ICC eNews

ICC-ES and UL Introduce Dual PMG Listing Program


Mark Johnson, President of ICC-ES (left), and Jeff Smith, General Manager of UL's Global Water & Food Business, sign an agreement to create a Dual PMG Listing Program.

ICC Evaluation Service, Inc. (ICC-ES) and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) have established a Dual PMG Listing Program for plumbing, mechanical, and fuel gas (PMG) products. The purpose of the program is to provide code officials and construction professionals with a reliable means to verify that PMG products comply with applicable codes and standards.

Jeff Smith, General Manager of UL's Global Water & Food Business, announced the program by saying, "This strategic alliance leverages the shared strengths of UL and ICC-ES: credibility, integrity, technical expertise, and brand recognition. The Dual PMG Listing Program provides manufacturers and regulators with a one-stop resource for determining the code compliance and standards compliance of PMG products. We at UL are excited to be working with ICC-ES to bring added value and convenience to this industry."

Mark Johnson, President of ICC-ES, observed, "UL's reputation for product safety, combined with ICC-ES's nearly 80 years of experience in evaluating products for code compliance, means this program will provide regulators and manufacturers with a service of outstanding quality. The program will also be recognized globally."

John LaTorra, Building and Inspection Manager, Redwood City, CA explained, "Developing alliances and combining strengths is critical to our industry. This cooperation will provide the code official with complete confidence that the listed product complies with the requirements of the recognized standard in the code."

Manufacturers of PMG products who take advantage of this alliance will benefit from the combined strengths of ICC-ES and UL. Specifically, the program will provide:

A comprehensive scheme for the testing, inspection, certification, and listing of PMG products, with independent listings covering both code compliance and compliance with applicable technical standards, from two highly reputable organizations.
Ready acceptance of products by authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs), due to the high recognition of the ICC-ES and UL marks.
Ability to leverage the strength of the ICC-ES and UL brands.
A choice in service providers to show compliance through listing to both the International Plumbing Code (IPC) and the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC).
Acceptance of products nationally and internationally, wherever the IPC or the UPC codes have been adopted. Additionally, products evaluated to the National Plumbing Code of Canada (NPCC) are suitable for installation in Canada. The International Code Council (ICC), the parent organization of ICC-ES, publishes the International Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes, which to-date have been adopted in 47 states at either the state or local jurisdiction level and countries including Mexico, Jamaica, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi.
Demonstration of product compliance to the new low-lead requirements in the California Health and Safety Code.
Demonstration of product compliance to the U.S. EPA WaterSenseSM requirements (as applicable).
An easier way of doing business, through one point of contact for both ICC-ES and UL listings.
Wider exposure for PMG products, through the network of ICC-ES and UL customers, media channels, and corporate partnerships.
Use of both the trusted ICC-ES PMG Mark and the highly regarded UL Plumbing Mark.

Code officials, will also benefit from the Dual PMG Listing Program, through:

Added assurance that PMG products meet the rigorous testing and evaluation requirements of both ICC-ES and UL.

Simultaneous posting of approved products on the websites of both ICC-ES and UL.

Access to UL's code correlation database, the only database of its kind in the industry. This database directly connects the listings with specific code sections, to assist AHJs in the acceptance of certified products, and allow designers and installers to readily find code-complying products.