OSHA’s Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) Program

In 1970, the United States Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act and set up the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The aim of OSHA is to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and help.

OSHA’s Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) program recognizes third-party organizations to perform safety testing and certification of products covered within OSHA. For an NRTL to test products for a certain standard, they must first meet the qualifications specified by OSHA. After an NRTL is approved, labs will be routinely audited by OSHA to make sure they are following OSHA’s qualifications. There are more than a dozen NRTLs approved by OSHA, and many have multiple campuses where testing can be performed.

Finally, the standards are typically named after the NRTL that develops the standard. Just as OSHA accredits NRTL facility, OSHA also approves the standards developed by the NRTL. As such, there are many different standards represented using letter configurations. Some examples include ANSI, CSA, IEEE, ISA, NEMA, TIA, and UL.

Here are some of the key NRTL’s recognized by OSHA. 

• Applied Research Laboratories of South Florida, LLC
• Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services, Inc. (BVCPS)
• Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Group Testing and Certification Inc (also known as CSA International)
• FM Approvals (FM)
• International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials EGS (IAPMO)
• Intertek Testing Services NA, Inc. (ITSNA)
• Eurofins MET Labs (MET) (formerly MET Laboratories, Inc.)
• Nemko USA, Nemko North America, Inc.(NNA)
• NSF International (NSF)
• QAI Laboratories, LTD (QAI)
• QPS Evaluation Services, Inc (QPS)
• SGS U.S. Testing Company, Inc. (SGSUS) (formerly UST-CA)
• Solar PTL, LLC
• Southwest Research Institute (SWRI)
• TUV Rheinland of North America (TÜV)
• TUV SUD America (TÜVAM)
• TUV SUD Product Services GmbH (TÜVPSG)
• Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL)

For an updated list of current NRTLs, you may check the OSHA’s website.