Many electrical contractors are looking for ways to better prepare for tough times. Instead of relying on the same jobs and areas, some are becoming UL Listed Control Panel and Electric Sign shops.

Cary, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/10/2010 -- Electrical Contractors involved in commercial projects regularly buy and / or install control panels from control panel builders. However, the process for becoming a UL Listed Control Panel or Electric Sign shop is very practical and cost effective for many of these companies. Recently, many contractors have made the decision to diversify with these programs that are a logical step and a natural addition to their business. It can also lead to greater profits and create opportunity for more work.

The MET Listed Industrial Control Panel program is straightforward. Several members of the staff are trained in the Control Panel Standards, usually UL508A and sometimes UL698A (For intrinsically safe circuits). After the training, the company has the ability to send out Listed control panels, as long as the proper records are kept, and the periodic Testing lab visits are passed. This program is available for products sold in the US and Canada.

The MET UL 48 Sign Shop program is similar, with some additional requirements for testing after construction is completed. Brad Collison, Engineering Manager for MET Southeast has guided numerous companies into this program "Many of these control panel builders are adding this capability because the shop setup and requirements are similar. These programs can make a big difference to small businesses that often have to pass up work or segments of a project that involve control panels or electric signs" says Collison.

Since the late 1970's, OSHA was forced to allow other testing laboratories to be accredited and compete with UL. The result has been a benefit for manufacturers across North America – the ability to choose the best service possible, and to take advantage of lower prices for these programs that competition eventually brought to the electrical industry. The MET Industrial Control Panel and Electric Sign programs are rapidly growing in popularity, allowing electrical contractors to take part in a dynamic and profitable market.

For more information, contact MET Laboratories Southeast at 800-321-4655, or e-mail gsmith@metlabs.com.

MET is a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL), approved by OSHA to certify multiple product categories. For information on MET, go to www.osha.gov and select "N" from the alphabetical menu and go to the Nationally Recognized Testing Labs link. You can then look at the OSHA scope of accreditation for MET Laboratories. The MET Mark is well known and accepted by Electrical Inspectors and industry professionals across North America.

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Cary, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/12/2010 -- Inspectors and Contractors are being forced to accept or install non-certified electrical equipment in our nation's workplaces. Federal Law (OSHA) 29CFR1910.399 and 303a requires that electrical equipment be listed or labeled by an approved testing laboratory. Protection is available from MET.

The implications here are serious: Workers are exposed to hazardous and incorrectly designed equipment, workplace owners and managers are successfully sued by families, inspectors are blamed and contractors are sued for installing the equipment. Equipment manufacturers are then subject to lawsuits, but this is more difficult when they are outside of the US.

To help combat this threat to our electrical industry employees and the people and owners in our workplaces, MET has developed the "Non-Certified Equipment Record Book". This record book is now available free of charge, and allows electrical industry professionals like Inspectors and Contractors to identify and record potentially hazardous non-certified equipment. It also contains language reviewed by an experienced construction attorney that makes it clear the person writing the record considers the equipment potentially hazardous. A (Carbonless) copy of this record can be given the owner of the equipment, as notice that there will be liability in the event of an injury, electrocution or explosion.

In the last few years, special interest groups and politicians have been working hard to cripple our existing safety requirements, and have purposefully ignored warning from our electrical safety experts. This effort to keep safety inspection costs down only increases liability for our hard working families and our business people who have invested greatly. One good way to keep and increase jobs is to keep people alive and safe, and keep businesses free of fire and explosion hazards. Many people will remember the West Pharmaceutical disaster in 2004, in which non-certified equipment caused an explosion that killed several people and destroyed the jobs and lives of many more.

The Non-Certified Record Book is available at no cost to contractors, inspectors, or anyone who is in a position to identify non-certified equipment. To order your record book, contact Luke Young at 800-321-4655, the MET Laboratories Southeast headquarters and testing facility in Cary, NC. The MET Southeast office has been in the Raleigh-Durham RTP area for over 17 years.

MET is a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL), approved by OSHA to certify multiple product categories. For information on MET, go to www.osha.gov and select "N" from the alphabetical menu. You can then look at the OSHA scope of accreditation for MET Laboratories under the NRTL link.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Cary, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/21/2009 -- For the first time in the history of Product Safety, MET Laboratories is offering an alternative to the Underwriters Laboratories UL 48 Listed Sign Shop. The new program is affordable and business friendly, breaking the multi-decade UL monopoly for this important product category.

Most UL certification product categories require the manufacturer to list specific products and record every component in a "Listing" report. If there are any changes to the product, the testing lab must be notified and review the new parts for acceptability. Sometimes re-testing is required for significant changes.

The Listed Sign Shop program is different. Sign manufacturers who qualify are allowed to make many different signs, varying in size and design. To qualify, there is an initial training program resulting in a list of qualified sign builders. The sign builders are trained to understand the UL standard and other National Electrical Code regulations, then they have the ability to create many different signs as long as the rules for design and construction are followed. After the initial training and qualification, MET Laboratories will send inspectors to the sign shop at various times of the year. At these inspections, any products available will be reviewed, the personnel list verified and updated, and file of completed projects gone through. Also, these visits will be an opportunity for the sign shop managers and personnel to get questions answered, receive assistance, and plan for the future with current product safety news and technology standards updates.

Several years ago, MET started offering a similar program for builders of industrial control panels, UL 508A and UL 698A. This program has been a huge success, and many panel shops switched over from UL to MET. Now the same benefits can be enjoyed by sign shop owners across the US. Luke Young, a sales representative for MET Laboratories' Southeast office has been receiving numerous calls and e-mails from sign manufacturers. "Many of these businesses are frustrated with the UL monopoly for Listed Signs. There are reports that UL may be taking advantage of these businesses, using hidden fees and cost increase tactics that make these products more expensive by adding unnecessary requirements that have nothing to do with electrical safety. Most people realize that only having one choice for a service is no choice at all. Our new program gives sign makers another, better choice from the only option that has ever been available", says Young. "We look forward to helping these companies make their products more affordable and their operations easier to run".

Luke Young can be contacted at 800-321-4655, at the MET Laboratories Southeast headquarters and testing facility in Cary, NC. The MET Southeast office engineering team will be performing the actual training and factory inspections. The MET Southeast office has been in the Raleigh-Durham RTP area for over 16 years.

MET is a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL), approved by OSHA to certify multiple product categories. For information on MET, go to http://www.osha.gov and select "N" from the alphabetical menu. You can then look at the OSHA scope of accreditation for MET Laboratories. You will notice UL 48 early in the list.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm