Europe’s only pod producer listed under UL with the entire product range!

In February 2020 Silen became the first and only phone and meeting pod producer in Europe to have the entire product range certified under the premier North American Standard UL 962.

While this article is being written at the end of May, Silen has remained the only company in Europe to have their entire product range recognised by the UL 962. As a matter of fact, only 3 companies in the US had the UL 962 certification for their entire product family in February. Safe to say (no pun intended) that Silen Spaces have taken the safety of every office booth and meeting pod we design to a new level. And we want to tell you why.

What makes UL 962 that special?

The power of UL 962 comes from the fact that it is recognised by all agencies and is a highly trusted safety and quality symbol for buyers, distributors, insurers and regulators.

UL 962 is special because it is hard to get and when a company becomes certified it means that they follow the best standards in the entire industry. During the certification process, Silen’s products also passed the ASTM E84 standard fire tests, and were awarded Class A in fire resistance. All this means that Silen Spaces are guaranteed to give you the peace of mind that the products you have chosen for your business are always safe to use in the work environment and that their entire electrical system is fully compliant with the US and Canadian requirements as well.

What makes a workspace safe?

Is a designer chair with a sharp-edged backrest a real hazard or are we talking about old cabling in the walls? Practically speaking, anything that poses a potential threat to human well-being or to the well-being of the office environment itself, together with the furniture and equipment that the space holds, can be seen as a safety hazard.

For example, workplace fire safety comes often down to ensuring that none of these elements have a place in your office:

• damaged power cords (within computers, printers, kettles, meeting pods, you name it!)
• highly flammable fabrics in office furniture
• blocked corridors and emergency exits
• overused or dodgy tools (think extension cords, for example)
• equipment that easily overheats

Not all safety issues revolve around potential fire threats and shock hazards, however. Work environment stress is also big safety issue (it completely changes the way we focus, for example, making us more prone for accidents and absentmindedness). Work environment stress can be alleviated by making sure that the working conditions support the people in staying productive and focused. Installing even a single office meeting booth helps to add a privacy zone to a work environment, enabling people to focus better and to get a rest from the office background noise levels.

„At Silen we believe that creating a workspace that supports the mental and physical health of everyone should be the top responsibility of every employer.”

Peace of mind is hard to get but worth it

Since 2006, more than 60% of the equipment studied by the UL’s Field Evaluations (while collecting compliance information on the equipment that is already on the field) has been proven to have deficiencieses. These deficiencies include serious fire and shock hazards, as well as other issues, such as incorrect or missing markings or misapplied components.

At Silen we believe that creating a workspace that supports the mental and physical health of everyone should be the top responsibility of every employer. This does not only mean the people working for you but also everyone who might be affected by your business and its products.

Becoming UL certified gives all our customers a solid guarantee that Silen is equally dedicated to designing high-quality products and to standing out for consumer safety on the highest level possible. It is a commitment to putting safety first. A UL certified product means that it has undergone a substantial set of rigorous testing to make sure that its safety and reliability prove a match to the standard. The certification process includes a construction review, testing, evaluation, and even factory surveillance.

A peace of mind is never an easy thing to achieve. But always worth it. At Silen we are proud to say that we have helped our clients with a portion of theirs, on a truly world-class level.