Exporting products to North America is potentially a great opportunity for manufacturers but it is important that machines and panels meet UL508A certification and other standards.
When building an electrical control panel intended for the North American market, you typically also need to follow the standards and regulations set forth by the National Electrical Code (NEC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). These standards provide guidelines for electrical safety and installation practices.
It can be daunting but important to work to a different country’s requirements, but here are some things you need to know and think about before planning to take advantage of opportunities in North America. Routeco, along with Rockwell Automation, have helped many customers to successfully export their products to North America so please get in touch with us if you need further guidance.
Key standards to meet before exporting to North America
- National Electrical Code (NEC): The NEC is published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and provides requirements for the safe installation of electrical wiring and equipment in the United States. It covers various aspects, including wiring methods, grounding, overcurrent protection, and electrical component selection. Find out more here
- UL Standards: Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is a widely recognised independent safety consulting and certification organisation in North America. They publish numerous standards relevant to electrical control panels, such as UL 508A, which covers the construction and performance of industrial control panels.
- Canadian Electrical Code (CEC): In Canada, the CEC, also known as CSA C22.1, is the national standard for electrical installations. It provides guidelines for safe electrical practices, including those related to control panels. It is published by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).
- OSHA Regulations: OSHA sets occupational safety and health standards in the United States. While they do not specifically focus on electrical control panels, OSHA regulations cover general workplace safety and could be relevant to the installation and operation of control panels.
- ANSI/IEEE Standards: The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) publish various standards related to electrical equipment and safety. These standards may be applicable to specific aspects of control panel design and operation.
Routeco have the expertise to help you navigate the requirements needed to comply with the standards and help you understand the different terminology, definitions and different approaches between North America and Europe.
We can help with:
- Understanding of how the standards compare
- Look at branch, feeder & control circuits product selection
- Discuss specific examples of SCCR calculation and find out what tools are available to assist
- Learn which products are acceptable and not acceptable to meet these standards
Contact us today and let us help you widen your customer reach and unlock the ability to export to the US market.