SIPI61508

Safety in the Process Industries
Guiding Principles to the Implementation of IEC-61508
SIPI NEWS

SIPI Project Final Workshop takes place in Budapest
April 04

SIPI has now successfully run twelve events across Europe and attracted in excess of 380 delegates. However, via its web-site, the SIPI community extends beyond the delegates to an audience of several thousand safety practitioners around the world.

Our final SIPI workshop was held in Budapest on 27th and 28th April, hosted by TLG member Bareng. It attracted fourteen attendees from petrochemical refineries, safety system manufacturers and integrators and representatives from a pharma company and local universities. A representative from the Hungarian Technical Authority (regulator) had planned to attend but unfortunately had to cancel at the last minute.

George Baraditz of Bareng provided the keynote presentation on experiences of applying IEC 61508 in the MOL refinery and many of the 'hidden issues' in implementation. This had been a learning curve for all concerned, from engineering contractor, vendor and end user. The key message was to identify roles and responsibilities, deliverables and use of appropriate methods and tools. In addition it was imperative to recognize that aside from the technical features of the standards companies must address 'safety culture'.

Soft -Computing based Qualitative Method for Determination of SILs, was presented by Dr. Istvan Ajtonyi from the University of Miskole. After discussing the fundamental differences in approach to qualitative and quantitative methods, Dr Ajtonyi explained in more detail risk graphs and 'Thoms' theory. In conclusion he expressed concerns on the lack of resource to translate the standard.

We were fortunate in securing a third presentation "Experiences in developing communication reliability management in Hungary" by George Baraditz Junior of CONTRORG. This covered implementation of safety communication networks on a recent project at the MOL refinery.

Whilst no questionnaires were completed in advance of the event, it was decided to have an open discussion on the points raised within the questionnaire. Standards awareness within Hungary is driven by the system manufactures. The absence of a Hungarian version is significantly hindering awareness and implementation. The oil and gas refinery sector is taking the lead in implementation, notably MOL, but they have to rely on external expertise. With the impending membership of the European Community organisations are developing strategies and compliance programs for EU Directives.

As a result of feedback from SIPI attendees at all the workshops and TLG members, a SIPI TLG Round Table event is planned during June, hosted by the EC in Brussels.

This event will provide the opportunity for all TLG members to meet to debate the broader issues:

  • What is acceptable industry practice in the area of standards and compliance with regulation?
  • What has changed since SIPI was formed?
  • Have we competent personnel to support our investment in modern technologies, now and in the future and where are they?
  • Are we minimising the cost of ownership and maximising the benefits of our safety related systems?
  • Have we a cohesive supply chain?
  • What should be done to continue and expand the SIPI community post July 2004, SIPI exploitation activities.

 

Approaches will be made to a number of organisations to open discussions concerning the exploitation of project results.