Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

A: Many of our products are tested and certified to meet safety standards by an OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) recognized testing laboratory. Safety testing on our products is performed by Intertek Testing Services NA, Inc. (formerly ETL or Edison Testing Laboratories). Therefore our products have an ETL listed mark which is equivalent to a UL listed mark.  At the time of this writing, F&J has over 120 products certified by ETL.

Contrary to what you may have heard, safety testing can be performed by ANY Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) recognized by OSHA and certified to perform the testing required. Not just UL. Our competitors may tell you that if a product isn't safety tested by UL, that it doesn't count. Nothing could be further from the truth.

In accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 29, Part 1910, Chapter 7 (aka 29 CFR 1910.7) a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) means "an organization which is recognized by OSHA in accordance with appendix A of this section and which tests for safety, and lists or labels or accepts, equipment or materials and which meets all of the following criteria:...". NRTLs must submit to periodic inspections by OSHA to retain recognition. Underwriter's Laboratory is just one of 18 different companies that are recognized as a NRTL. The entire chapter can be found on OSHA's website at http://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/nrtlregs.html

More information can be found on the OSHA website. The following are links to some additional information there.

OSHA Requirements for Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory Approval of Products

Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory Program(NRTL)

Q: Are your TEDA and Silver Zeolite cartridges efficiency tested?

A: Yes, each and every batch of TEDA and Silver Zeolite is tested for efficiency in cartridge form by an independent laboratory.  Flow rates used for testing are determined by mesh size of adsorbent, customer usage and historical testing. Once data for a batch is obtained, it is compared to past efficiency tests.  If the efficiency data is consistent with historical testing, it is included in a compilation.  A best-fit efficiency curve is obtained from this data that is statistically accurate and consistent.  If, for any reason, a customer wishes documentation specific to a particular batch, that can be provided.  Additional information on the testing parameters can be found in the following RICF Report (pdf)

Q: Do the cartridges have an expiration date?

A: Yes, retention efficiency of TEDA and Silver Zeolite cartridges can be adversely affected by a few conditions.  The most prevalent of these is moisture and contaminants.  Because of this, F&J seals EACH cartridge in a 4-mil poly bag to keep moisture and contaminants from affecting the cartridge.  Additionally, each bag is labeled with the expiration date of the cartridge.  Each cartridge is labeled with it's part number, the type of adsorbent it contains, the mesh size and batch number for identification.  Each order of RICF cartridges are supplied with efficiency data and a shelf-life certificate. 

F&J has significant data reflecting that cartridges can maintain their collection efficiency for long periods of time if they are kept in a suitable environment.  Shelf life for TEDA cartridges is set by F&J to 4 years and shelf life for Silver Zeolite is 10 years.  F&J will recertify a batch of cartridges that a customer may have by testing random samples from the customer's stock using the standard test procedure.  If the sample's collection efficiency is still within expected collection efficiency of that type and model of cartridge, the customer's stock will be recertified for an additional period of time.

Q: Do you have a QA program?

A:  Yes, we do and we feel it is the best in the industry.  F&J SPECIALTY PRODUCTS INC is ISO9001-2008 certified.  All products are covered by this program.  If you would like a copy of our certificate click here.

Any additional questions? Email or Contact Us for more information!