Data Acceptance Program Update Enables Remote Audits and Witnessed Testing

As a provider of essential services, UL remains open for business. We’ve put into place modified working arrangements under guidance from public health officials to help keep our employees, customers and communities safe as we continue to deliver critical services. While proactively evaluating our processes to meet the evolving needs of our customers, we identified an opportunity to use remote technology to support the UL Data Acceptance Program (DAP).

The Data Acceptance Program (DAP) and Customer's Testing Facilities (CTF) program provide means to accept externally generated test data in support of many of our certifications, including the UL Mark.

While we maintain a global network of test facilities, customers can also use their own or third-party facilities for product testing via this program. To be eligible for DAP/CTF, we require participating test facilities to have the appropriate physical resources, equipment, and qualified personnel to conduct testing, equivalent to what would be used in our laboratories for the same testing to ensure data consistency and quality.

We have temporarily amended some of these requirements to allow the use of remote technology.

Each of the below temporary changes is intended to allow greater flexibility for our customers while helping to maintain the health and safety of everyone involved. These changes are effective immediately and in place until further notice.

New and current witnessed test data program (WTDP) participants

Remote Witnessed Testing (RWT) at a laboratory for which we have not previously witnessed the specific test (Not for use with IECEE CB Scheme CTF participants)

• Current policy: RWT can only be used if UL has previously witnessed on-site, the successful completion of testing to the specific requirements or if the new method can be accepted through technical rationale.
• Temporary change: RWT can be used to witness tests not previously performed in UL’s presence.

RWT at a laboratory for which UL has never performed witnessed testing (Not for use at IECEE CB Scheme CTF participants)

• Current policy: RWT can only be used if UL has witnessed on-site, the successful completion of testing to the specific requirements.
• Temporary change: RWT can be used to witness tests at a location not previously visited by UL.

For current DAP participants

RWT used for scope expansion requiring technical assessment for new testing type at existing DAP participant laboratory (Not for use at IECEE CB Scheme CTF participants)

• Current policy: Scope expansions for new standards unrelated to a laboratory’s current scope, which cannot be accepted through technical rationale, require an on-site technical assessment.
• Temporary change: Allows this technical assessment to be conducted via RWT.

Annual DAP Assessment (Management System) performed by off-site desk audit (current participants only and not for use at IECEE CB Scheme CTF participants)

• Current policy: The DAP Assessment (management system) is required to take place on-site at the laboratory.
• Temporary change: The Assessment will be an off-site remote audit. Video technology can support the remote audit process.

Annual DAP Technical Audit performed by RWT using video technology (current participants only and not for use at IECEE CB Scheme CTF participants)

• Current policy: Annual technical audits must be conducted on-site at the DAP participant laboratory.
• Temporary change: Allows RWT to be used to perform the technical audit remotely.

Active CTF Labs

IECEE CB Scheme allows usage of video technology to witness tests at CTFs.

• Current policy: Prior to conducting Live Stream Video Testing, an on-site assessment of the Live Stream Video technology is required.
• Temporary Change:
  • UL can witness testing for active CTF Stage 2, 3 and 4 participants within the testing scope of the CTF by Live Stream Video (LSV).
  • CTF can request UL to witness testing by Live Stream Video (LSV) for IEC standards currently within the scope of the CTF.
  • UL will review LSV Procedures, audit LSV capability of CTF in order to accept witness testing by LSV. This LSV deviation process is valid until 2020-09-23.

IECEE CB Scheme allows usage of video technology to assess active CTFs remotely by using Live Stream Video.

• Current policy: All assessments shall be conducted on-site.
• Temporary Change:
  • UL staff can audit active CTF Stage 2, 3 and 4 participants using Live Stream Video (LSV).
  • UL will schedule audit and it will count as annual assessment for active participants. This deviation process is valid until 2020-12-31.

For more information, contact us or visit our Data Acceptance Program (DAP) page.

Register for our on-demand webinar and gain an in-depth understanding of the temporary amendments to the DAP, CTF and Witnessed Test Data programs.