Breaking Down Barriers To Exporting the MK2, with UL Listing included
UL Listed – What and Why
The MK2 door coordinator (also known as a door selector) has held a UL listing for many years now, and we’re proud of the recognition it gives for our commitment to high quality testing. But did you know what exactly UL listing is and how it can benefit you when exporting the product?
When it comes to building safety, door hardware plays a critical role in ensuring security, fire resistance, and overall functionality. Whether in residential, commercial, or industrial spaces, the hardware used for doors—such as locks, panic devices, and hinges—must adhere to specific standards to guarantee their reliability in emergency situations. One such standard that is widely considered crucial for door hardware is UL (UL Solutions, formally Underwriters Laboratories) listed.
What Does UL Listed Mean?
UL Listed refers to products that have been tested and certified by UL Solutions, an independent safety science organisation. UL’s testing involves evaluating the product against specific safety standards and ensuring that it performs reliably under various conditions. If a product is UL listed, it means that it has passed rigorous testing for safety and quality.
Based in the USA, UL’s mission is working for a safer world. The company was founded in 1894 by an electrical inspector named William Henry Merrill Jr. With the increase of electricity used in homes, he noticed an increase in incidences of fire loss. Mr Merrill opened his first lab to study fire and electrical safety and develop safety standards. Since then, UL has become a global safety organisation, working with customers from all over the world.
UL:
Develop standards for product safety and certification
Test products to ensure they meet safety standards
Issue safety certifications for products
For door hardware, UL listing signifies that the product meets the safety and performance standards set by UL for its intended use. These standards often focus on aspects such as fire resistance, security, and durability. A UL listing indicates that the hardware can perform as expected in the most demanding situations.
Once listed, UL continue to check products months and years after testing to make sure they still meet the requirements. Specifically, the MK2 door coordinator undergoes 4 factory production control checks per year.
This means you can be certain that you are specifying a quality product, without having to spend time and money to undertake any of the certifications yourself.
MK2 UL Listing Specifics
Products which have achieved a UL Listing can, and must, show the UL Mark. This indicates at a glance that the product has been tested and certified by UL Solutions. Typically, the UL mark will show the UL symbol alongside the specific listing number which applies to the product.
Taken from our UL listing: “Model Selectrite MK2 Fire Door Coordinator for use with a pair of swinging fire doors rated up to and including 4 hr incorporating an astragal or needing sequenced closing. Also evaluated in accordance with standard UL 10C and ANSI/BHMA A156.3-2014, Section 12 (Grade Two)”.
To obtain a UL Listing, fire door hardware is typically tested to either UL10B or UL10C. These standards evaluate the structural integrity of the complete door assembly that the said item of door hardware is included on.
The UL10B and UL10C are testing methods for fire-rated doors – here’s what they include:
UL 10B test:
The standard for safety fire tests of door assemblies
Covers neutral pressure fire-rated door tests
Includes fire endurance and hose stream performance
Applicable to swinging, sliding, and rolling doors
UL 10C test:
The standard for positive pressure fire tests of door assemblies
Tests the fire resistance of door hardware and components under positive pressure
Ensures the durability and reliability of fire-resistant doors
More rigorous than UL 10B as it applies additional pressure forces
To summarise, UL10C uses positive pressure, which is a much more severe test than UL10B. When the new UL10C test requirement was established, the UL10B method became known as neutral pressure. If a product has been tested to UL10C and passed the test, it is also certified to UL10B.
The UL 10C test is a positive pressure test that measures how well a fire door performs.
The test includes a fire endurance test and a hose stream test.
The hose stream test is performed after the fire endurance test.
The hose stream test involves directing a fire hose at the door to ensure it can withstand water pressure.
The hose stream test is a key part of fire safety measures.
UL Listing Gives You Confidence To Supply The MK2 Globally
With its UL listing to UL10C, the MK2 door coordinator can be specified with confidence on projects in global markets calling for UL listed fire door hardware. Pairs of hinged doors requiring sequenced closing and with fire ratings up to 4 hours can have the MK2 incorporated. Alongside our CE and UKCA certification, the UL listing sets the MK2 door coordinator apart from the competition, making it the leading product of its type. But did you know that even if your pair of doors have flush meeting stiles, which typically do not require a door selector, but they have a locking device installed with a latch bolt, or automatic flush bolts, then you require a door selector? This is to make sure that the doors do not bind on the latch bolts contained within these devices.
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