He Blows Things Up So You Don't Have To

Red Wolf writes "Popular Science reports on what is possibly the world's coolest job. During his 19 years as a laboratory technician for Underwriters Laboratories, Chuck Cramer has set coffeemakers on fire, knocked computers off desks, short-circuited fans, and blown up everything from toasters to curling irons - all in the name of consumer safety."

Comments

He's already saved the life of one person

[shanmonster]

His line of work recently saved the life of a would-be murder victim. Check it out: http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/2304602/detail.htm l

Re:UL approval means less than it used to

[whatch durrin]

There are very specific rules for being able to say you met a UL standard or are UL compliant. Using UL approved materials or assemblies in your new, totally different overall assembly is not (necessarily**) one of them.

If you'll look at a product with the UL logo, there should be a File Number listed there with it. I'm looking at the bottom of my keyboard and see "E140034." If I go to the UL website and search by this file number, it brings up details on the component that was approved. If you see a UL logo with no File Number, something's probably wrong.

UL is very strict about using their logo and certifications on a product.

**I worked at a company that bought existing components (including the enclosure) to make motor control centers and PLC cabinets. We were UL "compliant" as long as we used a very specific set of standards handed to us by UL dictating what components we used and how we used them. UL also came and inspected our work occasionally to make sure it was up to snuff. We were not entitled to put a UL stamp on our finished product, however.