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Mokveld

Mokveld's certified safety management system

Mokveld, a global leader in advanced engineered valve systems selected DEKRA to audit and certify their Functional Safety Management (FSM) system. Safety is ingrained in Mokveld; from the product development phase through after sales. To demonstrate this, Mokveld implemented the FSM system in accordance with the requirements given in standards IEC 61508-1 chapter 6 and IEC 61511-1 chapter 5. DEKRA officially certified Mokveld as the first valve manufacturer in the world for providing critical safety systems up to safety level SIL3 with a Systematic Capability SC3/SC4 in June 2017. For many years, Mokveld had already been certified by an independent third party for their Quality, Health, Safety, and Environment (QHSE) system. Read our interview with Frank Spaas, QHSE Manager at Mokveld.

What was certified by DEKRA?

DEKRA certified Mokveld's Functional Safety Management system. This means that the functional safety quality management system of Mokveld's production site was assessed to the applicable requirements of IEC 61508-1 chapter 6 and IEC 61511-1 chapter 5. In addition, it meets the requirements to provide safe systems with a safety integrity level up to SIL 3 with a systematic capability up to SC3 or SC4. Surveillance of, for example, the production process is also part of this certification.
Mokveld designs and produces control and safety systems, such as high integrity pressure protection systems (HIPPS), surge relief systems, and other axial flow valve systems. A HIPPS, or surge relief system, is applied to prevent over-pressurization of a plant or pipeline. Mokveld's quality systems are in full compliance with ISO 9001 and API Q1 and have been audited and approved by all major gas companies, engineering contractors, and inspection authorities.
In addition, international safety standards require that manufacturers and integrators not only have a certified QHSE system but also a certified Functional Safety Management System. Frank Spaas, QHSE Manager at Mokveld, and responsible for the implementation and certification of the FSM system explains: "We aim to build trust and confidence with our customers through qualitative and reliable products and services. We want to understand our customers' requirements and exceed their expectations".

What are Mokveld's largest challenges in the market?

The sector in which Mokveld operates is highly dynamic. Oil prices remain at an all-time low, spurring innovative ideas in the oil and gas industry to maintain production quota. Reliability and safety remain crucial in production, as well as sustainability, guaranteeing a means of harvesting natural resources without damaging the environment. "It is our mission to deliver reliable and safe products for highly critical environments in which products need to be functionally safe in the case of unexpected situations", says Spaas. "With our Functional Safety Management certification we can ensure the safety and consistent quality in our products for our customers even better."

What are important trends in the market for Mokveld?

Frank: "Mokveld produces a range of axial flow valves for the oil and gas industry. By nature of design, the axial valve has unique benefits that make the valve specifically suitable for special and severe service applications as well as safety applications with very fast response times, such as the HIPPS or surge relief systems. The latest editions of international standards and our customers' latest requisitions indicate the need for a more integrated approach. In the past, it may have been sufficient to select components based on, for example, reliability data. However, today suppliers should guarantee that the design, engineering, integration, commissioning, and servicing is done in a structured and controlled manner. This applies to each component but even more for the integrator that supplies the system. The FSM certification is our answer to this trend.”

How did Mokveld experience the process of becoming certified?

Frank: "Technically, the certification process went smoothly. Prior to the first audits, DEKRA performed various GAP analyses to identify any outstanding items. Addressing some of these items, such as the training of all of Mokveld's involved personnel, was time consuming, but went well. Naturally, each project has its hiccups, which was no different for this one, but in the end both Mokveld and DEKRA managed to reach their goals."
"We were really looking for a party that was at the same frequency, so to speak, as Mokveld. We found that in DEKRA, with experts who were just as enthusiastic and involved as we are, trying to make the most out of this project. In addition we valued the accessibility of DEKRA's experts and the local as well as global assistance at any given time”, Frank adds.

How exactly will the certification for Functional Safety Management help Mokveld?

Frank: "With our certification for Functional Safety Management we can make our efforts in operational excellence and high quality products demonstrable to our customers. In addition, in the latest revision of the IEC 61511-1 standard, it has become mandatory for every supplier who claims a SIL level on a product to have a Functional Safety Management System in place. We now have 'proof' of our capability to deliver comprehensive, reliable, and high quality safety systems. It forces us to check and evaluate our internal processes, ensuring our people stay aware of the important of these kinds of safety systems.

About Mokveld

Mokveld, founded in 1922 in Gouda, the Netherlands, is a globally operating organization with more than 60 years of experience in developing and manufacturing engineered valve systems for critical control and safety applications. With a wide range of axial flow valves, Mokveld provides the oil and gas industry with customized products tailored to specific client needs, manufactured according to strict international quality standards. Mokveld employs more than 370 people worldwide, of which thirty functional safety engineers at all levels, with offices on every continent. The company's vision is that the world's growing demand for energy can be fulfilled in a sustainable manner.