ISALA Standards and Practices Safety-Related Subcommittee Mission Statement
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Paul Bodeau
Why Not Engineering

January 11, 2010

In my work with safety-related systems, I am questioned all the time about how to development safety-related system components to comply with IEC 61508. Even when I lecture on the subject, that only brings more questions. I believe that specific examples of how to comply with the various clauses and subclauses of IEC 61508 would answer these questions.

I am now working with the ISALA Board to establish an S&P subcommittee with the charter to develop a hypothetical safety-related system component and publish all the relevant work products required to support compliance to IEC 61508. These work products will be published on the ISALA.org website and my website for review and feedback by all.

This is a very ambitious project. I have elicited help from the ISA membership and the engineering community. A team of technical people have volunteered to participate in this endeavor. Training will be provided as necessary for the volunteers.

A mission statement is helpful to direct any team effort of this magnitude. Below, I will develop an argument for this effort and then provide a mission statement at the end of this document.

Problem

To educate the engineering community about IEC 61508, examples of the required compliance is very helpful. The problem is there are no public examples of a safety-related component development compliant to IEC 61508.

Supporting facts:

1. Pressure is increasing for industry to develop components used in safety-related system functions to IEC 61508.

2. Industry needs engineers with the competency required to develop hardware and software for safety-related components to IEC 61508.

3. Industry needs managers with the competency required to perform functional safety management for safety-related components to IEC 61508.

Solution

To solve this problem, I can lead a volunteer development team as an ISALA Standards and Practices Subcommittee in the development of a simple safety-related component compliant to IEC 61508.

Project products (outputs):

1. Industry will have an example of how a safety-related component is developed. This will include all the supporting documents and data required through the entire life cycle.

2. The engineering data will be published on the ISALA website and my website for all to see and make public comments.

3. The subcommittee will routinely publish project progress in the ISA Southwestern District Newsletters.

Collateral benefits

There will be benefits that are not specific goals to this project. Examples are:

1. ISALA will get world wide publicity. This could increase membership.

2. The membership will have the opportunity to participate to improve safety engineering competency.

3. The Cal Poly student section can use circuit and software implementation for senior projects and gain safety engineering competency.

Challenges

This project is extremely ambitious because:

1. The labor hours are many.

2. The human resources skills required to do the job are hard to find.

3. The longevity of the project requires dedication over a prolonged period of time.

4. Development equipment is undetermined.

5. Monetary requirements and sources are not yet determined.

Mission Statement

Provide industry with an example of the work products compliant to IEC 61508 for the development of a safety-related component.