Safety in the Process Industries

Guiding Principles to the Implementation of IEC-61508

Successful SIPI Workshop held in UK
November 2002

This third workshop, held in London during November 2002, was hosted by The Department of Trade and Industry and the Safety Critical Systems Club and attended by thirty-two safety delegates.

Within the UK the HSE takes an active role, not only as a regulatory body but also in supporting research and development projects in the safety-related field (e.g. COTS. SOUP, Proof Testing, Legacy systems) and working closely with professional institutions (IEE) and trade associations.

The UK workshop was structured using its tried and tested generic programme model of invited speakers from the national regulatory body governing the process industry and a speaker from an organization steeped in implementing the standard combined with breakout and discussion groups. Rosie Jardine - HM Specialist Inspector of Health & Safety, from the Hazardous Installations Directorate represented the UK regulator, the Health & Safety Executive, and Ian Hitchin, Instrument and Electrical Services Manager from Kemira provided a major end user perspective.

Ray Browne, Assistant Director of the DTI, opened the event. The DTI have supported a number of strategic safety-related systems initiatives for many years and Ray added his and the departments support for the objectives of the SIPI project. Rosie Jardine's presentation covered feedback from HSE reviews of COMAH reports, the material available from HSE to assist organisations to develop COMAH safety reports, typical issues in implementing IEC 61508 on legacy systems and new projects, and also the HSE's approach to accredited certification schemes such as CASS. HSE have a Policy Statement on the 'Use of Conformity Assessment (CA) to promote Health and Safety', available via their website.

During the first day, five breakout groups discussed wide-ranging issues regarding implementation of IEC 61508 and compared each other's findings by way of a facilitated discussion forum. Common 'hot topic issues' included; access to a process industry-wide reliability data base, more industry case studies and sharing of implementation experiences, SIL determination, competency at individual and organizational level, availability and scope of current conformity assessment schemes.

The workshop was very fortunate to have a second speaker from the HSE, Simon Browne who has been closely involved in both the development of IEC 61508 and IEC 61511. Simon's presentation focused on progress with IEC 61511 and the differences between the two standards.

The first day concluded with a presentation from Graeme Parkin from NPL covering their DTI supported Validation of Measurement Software project This project focuses on measurement instruments with software content and project deliverables include a guide providing comprehensive audit checklists, all traceable to IEC 61508.

On day two, Ian Hitchen delivered the keynote presentation from Kemira. This provided an insight into Kemira's safety performance improvement programme and the use of IEC 61508 as a benchmark standard.

It would appear that the majority of UK companies are supporting IEC 61508 as the benchmark. HSE takes a very constructive and pragmatic view. HSE and industry have recognised that there are difficulties in adopting the standard where legacy systems are concerned, and as identified in previous workshops the collection, maintenance and validation of reliability data is presenting challenges for industry.

Finally, the UK IEC 61508 Association has agreed to actively liase with SIPI and provide technical articles and news related material. The SIPI web site will host the associations material.