The IEC61511 Standard is built around a safety lifecycle (SLC) to provide a consistent approach to risk identification and risk reduction, in accordance with a company’s tolerable risk, following best practices. By following the SLC it provides a means of achieving optimum design that balances risk reduction with performance.
What governs the SLC is Functional Safety Management (FSM), which requires a plan to be in place that defines how functional safety will be managed throughout the entire SLC. FSM requires that there be processes and procedures in place, that are monitored and audited, to facilitate FSM. It also requires a competency plan to be in place to ensure staff are properly trained and regularly assessed. This needs to happen at all levels within the company, with anyone involved in SLC activities and/or tasks.
Managers need to also be competent when it comes to managing SLC tasks and being responsible for personnel who are performing SLC tasks. Understanding the importance of performing preventative maintenance and mechanical integrity to maintain process safety is key; arbitrarily cutting expenditure on maintenance and proof testing could lead to serious incidents. Managers who don’t understand the ramifications and/or can justify why budget cuts were made could end up being held accountable and could be prosecuted. Deniable culpability will not be a defense.
This webinar will highlight the importance of understanding FSM and how FSM can be managed and maintained. Executives, Managers and Supervisors should be aware of this and understand the ramifications.
Steve Gandy joined exida as VP of Global Business Development, from Metso, bringing with him 35 years of experience of industrial controls and safety experience. He was responsible for sales and operations in Asia for Metso, setting up their India subsidiary and China energy and process team. Steve was also responsible for managing Metso’s VAR partners in the region, as well as developing new markets in Vietnam, Egypt, Indonesia, Ukraine and Guam.