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UL, a global safety and science leader, has announced its cable fire safety and performance laboratory has been approved by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Civil Defense. UL's laboratory, located in the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD), is approved to test the safety and performance of fire-resistant cables. The in-country facility enables manufacturers, brands, and suppliers of fire-resistant cables in the Middle East to access a local laboratory when applying for a mandatory Civil Defense Certificate of Compliance.

Prior to the UAE Civil Defense extending approval to the Abu Dhabi laboratory, UL's approved laboratories conducted testing and certification in the United States (U.S.) and testing in Canada for product exports to the UAE market. These laboratories are accepted by the regulatory authorities as certification bodies and testing laboratories. The approval of the UAE-based laboratory confirms the facility is an accepted testing and/or certification laboratory and that testing conducted within the facility adheres to International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), British standards (BS), and European Standards (EN).

"The UAE strives to be one of the safest countries in the world, and that is why authorities such as the UAE Civil Defense were established," said Sameer Abdul Salam, UL's senior business development manager for the Middle East, and Africa region. "To import, manufacture or sell fire safety products in the UAE and other countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Oman, manufacturers must demonstrate the safety of their products through testing and certification through an approved testing laboratory and certification body."  

"Following the UAE Civil Defense's extended approval of UL's Abu Dhabi fire cables safety and performance laboratory, UL can simplify the process for manufacturers looking to import or sell their fire-resistant cables in the UAE and help them build trust in the safety of their products among their customers," said Salam.

The approved fire cable safety and performance laboratory is staffed with UL's experts and has the capability to test flame-retardant and fire-resistant cables, fire alarm cables, building wires with fire resistance ratings, and fiber optic component cables with fire resistance ratings and busways. The laboratory can accommodate tests to multiple standards for flame retardancy and fire resistance properties, including IEC, BS, and EN.

"We are very proud of this achievement. Being approved by the UAE Civil Defense will enable us to help manufacturers access the UAE market more easily than ever before," said Hamid Syed, vice president and general manager in the Middle East and Africa for UL. "By providing testing, inspection, and certification services in-country, we can help our customers bring their fire safety products to market quickly and safely. From our in-country laboratory, we can assist them in addressing product risks, safety, and performance, and ease logistical challenges — including reducing shipping costs — while helping them supply compliant products throughout the region."