Safety testing organization UL is alerting facility operators and installers about the increasing number of reports of improperly installed and uncertified retrofit lighting kits. Incorrect installation could pose a risk for fire or shock.

Many of the retrofit LED installations “are completed in ways that create safety hazards where none existed before,” says Marguerite Carroll, manager of UL's Regulatory Services Department. This results in “unintended consequences in the name of energy efficiency.”

Correct LED installation reduces fire and shock hazards. Image source: Wikimedia CommonsAlthough individual components used in the retrofit might have individual certifications, UL warns of potential problems if the kit and its accompanying installation instructions aren’t certified per the applicable safety standards.

“When a luminaire is modified using off-the-shelf parts, there is no way to know if the luminaire is compliant or even safe,” says Bahram Barzideh, principal engineer with UL's Lighting Division.

The misconception that LED retrofits are low-voltage also leads to concerns. All retrofit kits include branch circuit connections “and should be treated with proper safety precautions,” Barzideh says.

UL-certified lighting retrofit kits help eliminate problems such as code compliance and compatibility with the installed luminaire. More information is available at UL.com.