Plant oil extraction booths from HAL Extraction Technology (Classic Series models: 85U, 120U, 150U, 180U, and 215U, Critical Flow Series models: 85C, 120C, 150C, 180C and 215C, and Production Series models: 170P, 265P and 355P) have achieved UL certification to UL 1389 involving hazardous locations: Class I, Division 1, Group D within the booth, and Class I, Division 2, Group D outside of the booth around openings for a distance of 3 feet in all directions.

The use of essential oils from a variety of plant products in medical products, nutritional supplements and recreational products is rapidly increasing. As a result, manufacturers want to gain efficiencies while optimizing their growth . This puts a spotlight on safer production and a need to mitigate risk with the equipment used in the cultivation, processing and operations of plant oil extraction.

In this growing industry, often the extraction process itself creates hazardous conditions due to flammable solvents, including hydrocarbons, being released during processing. To increase safety, UL developed requirements and a certification program for equipment used in the plant oil extraction process. These requirements allow manufacturers to design and manufacture new processing equipment according to a consistent set of criteria and thereby avoid delays in the building permit process.

Plant oil extraction equipment is evaluated to the requirements of UL 1389, Outline of Investigation for Plant Oil Extraction Equipment. The requirements of UL 1389 cover prefabricated plant oil extraction booths involving hazardous (classified) locations, along with plant oil extractors for use in hazardous (classified) locations. These prefabricated plant oil extraction booths are for fixed installation in accordance with ANSI/NFPA 70, National Electrical Code (NEC), the International Fire Code, and ANSI/NFPA 1, Fire Code, together with the manufacturer's installation instructions.

“Achieving UL certification for our plant oil extraction booth systems will help to save lives and prevent injuries. This will also help enable the permitting process to be faster and easier for customers, fire marshals and code enforcement officials”, states Linn Havelick, CEO of HAL Extraction Technology, Ltd. “UL certification will help us more quickly reach our corporate goal of ‘Keeping People Safe’.”

In addition to these prefabricated booths/pods, UL’s hazardous locations safety certification services for plant oil extraction equipment address extractors, preparatory equipment and post-processing equipment. This equipment can be for installation in an unclassified area, or for installation in or involving Class I, Division 1 or Class I, Division 2 hazardous (classified) locations, depending on the product technology and intended use.

“We are delighted that the industry is proactively heading down a safer path with a certification from UL to UL 1389 that addresses hazardous locations safety for plant oil extractor booths. This represents a safety milestone for the industry,” said Milan Dotlich, vice president of the energy and power technologies division for North America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America at UL.

All UL certified plant oil extractor booth models can be found in UL’s certification database by visiting UL’s Product iQ database and then entering a manufacturer’s name. They are listed under the UL Category Code “QMCV”. The most up-to-date listing for plant oil extractor booth manufacturers whose products are UL certified to UL 1389 can always be found in this database.

To learn more about UL’s safety testing and certification for hazardous locations, visit UL.com/HazLoc. To inquire about UL testing and certification specifically in accordance with UL 1389 certification, please contact [email protected]