Unique circumstances sometimes make it challenging, impractical, or even impossible for manufacturers to undergo the regular certification process, yet demonstrating their commitment to product safety is still a top priority. As a one-time evaluation program, CSA Group’s quick and efficient field evaluation services help manufacturers get their products into the North American market when certification is not a viable option yet proof of compliance to local requirements is still needed.

Field Evaluation at a Glance

With decades of experience, CSA Group is committed to providing world-class field evaluation services that help our customers meet market and regulatory requirements and/or customer specifications. Our extensive technical expertise and in-depth knowledge of applicable standards, including NFPA 790 & 791, CSA B149.3, SPE-1000, and SPE-3000, enable us to offer a variety of North American field evaluation programs.

While it offers many benefits, field evaluations are not meant to be an alternative to regular certification and are typically suitable for low volume, refurbished, or custom engineered projects. Our fast and reliable evaluations can be conducted at our lab, your facility, or at the final installation site. The required tests vary depending on the type of product and installation location, as they are based on the regional installation codes and standard requirements. Once the product has been successfully evaluated against applicable requirements, your CSA Group technical representative will apply a serialized CSA label to each product.

CSA Group conducts field evaluations on products including:

• Industrial control panels (ICP)
• Automated manufacturing, assembly, and packaging equipment
• Semiconductor fabrication equipment
• Luminaires, signs, and display cabinets
• Switchboards, panel boards, and motor control centers
• Automatic guided vehicles (AGVs), intelligent assist devices (IADs), and robots & robotic equipment
• Heating and cooling equipment
• Commercial cooking and food service equipment
• Distributed generation equipment
• Energy storage equipment
• Photovoltaic (PV) equipment
• Micro-grid systems

Canadian Field Evaluation Programs

In Canada we have five types of special inspection and field evaluation programs, each covering a different product type and resulting in the application of a different label.

	Special Inspections for Electrical Products (non-healthcare) Products are evaluated to the requirements of SPE-1000, Model Code for the Field Evaluation of Electrical Equipment.
	Special Inspections for Medical Electrical Equipment and Systems Products are evaluated to the requirements of SPE-3000, Model Code for the Field Evaluation of Medical Electrical Equipment and Systems.
	Special Inspections for Control Panels Products are evaluated to the requirements of SPE-1000, Model Code for the Field Evaluation of Electrical Equipment.
	Special Inspections for Gas-Fired Appliances and Equipment Appliances and equipment are evaluated to the requirements of CSA B149.3, Code for the Field Approval of Fuel-related Components on Appliances and Equipment.
	Field Evaluation for Fuel-Fired Equipment This program is for fuel-fired equipment that falls outside of the scope of CSA-B149.3. The evaluation requirements are agreed upon with the local authority.

U.S. Field Evaluation Programs

 In the U.S., we have four types of field evaluation programs, each covering a different product type and leading to the application of a different label. The requirements and availability of these programs vary in accordance to local and State authorities.

	Field Evaluations for Electrical Products Products are evaluated to the requirements of the National Fire Protection Association, the National Electrical Code (NEC), and other nationally recognized U.S. standards requirements.
	Field Evaluations for Gas-Fired Products Products are evaluated to the local installation codes, the National Fire Protection Association requirements under NFPA 54, and the applicable requirements contained in the appropriate U.S. appliance standard(s).
	Field Evaluations for Sanitation Commercial products are evaluated to the requirements of NSF International/American National Standards Institute (NSF/ANSI) standards.
	Field Evaluation for Hazardous Locations (HazLoc) Products are evaluated to the requirements of the National Fire Protection Association, nationally recognized U.S. standards, and other related requirements by the jurisdiction.