What are the CSA and NRTL?
CSA (Canadian Standards Association also known as CSA International) was established in 1919 as
an independent testing laboratory in Canada. CSA received its recognition as an NRTL (Nationally
Recognized Testing Laboratory) in 1992 from OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) in
the United States of America (Docket No. NRTL-2-92). This was expanded and renewed in 1997, 1999,
and 2001. The specific notifications were posted on OSHA’s official website as follows:
Federal Register #: 59:40602 - 40609 [08/09/1994]
Federal Register #: 64:60240 - 60241 [11/04/1999]
Federal Register #: 66:35271 - 35278 [07/03/2001]
When these marks appear with the indicator “C and US” or “NRTL/C” it means that the product is
certified for both the US and Canadian markets, to the applicable US and Canadian standards. (1)
certified to CSA C22.2 No. 60950 and UL 60950.
No.107.3 and UL 1778.
As part of the reciprocal, US/Canada agreement regarding testing laboratories, the Standards Council
of Canada (Canada’s national accreditation body) granted Underwriters Laboratories (UL) authority to
certify products for sale in Canada. (2)
Only Underwriters Laboratories may grant a licence for the use of this mark, which indicates compliance
with both Canadian and US requirements. (3)
What are NRTLs and what do they do?
NRTLs are third party organizations recognized by OSHA, US Department of Labor, under the NRTL
program.
The testing and certifications are based on product safety standards developed by US based standards
developing organizations and are often issued by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). (4)
The NRTL determines that a product meets the requirements of an appropriate consensus-based
product safety standard either by successfully testing the product itself, or by verifying that a contract
laboratory has done so, and the NRTL certifies that the product meets the requirements of the product
safety standard. (4)
When was the NRTL started and who governs it?
In 1983, in a suit brought on by an independent testing laboratory, OSHA was court ordered to remove
specific references to UL (Underwriters Laboratories) and FMRC (Factory Mutual Research Corporation)
from its regulations.
In 1988, OSHA revised its regulations to remove those references and the NRTL program was
established.
The NRTL Program is both national and international in scope with foreign labs permitted.
References:
Information in this document has been developed from the official websites of the respective
organizations.
(1) www.csa-international.org
(2) www.scc.ca
(3) www.ulc.ca
(4) www.osha.gov
CSA/NRTL — MARKS — BACKGROUND
048-554-10 Rev D
The product on which either of these marks appear
has been certified by CSA as meeting applicable
Canada/US standards.
The product on which this mark
appears has been certified by UL
as meeting applicable Canada/US
standards.
rectifier and power system products, bearing the aforementioned CSA marks, are
UPS products, bearing the aforementioned CSA marks, are certified to CSA C22.2
