Functional safety handbook - ABB

1 Functional safety handbook ABB Value Paper Series ABB Value Paper Series Contents Introduction Page 1. Background Page 2-3. Putting the basics in place Page 3-5. De ning the boundaries Page 6-8. Specifying competency requirements Page 8-9. Benchmarking current practice Page 10-11. Selecting the certi cation body Page 11. Developing the safety lifecycle model and Functional safety management system Page 12-21. Executing the certi cation process Page 22-23. Training courses Page 23-24. Establishing supporting activities Page 24. Managing channel partners and third-party integrators Page 24. Final comments and conclusions Page 24. Appendices Page 25-27. References Page 28. About the author Page 29. For more information, contact Stuart Nunns, UK safety Lead Competency Centre at 2. ABB Value Paper Series A methodology for achieving Functional safety certi cation to IEC61508. Introduction The demands of the safety critical systems market are based on the safety performance of their operation.

2 In becoming ever more exacting, with international standards order to compete or even survive, industry continually being increasingly used to demonstrate compliance with strives to improve performance and pro tability while legal requirements and the increasing need to justify that maintaining and improving safety . In today's world there the required Functional safety has been achieved. This is are signi cant costs on an organization if they are not not surprising given the increasing dependence on such acting in a socially responsible manner. Such costs include systems to achieve the speci ed tolerable risk targets. direct nancial costs arising from the incident itself, from With increasing contractual rigour and the potential for legal costs and nes in the event of being found guilty of litigation should something go wrong, organizations need breaking the law, damages paid to injured parties caused to demonstrate that their Functional safety capability is by negligence and reputation damage which can have far seen as best in class.

3 Reaching implications on the business. The result is that safety and pro tability are inextricably linked. Of particular importance in this context is the effectiveness of the competence management arrangements to ensure In summary, there are strong regulatory and social demands that those within the organization having responsibility for for businesses to demonstrate they have exercised their Functional safety are competent to undertake those duties. duty of care by providing a safe, reliable operation with full In order to meet these increasing demands, safety suppliers documentation and decision traceability. and integrators are increasingly embarking on more formalized regimes, including certi cation programmes, safety technologies are changing rapidly to ensure their safety applications are implemented in In line with all control system technologies, safety systems accordance with IEC61508 [1] and IEC61511 [2].

4 Are undergoing a revolution. Increasing reliance for process protection is being placed on networked smart'. The author has worked with a number of organizations equipment, integrated control and safety solutions, seeking certi cation. This Functional safety handbook reusable safety components and subsystems with provides a case study illustrating how a major automation automated con guration tools. The application of such system supplier (the organization), with world wide systems technology has, potentially, signi cant economic and integration businesses (the integrators) undertook the safety bene ts, but to release its potential, it is vital that challenge to achieve third-party accredited certi cation for such technology is applied by the adoption of current its Functional safety management system (FSMS) against good practice and this means the adoption of relevant the requirements of IEC 61508 and IEC 61511.

5 Standards such as IEC 61508 and IEC 61511. These standards represent current good practice and demand The generic methodology described and comprising the that attention be paid to all safety lifecycle activities within procedures and processes to achieve certi cation have an effective Functional safety management system. been developed by ABB Ltd. safety standards are also changing Background The publication of the international safety standards IEC. Statistics relating to the performance of large organizations 61508 and IEC 61511 for the process sector are setting are published internationally and incidents, especially those global benchmarks as good practices in Functional causing injury or death, make headline news. Recent safety . safety Regulators and the legal professions world inquiries into major incidents provide further support of wide are embracing these standards and using them to the increasing importance of international standards (IEC make judgements as to whether accepted good practice 61508 and IEC 61511) where such standards have been has been applied if negligence is suspected.

6 Ignore them used as a benchmark of what constitutes acceptable at your peril! good practice [3] [4]. Many management incentives are 3. ABB Value Paper Series Globalization The safety -related market is truly global and increasingly Striving to achieve recognition for organizational and based on international standards. Although companies individual Functional safety capabilities had to be seen as throughout the supply chain are establishing the capability both a positive and essential requirement for the business to ensure compliance with the relevant international as a whole. Also, in the light of many inaccurate and standards there are currently differences in the way IEC disputed claims (so-called claims to fame') relating to 61508 and IEC 61511 are being implemented. These compliance of safety -related products in the marketplace differences lead to a lack of cohesion in the supply chain it was necessary for the organization to establish an and increase the likelihood of contractual and project objective and irrefutable means of demonstrating disruption.

7 The interface between the supply chain and compliance and competence. The organization could the end user organization can sometimes be less than not afford to ignore the requirements IEC 61508 and ideal as end user organizations have been subjected to IEC 61511 standards and those of its customers who right-sizing, downsizing, restructuring and changes of increasingly specify them as a Functional safety benchmark ownership which makes it a challenge for them to retain and a contractual requirement. core competencies in an environment of rapid change. The additional bene ts to the business of achieving Organizational and certi cation included: personal competence Limiting the company's exposure to potential liabilities Proven competence at a company, department and Demonstrating due diligence individual level is increasingly seen as necessary to meet Implementing repeatable and cost effective safety contractual and regulatory requirements.

8 But which management systems (procedures, techniques, competency scheme is most appropriate and who should tools etc). it apply to? Reducing unnecessary and costly pre-contract discussions and evidence gathering (which actually What do the standards say about bene ts both the organization and its clients). competency and Functional safety ? Winning work cost effectively The following clauses relate to IEC 61508 Limiting effort (and cost) in developing so-called and IEC 61511 in respect of the Management of Functional bespoke project safety procedures safety . In the case study, the organization had to develop Gaining a competitive advantage and as a result a Functional safety management system (FSMS), centrally, securing more business in compliance with these clauses as an essential pre- requisite to achieving accredited certi cation. Putting the basics in place In the case study, the senior management of the The relevant clauses in these standards are: organization responded to the strategic objectives by 1.

9 IEC 61508 Part 1 clause states Those establishing an internal Company safety Authority (CSA). organizations or individuals that have overall The CSA was charged with the responsibility of ensuring responsibility for one or more phases of the that safety applications were implemented in accordance overall E/E/PES or software safety lifecycle shall, in with IEC61508 and IEC61511. respect of those phases for which they have overall responsibility, specify all management and technical The CSA was tasked with developing a set of core principles activities that are necessary to ensure that the for Functional safety and a program of work to achieve E/E/PES safety -related systems achieve and maintain accredited certi cation for the organization as a whole. the required Functional safety . These core principles endorsed by senior management are collectively referred to as Strategic Competency 2. IEC 61511 Part 1 clause states Persons, Principles'.

10 They de ne minimum requirements designed departments or organizations involved in safety life- to re ect a common purpose, shared beliefs and values cycle activities shall be competent to carry out the and a commitment to ( Functional ) safety within all the activities for which they are accountable relevant businesses. 4. ABB Value Paper Series The Strategic Competency Principles' are based on a management system against IEC 61508 and IEC61511 to multi-tiered approach to demonstrating Functional safety establish the scope of the task. (See section 6). capability, see Figure 1 below. At the highest level the organization had to demonstrate compliance to good b) Implement safety standards practice by the adoption of international standards IEC Following the gap assessment', specify and implement 61508 and IEC 61511. A key part of this demonstration a program of work to achieve accredited certi cation for was the strategic aim of achieving third party accredited each of the organization's integrator companies' Functional certi cation.