Functional safety

TECHNICAL GUIDANCE TO ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE

Functional SafetyTechnical guidance to achieve and maintain compliance

Introduction

The new Electrical, Control and Instrumentation (EC&I) operational delivery guide produced by the Competent Authority (CA) provides the framework and approach that the CA follows for the inspection of EC&I systems at COMAH establishments. This guide specifies the benchmark standards, which are used to assess the management of risks by the Operators of COMAH sites.

The COMAH Regulations 1999 (Statutory Instrument No. 743)

Schedule 2 and Schedule 4 make specific reference to providing sufficient information to the CA in order to demonstrate that the requirements of the regulations have been complied with. This includes design, construction, operation and maintenance of equipment linked to major accident hazards. Failure to demonstrate this can lead to an improvement notice, a prohibition notice or prosecution.

The three priority topics for EC&I systems that are covered are:

• Functional Safety;

• Explosive Atmospheres;

• Electrical Power System Management.

This compliance guidance document explains how GSE Systems (GSE) can provide your business with a clear route to achieving and maintaining compliance on the topic of Functional Safety.

GSE approach to compliance

We can provide businesses with a systematic review and assessment in line with the appropriate standards to indicate where, if any, shortfalls in Functional Safety are apparent. This will form a comprehensive analysis of areas of improvement and we provide tangible recommendations and practical solutions to rectify any shortfalls. The flow chart (reproduced from BS EN 61511) is shown below and illustrates the clauses listed in the standard.

We have an excellent track record in providing this service to clients in numerous high hazard environments including major oil and gas and chemical site operators along with smaller manufacturing facilities. We provide a high level of competence via our skilled and Exida qualified Functional Safety engineers who have delivered highly technical safety solutions to clients across a range of sector groups. We can tailor our approach dependent upon the complexity and extents of your systems and support the prioritising of solutions to achieve a complete compliance implementation programme.

Who should be aware of this?

HS&E, Operational and Engineering Managers are accountable for COMAH compliance. This legislation and its compliance is the concern of those responsible for writing, contributing to and submitting COMAH Safety Reports.

Functional Safety covers all elements of design, installation, operation, maintenance and management of Instrumented safety systems.

Purpose and obligations

Compliance with the relevant standards for Functional Safety, in this case BS EN 61511 and EEMUA publication No.191, is a fundamental necessity in submitting a compliant Safety Report. Section 12 of the Safety Report Assessment Manual (SRAM) provides the assessment criteria used by the CA.

The standards apply to all installations built since their introduction and for installations prior to this date, the operator is responsible for producing plans to migrate to more modern (and inherently reliable) systems and be able to demonstrate that measures are in place to achieve this goal

These systems are required in order to minimise risk of major accidents and protect life. The systems covered involve:

• Basic Process Control Systems (BPCS);

• Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS);

• Alarm Systems.

Visit www.GSES.com/engineering for more information

Interested?

We would like to discuss your Functional Safety compliance needs further in order to provide appropriate support. Our philosophy is to discuss the details of your facilities and operations and with a full understanding of the extents and role(s) that your existing systems play in reducing risk and achieving compliance. We will propose a solution, which details where and how you can achieve and/or maintain compliance.

Management of functional safetyBS EN 61511 - Clauses 5 & 7

• Policy & procedure• Responsibilities• Competency of staff &

contractors• Planning• Verification• Audit & review

Requirement for new / modified plant• Process / plant design• Safety targets based on R2P2• Details of operational & technical resource

Safety requirements specificationBS EN 61511 - Clauses 8, 9 & 10

• Safety assessment e.g LOPA, calibrated risk graph• Safety functions defined and allocated to independent protection layers• Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) defined and Safety Integrity Level (SIL)

requirements allocated

DesignBS EN 61511 - Clause 11

• Unique safety function / system reference• Detailed design drawings (schematics, loops, power supply systems)• Technical information on all system components including reliability data

(manufacturers and/or proven in use_• Ex design information & certification (if applicable)• SIL demonstration calculations and proof test interval determination• Life cycle procedures developed (e.g. maintenance, inspection & testing)

Installation, commissioning & validationBS EN 61511 - Clauses 13, 14 & 15

• Factory acceptance test (if applicable)• Installation & commissioning documentation• Validation documentation demonstrating that systems have been fully tested, checked

& approved against the written safety requirements specification

System operation & maintenanceBS EN 61511 - Clause 16

• Staff / contractor competence training• Written proof test procedures reviewed against 428/2002• Systems & controls for the management of override• Evidence that proof tests are periodically inspected (may exclude Ex inspection

if applicable)• Periodic system review by conpetent person (e.g. review of proof testing interval)

System decommissioning BS EN 61511 - Clause 18

• Impact assessment & authorisation• Decommissioning procedure• Documentation advice

System modification BS EN 61511 - Clause 17

• Change handled under site MOC procedure

• Impact assessment & authorisation• Change fully verified &

documentation updated

Worldwide Locations

www.GSES.com | info@gses.com

About GSE Systems

GSE Systems, Inc. is a world leader in real-time high-fidelity simulation, providing a wide range of simulation, training and engineering solutions to the power and process industries. Its comprehensive and modular solutions help customers achieve performance excellence in design, training and operations. GSE’s products and services are tailored to meet specific client requirements such as scope, budget and timeline. The Company has over four decades of experience, more than 1,100 installations, and hundreds of customers in over 50 countries spanning the globe.

Information about GSE Systems is available at www.gses.com.

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