UL Solutions' Technical Evaluation Developer Program

On March 29th, Hilti received verification that it has been qualified as a UL Certified Technical Evaluator under UL’s Technical Evaluation Developer Program (TEDP).

Scott Rutledge, director of engineering at Hilti, had this to say about becoming a qualified manufacturer as part of this program:

"We are excited to be among the first qualified manufacturers in this program. As more manufactures adopt this certification it will help improve the overall quality and acceptance of EJs in the market. The fact that our team and processes are already tested and audited by UL adds value to a Hilti Engineering Judgments (EJs) with local jurisdictions, inspectors, and designers. This added value will help our customers move from a problem condition to an approved solution faster and safer. “

What is UL’s Technical Evaluation Developer Program?

Technical Evaluations, commonly referred to as Engineering Judgments (EJs), are used in the fire protection industry to address situations where the as-built condition of a particular assembly does not match any tested and qualified systems. The acceptance process for EJs by Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) can vary across North America. This variation may result from instances where additional project requirements must be met when utilizing an EJ. Examples of these additional requirements are provided in the next section. One reason for these additional requirements in the acceptance process is the lack of guidance on how to verify the competency of service providers who issue EJs.

UL Solutions’ Technical Evaluation Developer Program seeks to address this area of lacking guidance. This program will help to verify the competency of service providers who are manufacturers of Fire Protection products by having them demonstrate their knowledge of Fire Protection standards, principles, and products.

The program accomplishes this through three major requirements:

1. Technical Personnel Competency - each Technical Evaluation Developer must meet minimum levels of educational and experience-based competency, including industry experience, knowledge of specific systems, testing, and knowledge of the specified standards. To demonstrate their competency, each Technical Evaluation Developer must pass a written exam and receive a score of 80% or greater on each relevant module. There are four possible modules covered within the examination process. These include a general exam which is mandatory, and modules covering penetrations & joints, perimeter fire barrier, and ducts. Hilti Fire Protection Engineers are required to pass the general module plus the modules covering penetrations & joints, and perimeter fire barriers.
2. Audits - audits are conducted by UL Solutions staff members by selecting at random a portion of EJs issued by a service provider. The audits focus on assessing a manufacturer’s management system (MS), ensuring adherence to the MS, and evaluating the MS regarding the program’s requirements.
3. Certification Testing - UL will randomly select one EJ for every 1,000 issued by a service provider to test. These certification tests will not exceed 15 tests per year. These tests will serve to verify that EJs developed by program participants are compliant with relevant life safety requirements. This testing will also serve to increase the overall testing efforts in the industry to ensure conditions that commonly require EJs are tested and qualified.

By providing a structured framework and defined qualifications that assure the acceptance of EJs, UL seeks to reduce the number of low-quality EJs in the market and increase the testing and certification efforts within the fire protection industry.

What is the benefit of working with a manufacturer that issues Engineering Judgements (EJs) who is a part of this program?

As previously mentioned, acceptance of EJs by AHJs can vary across North America. This program can help streamline the acceptance process of EJs by establishing what qualifications to look for when verifying the competency of a service provider. There are two examples of where this guidance may be utilized by AHJs.

1. Some AHJs may have additional requirements for EJs when they are required on a project. These additional requirements may include justification letters or a professional engineer to review and seal the Engineering Judgement, etc. In some cases, EJs may not be allowed on projects at all. This can lead to costly testing being required to verify as-built conditions meet the specified life safety requirements.
2. There may be instances where AHJs have not specified requirements related to EJ service providers. This program can be used to establish and verify the competency level required for service providers of EJs.

Customers can feel confident that service providers who are part of this program will provide solutions that meet the specified life safety requirements. This will help to create consistency in the solutions provided by EJs across the industry.

Hilti is proud to consider itself a leading manufacturer in the fire protection industry. By participating in this program, Hilti commits itself to helping to improve the current state of EJs. Customers can expect Hilti to continue providing high-quality EJs and the same level of service that they have experienced when working with Hilti team members.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I learn more about this program and its requirements?
For more information on this program, you can visit UL Solutions website dedicated to the program here: Technical Evaluation Developer Program | UL Solutions. This webpage contains a copy of UL Solutions’ Technical Evaluation Developer Program manual. You can find more detailed requirements of the program outlined within this document.

Will there be any noticeable changes to the Engineering Judgement service provided by Hilti?
Most of the changes made regarding this program are related to our internal processes and procedures. Customers can expect to experience the same level of service provided by Hilti team members prior to joining this program. One change that customers may have noticed is the format for Hilti’s engineering judgements changed last year. This was done to align with the requirements of the program and follows the engineering guidelines established by the International Firestop Council. Learn more here: Engineering Judgment Guidelines – International Firestop Council

Need an Engineering Judgment for your firestopping application, utilize Hilti's digital Engineering Judgment process through the Hilti Construction Platform. Submit an Engineering Judgment Request