Last week, we wrapped up Electrical Safety Month with a live webinar on designing safer, UL-compliant electrical panels—and the discussion was packed with real-world insights. Whether you're an OEM, panel builder, or plant maintenance manager, the message was clear: safety shouldn’t be an afterthought—it should be built into your panels from day one.
Our expert panel—Chris Schneck (Sales Operations & Business Development Manager), Eric Norton (Engineering & Quality Manager), and John Kovacik (Principal Consultant and former UL Principal Engineer)—tackled the complex but critical intersection of UL 508A, Safety-by-Design, and real-world compliance challenges.
What Does “Safety-by-Design” Really Mean?
It’s more than just a buzzword. Designing with safety in mind means anticipating risks, utilizing trusted components, and adhering to standards such as UL 508A and NFPA 70E to safeguard both personnel and equipment.
“Safety-by-Design is about applying the appropriate safety standard to the product, mitigating potential hazards before they’re ever introduced into the field,” said John Kovacik, who spent more than 40 years shaping UL standards and certifications.
Eric Norton added that for Grace Technologies, the philosophy starts with the hierarchy of risk controls—prioritizing elimination, substitution, and engineering controls. “We focus on products like our panel interface connectors and Permanent Electrical Safety Devices (PESDs) that remove or reduce the need to expose workers to energized equipment.”
Watch a clip here:
UL 508A: A Framework for Safer Panels
UL 508A is the cornerstone of industrial control panel compliance in North America. But as John explained, it's not just a standard—it's a program backed by training, certification, and deep integration into the panel shop ecosystem.
“UL 508A panel shops exist all over the world—over 6,000 of them,” said John. “We developed the Manufacturer’s Technical Representative (MTR) certification to ensure consistent quality and compliance. It’s a badge of honor in the industry.”
UL Listed components like GracePort and ChekVolt help simplify that compliance process, whether you're installing in a new build or retrofitting an existing panel.
GracePort & ChekVolt: Making Safety the Easier Choice
Both GracePort panel interface connectors and ChekVolt PESDs are now UL Listed, making it easier for OEMs and panel builders to integrate them into compliant designs without triggering the need for field evaluations or custom documentation.
“Our goal is to make safety the easier choice,” said Chris Schneck. “If you’re working with a Type 4X enclosure and need to maintain that rating, GracePort and ChekVolt are tested and verified to help you do that. You’re not sacrificing protection for convenience.”
Panel interface connectors enable technicians to safely access ports, such as USB, Ethernet, or voltage test points, without opening the enclosure. Meanwhile, PESDs support Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) by providing safe, visible, and testable access to voltage presence or absence.
New Definitions, Clearer Guidance
The team also highlighted a recent win in the UL 508A standard: the official addition of three new definitions that clarify voltage detection technologies. These updates provide clearer guidance for both installers and inspectors, reducing ambiguity around how and where these devices can be used.
UL 508A Definitions:
- 2.1A – Absence of Voltage Detection Device: A permanently-mounted device that is provided with voltage test points that allow for insertion of meter probes to perform absence of voltage tests from outside an electrical enclosure.
- 2.1B – Absence of Voltage Tester (AVT): A permanently-mounted test device that is used to verify that a circuit is de-energized prior to opening an electrical enclosure that contains energized electrical conductors and circuit parts. An AVT is provided with a test circuit with active indications to verify the absence of phase-to-phase voltage and phase-to-ground voltage. AVTs are provided with a test circuit and visual indicators to confirm that the tester is functioning properly before and after the process of determining that voltage is absent.
- 2.42A – Presence of Voltage Detection Device: A permanently-mounted device that is provided with a visual indicator that signals the presence of voltage from outside an electrical enclosure.
These definitions were developed to remove long-standing gray areas in the standard and help ensure that devices like ChekVolt and other PESDs are more clearly understood—and more easily accepted—by AHJs and safety professionals.
Field Realities: LOTO, Disconnects, and the “Point of Work”
One of the more debated topics in the webinar was how safety design intersects with real-world maintenance procedures. Is the disconnect “close enough”? What exactly is the “point of work”?
“Point of work should refer to where the task is actually being performed,” said John. “If you’re servicing a motor 100 feet from the MCC, that motor is the point of work. And we need to define it that way for safety to truly be effective.”
Grace’s PESDs help bridge that gap—bringing testing capabilities to the point of work, instead of forcing technicians to walk back to a disconnect and take unnecessary risks.
Why UL Listing Matters—Now More Than Ever
When asked about the consequences of skipping UL Listed components, John didn’t mince words.
“Using non-listed products might seem easier short term, but you risk red-tagging, field evaluation delays, and even liability. UL Listed products are tested to defined safety standards and help ensure NEC compliance—it’s just smart risk management.”
In today’s regulatory environment, where Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) are more focused than ever on product certification, the use of UL Listed components isn’t just a best practice—it’s often essential. Panels built with unlisted or misapplied components may fail inspection, cause project delays, or require expensive field evaluations to satisfy code compliance.
UL Listing offers peace of mind. It ensures that the component has passed rigorous third-party testing for electrical safety, environmental resilience, and mechanical integrity. For OEMs and panel builders, it also means:- Streamlined UL 508A certification – Using pre-certified components reduces documentation and speeds up approval processes.
- Preserved enclosure ratings – Products like ChekVolt and GracePort are tested to maintain NEMA Type ratings, preventing costly enclosure downgrades.
- Reduced liability – In the event of an incident, being able to demonstrate compliance with UL standards is a powerful legal and safety defense.
- Market credibility – UL Listing is a recognized mark of quality and professionalism—something customers and inspectors notice immediately.
“We’re not just designing for functionality,” said Eric Norton, Engineering Manager at Grace. “We’re designing for compliance, safety, and field acceptance—using UL Listed products helps check all those boxes.”
As standards like UL 508A continue to evolve, with new sections now explicitly defining voltage detection technologies, the margin for error is shrinking. Choosing UL Listed solutions upfront reduces the burden on your documentation, your inspection, and your risk profile.
Final Thoughts: Start with Safety, End with Confidence
Designing safer panels isn’t just about compliance—it’s about protecting people, minimizing downtime, and building systems that hold up under pressure. With the right components, the right standards, and a Safety-by-Design mindset, safer panels aren’t just possible—they’re practical.
Explore how our UL Listed solutions simplify compliance and improve electrical safety:
Missed the live session? You can catch the full webinar here: Watch Now
Stay SAFE, and have a GREAT week!
