BS EN 61508-5:2010

What is BS EN 61508-5 - Safety integrity levels of programmable electronic about?

BS EN 61508-5 is the fifth part of the BS EN 61508 multi-series. BS EN 61508-5 is a European standard that sets out a generic approach for all safety lifecycle activities for systems comprised of electrical and/or electronic and/or programmable electronic (E/E/PE) elements that are used to perform safety functions.

BS EN 61508-5 provides information on:

• The underlying concepts of risk and the relationship of risk to safety integrity
• A number of methods that will enable the safety integrity levels for the E/E/PE safety related systems to be determined

The method selected will depend upon the application sector and the specific circumstances

under consideration. Annexes C, D, E, F and G illustrate quantitative and qualitative approaches and have been simplified in order to illustrate the underlying principles. These annexes have been included to illustrate the general principles of a number of methods but do not provide a definitive account. Those intending to apply the methods indicated in these annexes should consult the source material referenced.

Note: For more information on the approaches illustrated in Annexes B, and E, see references [5] and [8] in the Bibliography. See also reference [6] in the Bibliography for a description of an additional approach.

Who is BS EN 61508-5 - Safety integrity levels of programmable electronic for?

BS EN 61508-5 on the safety integrity levels of programmable electronic is useful for:

• Safety engineers
• Manufacturers of electrical, electronic and programmable electronic safety devices
• Suppliers of electronic safety devices
• Regulatory bodies
• Occupational health and safety officers

Why should you use BS EN 61508-5 - Safety integrity levels of programmable electronic?

Systems comprised of electrical and/or electronic elements have been used for many years to perform safety functions in most application sectors. Computer-based systems (generically referred to as programmable electronic systems) are being used in all application sectors to perform non-safety functions and, increasingly, to perform safety functions. If computer system technology is to be effectively and safely exploited; it is essential that those responsible for making decisions have sufficient guidance on the safety aspects on which to make these decisions.

BS EN 61508-5 explains the objectives and requirements that should be taken into account when it comes to the management of functional safety. BS EN 61508-5 stipulates the determination of safety integrity levels for electrical, electronic, and programmable electronic safety devices.

BS EN 61508-5 covers the safety systems of electrical equipment and their components that could have an impact on the safety of people and the environment if they fail. BS EN 61508-5 also applies to protection and control systems and helps organizations identify hazards to improve overall equipment safety in the workplace.

Overall, BS EN 61508-5 defines the overall safety life cycle requirements such as hazard and risk analysis, maintenance planning, and verification before looking at the best practice assessments of functional safety.

A Commented Version (CMV) of this standard series is available here. Please note, the CMV of the standard is not adopted, and therefore doesn’t contain an additional national foreword, or national annex that might be contained in the BS adoption of the standard. However the IEC text that forms the content of the standard is identical to the BS adoption of the standard.

Commented Versions (CMVs) are specialized publications featuring detailed commentary from technical experts on the major changes between the new edition of a standard and the previous one. Comments may include an explanation for the changes as well as information on the impact of these changes on the application and usability of the standard.