I've never been impressed with the UL listing as justification for anything. Explain why a 16 gauge hunk of steel bent into a junction box even needs UL listing while a strip of plastic with a six foot cord gets listed as an outlet strip instead of an incendiary device.
Just because UL listed hardware is used doesn't mean your installation is UL listed. Shouldn't UL be approving all electrical installation and not leaving it up to inspectors (or electricians) with various degrees of interpretations. Why aren't inspectors UL listed?
Look around Big-Mart and tell me that the UL listed junk didn't require some help to get listed under UL. I think we need a new listing company with an elevated standard.
And oh yeah, I still say make the cover. I have yet to see an existing electrical installation where something didn't have to be field modified to suit the conditions and keep things safe.
I take safety very seriously but sometimes think UL is a puppet for the manufacturers....and the NFPA, whom I respect, seems to be slowly leaning this way as well. Not good for us end users folks!!! Not good for our customers!!!
RSlater,
RSmike
