Cookie consent(s)
We use cookies on our website to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyze traffic to our website. Please click "ACCEPT ALL" to enable us to offer you the best possible experience on our website. By doing so, you consent to the processing and sharing of your information with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. You can revoke your consent at any time on the cookie settings page​.
Privacy statement

Functional Safety Consulting

Functional safety, reliability and compliance for your Safety Instrumented System (SIS)

In industrial operations, functional safety isn't just a box to tick; it's a strategic necessity. At DEKRA, we are your trusted partners in ensuring the reliability, compliance, and performance of your Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS). Our mission is crystal clear: safeguarding your people, the environment, and your facilities from potential hazards that can arise during operations. Neglecting functional safety can have far-reaching consequences, jeopardising lives, damaging the environment, and risking significant financial losses.

Safeguarding Operational Excellence

Our Functional Safety Consultancy takes a holistic approach to protect your operations. Functional safety is a strategic imperative, not just a requirement. DEKRA experts use various tools and methodologies to assess functional safety of your SIS. We identify hazards, determine Safety Integrity Levels (SILs), and perform SIL Verification, ensuring your system's resilience and effectiveness.

DEKRA's Approach to Functional Safety

We recognise that while safety standards are universal, each organisation is unique. Our approach is tailored to your specific needs. Here's how we do it:
  • Customised assessment procedures defining the scope, assessors, and FSA team participants.
  • Meticulous planning, adhering to IEC 61511 Part 1.
  • Thorough review of the safety life cycle phases.
  • Detailed checklists and support tools for comprehensive assessments.
  • FSA completion after equipment installation, SIS validation, and before process equipment startup.
  • Results presented in a comprehensive report, including actionable recommendations.
Unlocking the essence of safety begins with a journey guided by precision and tailored expertise. Our Customised Functional Safety Assessment (FSA) Process comprises four critical steps, each meticulously designed to safeguard your operations and ensure compliance with the highest safety standards. Step by step, we walk the path of safety, bringing you peace of mind in every phase.
Our experts base their assessments on the guidelines provided by international standards such as IEC 61508/61511 to determine the required reliability of Safety Instrumented Functions (SIFs) and to ensure that SIFs are designed and operated correctly. These guidelines include the following:
  • Classification / Determination / Assessment: To determine the SIL for each SIF, several semi quantitative methodologies can be used. A risk-based review of the protection systems using Layers Of Protection Analysis (LOPA) or a Risk Graph methodology is recommended. The SIL is determined based on the semi-quantitative estimation of the frequency of the initiating event, and the severity of the hazardous scenario, as well as the effective Independent Protection Layers (IPLs).
  • Verification: A SIL verification assessment is typically carried out after a SIL determination study to review if the design of the SIF achieves the safety requirements and the required SIL. During this phase, the technology and architecture are defined and it requires a calculation of the SIL. The evaluation of a SIF involves the analysis of the reliability and the architecture of the SIS according to the standards.
  • Validation: Validation procedures should provide assurance that the safety requirements specifications of the SIS have been met and that any recommendations from earlier verification activities and reviews have been satisfactorily addressed.
Why choose DEKRA?