Most machinery was never listed to begin with.
Industrial and commercial machinery rarely carries a factory NRTL listing — the production runs are too limited and the equipment too complex for it to be cost-effective. That doesn’t stop a building inspector from red-tagging it the moment it shows up on the floor, whether it was custom-built domestically or imported from overseas. We are the Field Evaluation Body that gets it running.
Why This Comes Up
No factory listing doesn’t mean no requirements.
Machinery and industrial equipment is not required by law to be certified in the U.S., however both OSHA and the National Electrical Code (NEC) require equipment to be approved. The term approved is defined in the NEC as acceptable to the AHJ (electrical inspector). In lieu of a factory NRTL listing, a field evaluation is generally the only option. Unfortunately, the process leaves unsuspecting manufacturers responsible for the approval process.
01
No list to point to
Custom and limited-run machines rarely follow an NRTL-listed design, so there’s no factory certification for an inspector or customer to check against.
02
Two standards, two scopes
NFPA 79 governs the machine’s entire electrical system; UL 508A covers only the control panel inside it. A compliant panel by itself doesn’t clear the whole machine.
03
Imported equipment adds a layer
Machinery built overseas — particularly in China — is often designed to IEC rather than U.S. requirements, and gets red-tagged the moment it lands on-site.
What Gets Checked
Two standards. One evaluation.
Field evaluated machinery is evaluated to the machine-level standard, the control panel standard, and/or the most applicable safety standard for the product in addition to what the AHJ or customer requires to release the equipment.
Machine Standard
NFPA 79 Compliance
The complete electrical system of the machine
- Supply disconnecting means, its location, and lockout/tagout provisions
- Full-machine wiring, actuators, and controls — not just the enclosure
- Emergency stop devices sized and located to the machine’s risk assessment
- Control circuit voltage and grounding practices across the whole system
- Overcurrent protection and conductor sizing at every branch of the machine’s power distribution
Panel Standard
UL 508A Compliance
Construction of the industrial control panel
- Enclosure rating matched to the installation environment (NEMA 12, 4, 4X)
- Short-circuit current rating (SCCR) established for the panel assembly, not just individual parts
- UL Listed or Recognized components applied within their conditions of use
- Overcurrent protection and wire ampacity verified for every branch circuit
- Panel nameplate marking voltage, SCCR, and enclosure type
Equipment Types
Commonly Field Evaluated
Beyond machinery — a sample of what crosses our bench
- Laboratory equipment
- Commercial kitchen equipment
- Lighting and lighted display cabinets
- Information and AI technology devices
- Amusement and gaming equipment
- Electric signs
- Automation equipment
Acceptance
AHJ & Customer Sign-Off
Getting the equipment off the red tag
- Documentation review before the equipment is put into service
- Schematics, wiring diagrams, and nameplate data checked against applicable standards
- Unlisted equipment assessed per NFPA 791’s recommended procedures, under G&M’s own NFPA 791 accreditation
- Coordination with the local building department or the customer’s purchase agreement requirements
- For imported machinery, assessment against U.S. requirements before or after arrival
How We Work
From red tag to running machine
Most delays on machinery field evaluations happen because a gap surfaces after the equipment is already on the floor. Our process is built to surface it beforehand.
- Pre-installation documentation review
Send us schematics, wiring diagrams, and nameplate data before the machine goes into service. A pre-inspection review against the applicable safety standards can catch potential show-stoppers while there’s still time to correct them. - AHJ & customer coordination
We help align your documentation with what the local building department or the customer’s purchase agreement requires, so the field evaluation and acceptance move on the same timeline. - On-site field evaluation
We evaluate the machine’s full electrical system against NFPA 79 and the control panel against UL 508A — wiring, grounding, overcurrent protection, e-stops, and enclosure construction. - Labeling & report
Compliant machinery receives a field evaluation label affixed to the equipment, backed by a written report the AHJ or customer can rely on for close-out.
FEB‑117
IAS-accredited Field Evaluation Body under ISO/IEC 17020:2012, covering industrial and commercial machinery.
NFPA 790/791
Accredited to both NFPA 790, the standard for competency of Field Evaluation Bodies, and NFPA 791, the recommended practice for evaluating unlabeled equipment — the exact category most industrial machinery falls into.
GLOBAL REACH
On-the-ground engineering support in China to assess equipment before it ships to the U.S.
EST. 1997
G&M Compliance, Inc. — Orange, California. Product safety testing, field evaluation, and certification.
Bringing in new, modified, or imported machinery?
Get us the schematics, nameplate data, and site photos before the equipment goes into service. We’ll tell you exactly what the field evaluation will look for.