Functional Safety Experts

Both IEC61511 and IEC61508 demand that Functional Safety Management is demonstrated and this requirement is to be found in IEC61508 part 1 clause 6 and IEC61511 part 1 clause 5. The HSE guidance for Competency Management systems also requires Functional Safety Management. By contrast, the Functional Safety Expert does not exist anywhere in either standard and yet many companies are making the fundamental mistake of asking for what the standards do NOT require whilst failing to demand what the standards DO require. To have a functional safety expert can be appropriate and decided by your functional safety management. Any supplier you use should be able to demonstrate Functional Safety Management under the standard. Functional Safety Management requires that everyone involved in the project is competent and capable for their role in the project, not just the expert and not just the technician.

Functional Safety Management is what is required in the standard and the use of an expert may be included as a decision of that safety management. A Functional Safety Expert can NEVER be offered in lieu of Functional Safety Management.

The attached paper was presented at a conference in 2007.

Rowan House Ltd's work is covered by Functional Safety Management certified using the UKAS accreditted CASS scheme (certificate can be seen here ).

The Managing Director of Rowan House, Mr Clive de Salis, is an IChemE Registered Safety Professional and is a member of GEL65/1, the UK committee that writes both IEC61508 and IEC61511.