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Book: Functional Safety for Managers
Functional Safety for Managers, What Managers Need to Know is a practical guide that clearly presents and explains the importance of Functional Safety Management, as well as having well defined Key Performance Indicators to track and manage performance. In particular, by: Developing Functional Safety Management (FSM) processes and procedures that…
Book: Implementing IEC 62443 - A Pragmatic Approach to Cybersecurity
All New 2nd Edition! How is the cybersecurity landscape for automation systems changing? How does the IEC 62443 cybersecurity standard apply to today’s automation systems? How can I improve cybersecurity for my organization without making my system inoperable? You can find the answers to these questions and more in Implementing…
Book: Final Elements in Safety Instrumented Systems
How are final control elements used in Safety Instrumented Systems? How do the IEC 61508 and IEC 61511 functional safety standards apply to these final control elements? The answers to these questions are in this book “Final Elements in Safety Instrumented Systems, IEC 61511 Compliant Systems and IEC 61508 Compliant…
Book: Safety Instrumented System Design: Techniques and Design Verification
This book provides an excellent description of the design phase of the SIS safety life cycle as defined in IEC 61511:2016. It focuses on the fundamental concepts, starting with a description of the entire safety life cycle process and then explaining how the design steps—from conceptual design through design verification—fit…
News Item: Now Back in Stock - Implementing IEC 62443 Cybersecurity
Implementing 62443 - A Pragmatic Approach to Cybersecurity is now back in stock for purchase on the exida online store ! Now updated to a Revised 2nd edition, the book contains an all-new preface to discuss how cybersecurity standards, regulations, and the cybersecurity landscape at large have changed since the…
Nirmal Industrial Controls Pvt. Ltd. - Slam Shut-Off Valve Series SH4 & SH4-2
IEC 61508 in the Safety Automation Equipment List
ABB - Secure Product Development Process for Distribution Solutions
IEC 62443-4-1 in the Security Automation Equipment List
Blog Entry: Bridging the Gap: Navigating the Harmonization of IEC 62443 and the EU Cyber Resilience Act.
An insider’s view… Written By: Mike Medoff, Co-chair of JT 62443-4-1 The clock is ticking for manufacturers selling products with digital elements into the European Union. By December 2027 , compliance with the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) becomes mandatory—meaning if your product doesn't meet these strict security laws, you won't…
Blog Entry: SEooC is No Longer About Safety (It’s About Liability and Blamethrowing)
I've worked in automotive all my life. I had the lucky chance to work for a large Tier 1 supplier of test and engineering services that happened to also act as the project manager for the original MISRA project. Even now, I'm still finding there is more to learn about…
Recorded Webinars: The Fundamentals of SIL Verification
Are you falling into the "Numbers Trap" in functional safety? Many practitioners mistakenly assume that meeting a PFDavg or PFH target automatically guarantees SIL compliance. However, a truly safe and compliant Safety Instrumented Function (SIF) requires much more than just a passing mathematical probability.
In this webinar, Steve Gandy breaks down the three mandatory performance criteria mandated by IEC 61511 and IEC 61508. He explores why the SIL achieved is only as strong as its weakest link, and how ignoring structural rules can lead to over-designed capital expenses or dangerous, hidden operational risks. Learn how to move beyond simple calculations toward a holistic, compliant, and defensible safety lifecycle!
Key Discussion Points
- The Three Barriers: A deep dive into the mandatory criteria for true compliance: Probabilistic Performance (PFDavg/PFH), Minimum Architectural Constraints (HFT), and Systematic Capability.
- Hardware Fault Tolerance (HFT): Navigating the complexities of Route 1H vs. Route 2H, and understanding how equipment selection directly impacts your redundancy requirements.
- The SIDA Requirements: How to ensure your SIF functions as a truly Independent Protection Layer by making it Specific, Independent, Dependable, and Auditable.
- Use of Realistic Failure Data: Crucial insights on how to verify that the failure rate data you are using in your calculations is both credible and realistic.
- Avoiding the Pitfalls: How to prevent costly nuisance trips and operational burdens through correct, comprehensive SIL Verification.
News Item: exida Symposium 2026: Functional Safety, Cybersecurity, and AI in the Process & Automation Industry
The Next Era of Trustworthy & Resilient Industrial Systems As AI-driven solutions enter safety-related and security-critical applications, the industry faces unprecedented challenges. Verification & Validation: Redefining how we prove system reliability. Robustness: Ensuring resilience against evolving digital threats. Lifecycle Management: Integrating cybersecurity requirements into established functional safety concepts. Why Attend?…
Blog Entry: SIL Verification - Beyond PFDavg / PFH
Have you ever heard people say, “I’ve met the PFDavg target, so I’ve met my SIL target?” It’s true that in low demand we need to meet the PFDavg (or PFH for High/Continuous mode) requirement for the Safety Instrumented Function (SIF) but this is just one of three requirements to…
Training Course: Alarm Management Operation and Maintenance
The course is structured around the operational and maintenance aspects of alarm systems. It begins with an introduction to Alarm Management, covering key concept. such as alarm rationalization, basic alarm design, HMI design, dynamic alarming, and designed alarm suppression. The course then delves deeply into operational and maintenance tasks, including…
News Item: Now Back in Stock - Practical SIL Target Selection Book
Practical SIL Target Selection - Risk Analysis per the IEC 61511 Safety Lifecycle is now back in stock and available for purchase through the exida online store ! This book is a must read for Process Safety Engineers, PHA and LOPA facilitators, and anybody active in the Analysis phase of…
Recorded Webinars: Introduction to OEMx
This video reviews the different modules of the OEMx tool talking about the key capabilities of each and how they fit into the Development process.
Yokogawa Electric Corporation - ICSS CENTUM and ProSafe-RS
IEC 62443, ISASecure in the Security Automation Equipment List
Blog Entry: Why PLCs Are Not Hardware Security Boxes Under the EU CRA
Introduction Under the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) , product classification drives the compliance path—including the depth of required evidence and whether conformity can be supplier-led or requires third-party involvement. This post explains why programmable logic controllers (PLCs) used in operational technology (OT) environments are generally not “ Hardware Security…
Recorded Webinars: When “worst-case” isn’t good enough: Why Your LOPA Might be Underestimating Risk
Overview: In process safety, many engineers default to the "worst-case" event as their sole design basis for a SIF during Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA). While this feels conservative, analyzing initiating events in isolation often ignores significant residual risk. If your LOPA doesn't account for the summation of all initiating events, you are likely underestimating your demand frequency—and potentially your required Safety Integrity Level (SIL).
In this webinar, Alejandro Esparza dives into how to handle multiple initiating events in LOPA. We will demonstrate how a "worst-case" analysis can miss up to 20% of the actual risk profile, leading to under-designed safety systems and inadequate testing intervals.
Key Takeaways:
- The Summation Secret: Why analyzing initiating events in isolation leads to inadequate SIL targets.
- Demand Mode Drift: How cumulative risk can push a SIF from "Low Demand" to "High Demand," fundamentally changing your maintenance requirements.
- Real-World Impact: A fired heater case study showcasing the 20% risk gap.
- Tooling for Accuracy: How to leverage safety lifecycle tools like exSILentia® to automate summation and ensure no risk is left uncounted.
Who Will Benefit? Process Safety Engineers, Control Systems Engineers, SIS Specialists, and Operations Managers responsible for IEC 61511 compliance and risk reduction.
Recorded Webinars: Quick FMEDA: Calculate Total Failure Rate & Useful Life in Minutes
Sometimes, the goal isn't a complex safety certification; it's a fast, accurate snapshot of product reliability. This video demonstrates a streamlined workflow within OEMx designed for engineers who need high-level reliability data fast.
Instead of painstakingly categorizing every failure mode into (safe vs dangerous, detected vs undetected), we show you how to simply include or exclude failures to reach your Total Failure Rate. You get the benefit of the world’s most comprehensive component database and automated failure data loading, allowing you to finish your analysis in a fraction of the time.
Key Takeaway: "Quick and Easy" doesn't mean "Inaccurate." By using the right tools (FMEDAx and exida Component Reliability Database), you can simplify the process without compromising the data.
Duration: 10:02
Recorded Webinars: Are Your SIS Performance Assumptions Realistic? Let’s Find Out!
Safety Instrumented Function (SIF) design is based on performance requirements. During design, assumptions concerning SIF equipment failure rates, SIF demand rates, proof test frequencies, mission time are made. These form the basis for the expected performance.
Are those assumptions realistic? Is the SIF really operating as assumed?
IEC 61511 expects users to periodically compare actual performance with assumed performance. How do we do that? What is needed to get statistically viable results from the collected data? How does the data apply? How do we make sure we avoid drawing unrealistic conclusions?
This presentation will look at answers to these questions.
Presented at the Hazards35 Process Safety Conference in Birmingham, UK (Nov 2025).