National Sanitation Foundation Splash Zones
Products bearing an NSF certification mark meet all standard requirements, including product testing and regular inspections to verify products continue to comply with the standard.
The NSF mark provides assurance that a product was impartially reviewed to established standards or guidelines and confirms that product labeling and claims have been objectively verified by a trusted third party. The NSF mark is your assurance that the product has been tested by one of the most respected independent certification organizations in existence today.
| NSF Certification | Location Descriptions | Typical Lighting Applications |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Food Zone | ✓ Areas where direct contact with food products during normal operations would not be expected. ✓ Equipment is located outside the normal washdown area. ✓ There is a concern that the fixture will add contamination to the protected space or food possibility product (e.g. cleanability – will the finish withstand cleaning, chipping paint, deteriorating paints or finishes, lens impact resistance, lamp glass breakage, etc.) | Kitchens; food stores; dry process areas; damp process areas – no drip possibility |
| Splash Zone | ✓ Areas where direct contact with food products during normal operations would not be expected; however, the fixture may be situated such that liquids used in the processing or cleaning procedures, may splash, spill, or otherwise soil – either intentionally or inadvertently – the surface of the fixture. There then is the potential for dripping or draining onto other surfaces or even the process. Since these fixtures are often used in washdown areas, Wet location listing is not sufficient. ✓ Fixture must be tested to withstand high pressure hose washdown. ✓ The concerns of Non-Food Zone also apply. | Wet or damp process areas; high pressure purging and/or decontamination used in the process; areas using hose washdown |
| Food Zone | ✓ Areas where direct contact with food products is normally expected and surfaces from which the food may drip, drain, or splash back onto surfaces normally in contact with food. ✓ Equipment other than lighting fixtures typically require this certification {e.g. work tables, cutting boards, other direct contact equipment). | Category not typically used for lighting |