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Safety planning
Planning of the activities that are required for achieving functional safety (FS) of the system, including verification and validation. -
Risk assessment
Systematic identification and evaluation of all risks and establishment of measures to be taken for adequate risk reduction. -
Assigning protection layers
Assigning the planned measures to individual protection levels and establishing the required SIL for safety functions. -
Functional safety management
Establishing a management system for controlling the safety lifecycle and for resource planning. -
Evaluating functional safety
Recurring assessment of whether the safety planning and functional safety management were applied correctly.
When planning, setting up, and operating safe process plants and machines, current directives and laws provide the framework to be observed. These standards reflect the minimum state of the art of technology that is to be adhered to. The IEC 61511 series of standards governs the application of the functional safety of systems in the process industry.
The planners, manufacturers, and operators of systems are just as responsible for implementation as the system integration department that implements functional safety. Amendments to the requirements require regular adjustment to verification documents, processes, and employee training. Modifications and integration of subunits into existing systems make continuous checks necessary.
Applications
The process industry deals with a wide range of potential hazards for humans, property, and the environment. To minimize these risks, operation and regulation functions maintain the process control engineering sequences. Systems are protected with integrated safety technology systems.
Emergency shutdown (ESD) Safe shutdown if there is danger
When emergency situations occur in process plants, the protection of people and the environment has highest priority. To minimize hazards, immediate shutdown of affected systems is required, among other things. In this case, the emergency shutdown system (ESD) intervenes.
Safe coupling relays from Phoenix Contact safely switch off affected applications in an emergency.
Fire and gas Switch on warning systems at an early stage
In addition to the emergency shutdown system, the process industry also requires a fire-and-gas system. If fire occurs or explosive gases escape, early warning of danger is necessary.
Safe coupling relays from Phoenix Contact safely switch on sirens and warning lights in an emergency.
Products
For functional safety applications in the process industry, Phoenix Contact offers a wide range of SIL-certified products, from safe coupling relays to safe controllers.
Standards and directives Requirements for designing protective functions in the process industry
There are special design guidelines with respect to functional safety when it comes to the fundamental requirements for safe operation of systems in the process industry. The internationally harmonized procedure for PCE safety equipment is described in IEC 61511. A significant part of this procedure is the safety lifecycle in conjunction with functional safety management. The individual phases of the procedure are highly interdependent and make it possible to bear in mind all requirements over the entire lifecycle of the safety equipment.
Safety lifecycle Information for planning, system integration, operation
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Specification of safety requirements
Specification of the requirements for the safety system including the safety functions. -
Validation planning
Planning of the necessary activities for checking the specified safety functions. -
Design and planning of the safety system
Detailed planning of the implementation of the safety requirements and the safety functions, validation of the safety integrity. -
Assembly and startup
Installation of the safety system and commissioning. -
Validation
Implementation of the function test based on the validation planing and providing evidence of adequate risk reduction in accordance with the risk assessment.
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Operation and modification
Maintenance of the functional safety during operation and in the event of system modifications -
Decommissioning
Deactivation and complete removal of safety functions that are no longer necessary