Functional safety of safety-related systems

Summary

Understand and apply the principles of functional safety to the development and assessment of safety systems, based on the IEC 61508 standard.

During this course, you will learn about the primary elements of the safety lifecycle and how these are applied to the development of safety systems.  It also covers the assessment of safety systems to confirm that functional requirements and risk reduction targets have been achieved.   

This course introduces functional safety and IEC 61508, then goes on to explore the lifecycle of functional safety from the IEC 61508 perspective.  There is useful revision of hazard and risk analysis techniques.  The use of SIL (safety integrity levels) and how targets and requirements for SIL are met are covered, and the details and benefits of developing a Safety Requirements Specification are examined, with practical tips to make this exercise as effective as possible.   

You will develop an appreciation of the importance of the design process in terms of functional safety, and also beyond the design process with the other lifecycle planning phases such as operation, decommissioning, modification and retrofit. The crucial question of how to demonstrate compliance is covered.  Management of the safety lifecycle is included to show how ear definition of the responsibilities, procedures, competence and management (including management of the SIL implementation) are key to its success.  

The approach to this course is defined by the fact that we learn by ‘doing’; there are numerous activities which complement and embed the learning.  

Who should attend?

Electrical and mechanical engineers, operators, HSE advisors and risk management practitioners, and those with experience or training in Hazard Identification.  

How will I benefit?

After the course you will be able to: 

• Define safety functions and target Safety Integrity Level (SIL) requirements which will reduce the associated risks to a tolerable level 
• Apply the analysis methodologies to ensure that, when implemented, the safety systems achieve specified risk reduction targets 
• Logically deduce how the level of risk reduction achieved by a safety system could be improved and when risk has been reduced to As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP)

 

Key topics

• Introduction to functional safety – background, terminology and aims 
• The Safety Lifecycle (IEC 61508 view)  
• Hazard & risk analysis techniques 
• SIL selection (setting targets and requirements) 
• Safety requirements specification development 
• SIL and the design process  
• Beyond design lifecycle phases 
• Compliance demonstration 
• Safety/project lifecycle management