UL 61010-2-011 2021-05 PDF

Full title and description

St UL 61010-2-011 — Safety Requirements for Electrical Equipment for Measurement, Control, and Laboratory Use — Part 2-011: Particular Requirements for Refrigerating Equipment. This is the UL adoption (Edition 2) of IEC 61010-2-011 with U.S. national differences, addressing safety design, construction, and protective measures for laboratory and similar refrigerating equipment (including provisions for flammable refrigerants and Stirling refrigeration systems).

Abstract

This standard specifies particular safety requirements for electrical refrigerating equipment and their accessories when the equipment incorporates refrigerating systems (either integral or separate) and is intended for measurement, control, or laboratory use. It includes limits and special provisions for the use of flammable refrigerants (notably requirements that apply when up to 150 g of flammable refrigerant are used per stage), additional guidance for Stirling refrigeration systems, and U.S. national differences to the IEC base document.

General information

• Status: Active.
• Publication date: Edition 2 published May 13, 2021 (UL adoption); later redline revisions and an ANSI approval activity are recorded (most recent revision entries show updates through 2025).
• Publisher: UL Standards & Engagement (Underwriters Laboratories — UL).
• ICS / categories: ICS 19.080 (Safety of measuring, control and laboratory equipment / electrotechnical standards).
• Edition / version: Edition 2 (Ed. 2 — 2021).
• Number of pages: Approx. similar in length to the EN/IEC published text (EN IEC 61010-2-011:2021 and associated amendment documents run in the range of several dozen pages — e.g., published EN version metadata lists ~66 pages for the consolidated edition plus amendment A11); the exact page count for the UL-published PDF (including national differences) should be confirmed on the UL store copy.

Scope

Applies to electrical equipment and accessories that incorporate refrigerating systems (integral or separate) and are intended for measurement, control, or laboratory use. The document gives particular safety requirements where refrigerant charges of up to 150 g of flammable refrigerant per stage are used; where refrigerant charge or system type (for example transcritical systems) exceed that allowance, other standards such as UL 60335-2-89 are indicated. The standard also contains provisions for Stirling refrigeration systems and notes possible overlap with other IEC/UL Part 2 standards (e.g., centrifuges, heating/cooling combinations).

Key topics and requirements

• Particular safety requirements for refrigerating systems used in laboratory and measurement equipment, including construction and electrical safety.
• Limits and controls for flammable refrigerants (notably handling requirements when up to 150 g per stage are used).
• Requirements for leak mitigation, ventilation, detection, pressure-relief and containment measures specific to refrigerating systems.
• Design provisions for Stirling refrigeration systems and national differences that modify or add to the IEC baseline.
• Testing, marking, documentation, and referenced normative standards to ensure safe manufacture, installation, and use.

Typical use and users

Used by manufacturers and designers of laboratory refrigerators/freezers and other refrigerated laboratory equipment, test laboratories and certification bodies, compliance and safety engineers, product managers planning market access, and regulatory bodies. The standard is used to guide design, testing, and evaluation for safe use of refrigerating equipment in laboratory and similar environments.

Related standards

Closely related to the IEC/UL 61010 series (including Part 1 general requirements and other Part 2 standards), and references or cross-references standards such as UL/IEC 60335-2-89, IEC/EN 60335 series, and other UL/CSA variants for electrical safety and refrigerating appliance safety. Manufacturers typically consult IEC 61010-1, IEC 61010-2-010/012/020 as applicable and the listed referenced standards within the UL text.

Keywords

refrigerating equipment; laboratory refrigerators; flammable refrigerant; refrigerating systems; Stirling refrigeration; IEC 61010; UL adoption; laboratory safety; national differences; electrical safety.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: It is UL 61010-2-011 (Edition 2, 2021) — the UL adoption of IEC 61010-2-011 that specifies particular safety requirements for refrigerating equipment used with measurement, control, and laboratory devices.

Q: What does it cover?

A: Particular safety requirements for refrigerating equipment (construction, electrical, controls, leak/ventilation measures, pressure relief, testing and marking), including provisions for the safe use of limited charges of flammable refrigerants (notably up to 150 g per stage) and guidance for Stirling systems; it also includes U.S. national differences to the IEC base text.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Equipment manufacturers, compliance and safety engineers, testing/certification labs, product development teams for laboratory appliances, and regulatory/compliance authorities assessing equipment safety.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: As published by UL, Edition 2 was released May 13, 2021 and the UL product record shows the document as active with subsequent redline revisions and updates recorded (UL site lists revision activity through 2024–2025); users should consult the UL store or UL Notices for the latest revision/redline and confirm whether a later edition or amendment applies to their project.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it is one Part (2-011) of the IEC/UL 61010 family (safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement, control and laboratory use). Other Part 2 standards cover different equipment types (e.g., 2-010 heating, 2-012 climatic, 2-020 centrifuges, etc.).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Refrigerating equipment, flammable refrigerant limits, laboratory refrigerators, safety requirements, IEC 61010, UL national differences, Stirling refrigeration, leak detection, ventilation, pressure-relief, testing and marking.