Illuminating Standards
The lighting marks and regulations one should pay attention to.
You might recognize symbols such as CE and UL on bulbs and lighting. What do these mean and should you buy these fixtures? And are there other regulations one should be aware of?
The electrician told me some of the bathroom lights I had picked out couldn’t be used, although he couldn’t explain why. I guessed it was because bathrooms are wet and only certain fixtures are allowed.
You’ve probably seen marks like UL, CE, etc., on light fixtures. The marks are from companies that test and certify lighting and other products for safety (see Repository). The lighting category includes components such as switches, bulbs, diffusers, etc., and the certifications ensure that lights or parts won’t malfunction, explode, or catch fire. Certifications are not legally required, but many companies do get them, as retailers don’t want to risk selling problematic products.
Where can you find the certifications?
Marks can be found in a few places:
Product: Directly stamped or printed on the product
Label: Included with the product's specifications, ratings, and other safety certifications.
Packaging: On the box or pack, so you can see the mark before you buy the product.
Instruction manual or documentation: In some cases, the documentation may have certification and safety compliance details.
Product descriptions, either online or in the catalog: The descriptions may provide information or show the mark.
UL Certification
Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is a certification company headquartered in the United States. They have labs all over the world and provide certification for more than a 100 countries. UL looks at factors such as electrical safety, fire resistance, and other performance criteria. In the UK and EU, there are additional standards. BS EN 60598 is the British standard. A product suitable for Europe needs to meet EN 60598.
Tips: Many city and state codes strictly enforce the use of UL-listed products. Check the local building codes in your area before installing any non-UL products or any product that is not certified by a safety organization. LED strip lights and other low-voltage products should also follow UL rules. Some insurance policies require lighting to be UL or ETL listed before covering damages
Sub-categories
UL is broken down into dry, damp, and wet-rated fixtures. European and Australian products follow IP ratings, also known as waterproof ratings (IP44-indoors, IP65- water-resistant, and IP67- brief submersion etc).
UL Dry-rated
Often just referred to as UL-listed; it means the fixture can be used in an indoor dry location. Locations can include bedrooms, dining rooms, hallways, offices, etc. Temporary dampness is okay, provided that there is adequate ventilation that prevents moisture accumulation.
UL Damp-rated
These fixtures can safely handle limited amounts of moisture on, in, and around their electrical components. They can be used in kitchens and bathrooms where fixtures can be exposed to moisture in the form of steam and condensation, even if water doesn’t splash directly on the fixture.
A damp location is an exterior or interior location that is periodically subject to condensation of moisture. Indoor locations include kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, indoor pool areas, utility rooms, and bathtubs and showers without risk of direct water contact. Outdoor damp locations include covered patios and covered porches that are fully protected from water, even during storms.
UL Wet-rated
A wet-rated fixture should be used in interior or exterior locations in which water or other liquids may drip, splash, or flow on or against the electrical components of a fixture. Indoor wet locations include shower enclosures. Outdoor wet locations include open-air decks and patios, uncovered porches, outdoor dining areas, exterior walls, gazebos, pergolas, and walkways. Wet-rated fixtures can be hosed off to keep them clean.
There are three sub-markings for wet-rated fixtures:
Covered Ceiling Mount Only—aapproved for water contact on the front side and not the backside.
Mounting within 1.2 m (4 feet) of ground is fine for intermittent splashing and exposure, such as that from a lawn sprinkler, but not safe below ground where it may be immersed.
Ground-Mounted Recessed—approved for use below ground level and can safely be immersed periodically
ETL Certification
ETL, short for Electrical Testing Laboratories, is the testing and certification division of Intertek Testing Laboratories, which is based in the UK. ETL tests parts and components of a wide range of products. However, ETL does not create its own standards but only meet the standards created by UL.
Tip: Both UL and ETL listings ensure that products have met safety standards. ETL, however, has a much quicker certification process.
CSA Certification
The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) is a Canadian organization that provides testing and certification for the Canadian market.
CE Marking
The CE mark (Conformance European) is a conformity mark, which means that the lighting fixtures and other products have been assessed for safety and conformity with EU directives.
Tip: Careful! The CE mark is not to be confused with Chinese export which is a similar mark stamped on Chinese products to indicate that a product was manufactured in China. The certification mark is proportionately spaced vs. the export mark.
DLC
DLC, or Design Lights Consortium, is a program that promotes the quality, performance, and energy efficiency of commercial lighting solutions. DLC is not a safety regulation and has no association with Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories (NRTL).
Lighting ordinances
Safety standards like UL ensure that products provide security for consumers. On the other hand, in a world increasingly aware of environmental impact, municipalities are enacting lighting ordinances for preserving natural habitats, reducing light pollution, and safeguarding nocturnal ecosystems.
Enlightened governance
California has long promoted energy-efficient practices. Title 20 (every light bulb sold in the state of California must pass several tests for efficacy and life rate) and Title 24 (an automatic device to reduce or turn off the lighting when a space is vacant) are regulations passed to reduce energy consumption and environmental impact.
Read about Title 20 & 24
When Title 24 is not required?
The UK has Part L and Part P of the building regulations, which relate energy efficiency and conservation.
Light the way
Approximately 90% of all sea turtle nesting in the United States occurs on Florida beaches. Each year, thousands of sea turtles die due to artificial lighting. Baby turtles rely on the natural brightness of the moon's glow reflecting off the water's surface to orient themselves towards the ocean. Artificial lights can overpower the glow of the moon, disorienting hatchlings and leading them inland away from the ocean.
Turtles help maintain coral reefs and control jellyfish populations, so when sea turtles die, it also impacts the marine ecosystem. Florida has implemented ‘Turtle Safe’ products designed to minimize the impact of artificial lights on turtles and nocturnal wildlife.
Dimmer by the day
The disruptive effects of blue light on our melatonin levels and sleep are well known, but blue light also negatively impacts wildlife and inhibits our ability to see the sky. Our views of the sky decrease by an astonishing 10% every year.1
From Scientific American: If there are 250 visible stars in the sky when someone is born, by the time they're 18 they'll see only 100, and over that same period the sky will have increased in brightness by more than a factor of four.
The British Astronomical Association’s Commission for Dark Skies suggests that 90% of the UK population has no access to the starscape above, due to light pollution,2 or ‘skyglow’ and only only 22% of England had pristine night skies, considered to be completely free of light pollution3.
In the UK, areas such as the Brecon Beacons, Yorkshire Dales and Exmoor National Parks are designated as Dark Sky Reserves. Some areas have specific regulations or guidelines to minimize light pollution.
The State of Colorado, was one of the first US states to mandate the use of ‘Dark Sky’ fixtures to minimize light pollution and maintain clear night skies. In the US, at least 19 states now have laws in place to reduce light pollution.
Bright lights are deadly nights
On a single October night in 1888, several hundred birds met their deaths by flying into the Statue of Liberty's “circle of light,” which confused them and sent some slamming into the statue itself. The article's grisly headline read, “Slaughter of Birds by the Statue of Liberty.” After this gruesome incident, they changed the design of the statue, but they didn’t do anything about the other lighting for 150 years. In the last few years, several states like New York, Connecticut, etc., have passed new ordinances that would lessen nighttime illumination to protect migratory birds.
Artificial light attracts nocturnally migrating birds, though the exact reasons remain unknown. Light pollution amplifies this attraction, leading to more birds in urban areas. Coupled with other environmental threats like water and air pollution and noise, these stressors disrupt birds' behaviors and physiology during their already arduous migration.
80% of North American birds migrate each spring and fall, and of those, 70% travel at night and are exposed to light pollution in cities and towns. The situation has only gotten worse due to increases in nighttime lighting over the last fifty years.
Due to new laws, in New York City, buildings must have unnecessary outside lights between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. from August 15 to November 1 and from April 1 to May 31—the busiest times for fall and spring migration in the Northeast. City-owned facilities must also have occupancy sensors to make sure inside lights are only on when people are in a room. This isn’t just good for the environment. By reducing nighttime light usage, the State of Connecticut expects to save $1.3 million a year and an estimated reduction of 4.4 million pounds of CO2.4
It’s not just birds and turtles. When they encounter artificial lights, insects like moths may become disoriented and spend excessive amounts of energy flying around the light source. This can lead to exhaustion and ultimately death or make them vulnerable to predators or environmental stressors. The disruption caused by artificial lights can lead to less pollination and disrupt food chains.
If you are buying new fixtures, always buy rated lights and turn off your outdoor lights at night. Switch to warm-hued lights (which animals and insects aren’t attracted to) and use fixtures that point down. These are all small and important steps that we can take.
Hope you liked this post. Please comment if you do, and thank you for reading.
Queen’s Repository
Resources
Different UL Marks
Guidelines for turtle safe lighting
Darksky.org
Books
The Ecological Consequences of Artificial Night Lighting by by Catherine Rich and Trevor Longacre
The End of Night: Searching for Natural Darkness in an Age of Artificial Light by Paul Bogard
Dark sky fixtures
Destination Lighting: Dark sky fixtures (US)
Lamps Plus: Dark sky lights (US)
Dark sky lighting (UK)
Product Certification
In the US, UL, CSA and other companies fall under the umbrella of Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories (NRTL). An NRTL is an independent third-party organization recognized by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) to provide evaluation, testing and certification of products.
While these organizations certifies lighting products and fixtures, they also certify many other products, including but not limited to:
Electrical and electronic devices and components (e.g., appliances, power supplies, circuit breakers)
Building materials and construction products (e.g., cables, wiring, insulation)
Personal protective equipment (e.g., safety gloves, helmets, eyewear)
Chemicals and hazardous substances (e.g., fire extinguishers, fire-resistant materials)
Healthcare and medical devices (e.g., medical equipment, surgical instruments)
Environmental and sustainability products (e.g., energy-efficient appliances, water treatment systems)
Connecticut Passes “Lights Out” Law
This is all so USEFUL! And it’s brilliant that you explain WHY this is important! Growing up in the US Virgin Islands, my island of St Croix had a beach where leather back turtles nested (I imagine they still do), and when the turtles hatched volunteers would patrol the beaches to help protect them. Small groups of the public could join, and one of our jobs was to redirect the turtle hatchlings towards the ocean, bc they would start walking towards the lights of the town instead. It’s such a strong memory- and absolute motivation for me to be responsible in my lighting choices.
I feel like you just decoded all these esoteric codes with this piece. Bravo!
Also the sea turtles getting dying because of the artificial light is so sad.