers are demonstrating continued compliance with UL Standards and program requirements.
- Through impartial evaluations of products, components and systems, UL Solutions helps companies demonstrate regulatory compliance, reduce risk and protect their brand reputation.
- Products that continue to meet certification requirements can display the UL Mark, a symbol of trust recognized by consumers, businesses and regulators worldwide.
For Adam Kody, a senior field engineer at UL Solutions, every workday presents new opportunities to help keep people safe.
“The most satisfying part of my job is that I know I’m making a difference,” Kody said. “My customers rely on me to help them demonstrate product compliance, which is so important for protecting employees, property and the end users.”
As a member of the Field Engineering Services team, Kody delivers ongoing onsite inspections. A key part of his job is to evaluate whether a manufacturer’s UL Certified product continues to comply with the original certification requirements. Kody’s work includes inspections at select authorized locations where UL Certified products are manufactured and the UL Mark is applied.
“Some of the manufacturers I visit have been working with UL Solutions since the 1960s,” said Kody, whose territory is the Midwest region of the U.S. “We have a wide range of customers, from family businesses to huge manufacturers. The common thread is that they all prioritize safety, and they’re all proud of what they do.”
Like hundreds of other UL Solutions field engineers around the world, Kody performs impartial evaluations to check that products, components, systems and equipment comply with UL Standards so they can maintain their certification status. Products that have achieved compliance with UL Solutions requirements can display the UL Mark, a globally recognized symbol of trust.
Kody, who holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, began an internship at UL Solutions in 2020 and accepted a full-time position the following year.
During site visits, Kody often meets with engineers, technicians, quality control experts and sometimes business owners. He plays a crucial role in helping companies reduce risks and protect their brand reputation.
“When I started college, I didn’t realize this line of work existed,” he said. “I was aware of the UL Mark, of course, and I knew it had to do with safety, but I wasn’t aware that the company had engineers making trips to conduct inspections at the places where all these products are manufactured.”
By routinely visiting an array of manufacturers, Kody has developed expertise in a wide range of products, including fire extinguishers, refrigerators, garbage disposals, forklift batteries, computer servers, electrocardiographs and many other medical devices.
“Customers rely on field engineers to be objective and precise,” Kody said. “People’s safety depends on it. If I help a customer determine that a product is still being made in a compliant manner, it adds a layer of safety that can impact the entire supply chain, from the factory floor to the distributor to the end user.”
On a recent trip to a control panel manufacturer in Illinois, Kody conducted inspections for nine different products.
As Kody walked the factory floor and greeted staff members, they opened products so that he could peer inside. (To protect the integrity of the inspection, he is not allowed to disassemble or reassemble the products.) Wearing safety glasses and using a flashlight, Kody meticulously inspected the components inside a control panel.
“We’re checking that products are constructed in accordance with what’s described in the UL Solutions Follow-Up Services Procedure,” he later explained. “We check completed products, as well as products on the assembly line. We’re making assessments at the component level: How are these components being used together? Are they appropriate for an industrial environment? Do they meet the component manufacturers’ requirements for those parts? Are they the exact same components that were used during the original certification?”
A document listing all the inspection requirements is Kody’s roadmap. He evaluates how the products are constructed, whether they contain the correct components, and whether those components were installed properly.
To maintain certification and be able to continue to use the UL Mark on a product, all the components must perfectly match what is on file. Precision is key. On one of the products that Kody inspected, he checked for a tiny hole that was barely visible to the naked eye. He also checked the paint used on the product. Some products require corrosion-resistant paint or coatings to prevent deterioration of electrical enclosures.
During this particular visit, Kody found everything he inspected to be in compliance. He or another member of the Field Engineering Services team will return to the site multiple times a year for additional evaluations.
As Kody finished the site visit, his automated scheduling system had already selected his next assignment and location. After verifying the details, he got back on the road, eager to help UL Solutions pursue its mission of working for a safer world.
More information about UL Solutions’ ongoing onsite certification services is available on the Follow-Up Services page at UL.com.
Top photo caption: UL Solutions field engineers visit manufacturing sites to evaluate whether a product, such as a forklift battery or a battery charger, continues to comply with the original certification requirements.