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Blog Entry: Back in the Old Days
Some time ago, I was involved with embedded software projects using microprocessors that had limited memory, speed, and I/O resources. All embedded programming was in assembly code. All memory variables were global; it was too hard to keep track of stack variables. The hardware design assumed that any technical problems…
White Paper: Integrating Cybersecurity Risk Assessments Into the Process Safety Management Work Process
Cybersecurity is rapidly becoming something the process safety can no longer ignore. It is part of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS). In addition, the President’s Executive Order 13636– “Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity,” has drawn attention to the need for addressing cybersecurity in our plants as it has been demonstrated…
News Item: exida Announces 2015 Safety Awards
exida, the world’s foremost technical authority and certification agency, is pleased to announce its 2015 exida Safety Awards. The awards are meant to honor the most outstanding functional safety or cybersecurity products certified by exida per IEC 61508/IEC 62443 in the following categories: Components Final Elements Logic Solvers Sensors Software…
Blog Entry: Getting Realistic Failure Rate Data - Part 6
Over the course of several blogs , I talked about getting realistic failure rate data, where this failure data comes from, and how different methods of failure data analysis compare. I think if you understand this, you will begin to get a very good feel of what it takes to…
Blog Entry: Building a Foundation for an IEC 61508 Development Process
There are organizations that are small enough to follow an informal or even undocumented process and still produce a product of sufficient quality to meet market needs. When these organizations attempt to develop a safety product, they inevitably fall short of meeting the requirements of IEC 61508. A formalized process…
Recorded Webinars: Determining Acceptable Failure Rates for Use in Safety Critical Calculations
As more industries, customers, and regulatory bodies are requiring the adherence to the functional safety standards, the need for failure information for instruments and devices is increasing. Unfortunately with this increased demand there has been an increase in the number of self-certifications and third party certifications that provide failure information that is outside typical industry norms and leads to serious under design of safety functions. This webinar will review the sources of data and provide practical guidance on how to determine if the data you have would pass the “red face” test.
News Item: EXIDA RELEASES SAFETY EQUIPMENT RELIABLITY HANDBOOK (SERH) - 4th EDITION
exida, a global supplier of functional safety products, services, and certifications has released their Safety Equipment Reliability Handbook (SERH) – 4th Edition, a hard copy of the SERH database with a vast amount of equipment item reliability data. The SERH database provides a collection of failure rate data that is…
News Item: EXIDA ANNOUNCES BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP WITH VISTA AUTOMACAO
exida, a global supplier of functional safety products, services and certifications is pleased to announce a business partnership with Vista Automacao. “Vista Automacao is a service company that strives to provide exceptional services, adding value to the end user in a field where there are few truly qualified players,” says…
Detector Electronics Corp. - Heat Detector Model HD
IEC 61508 in the Safety Automation Equipment List
Honeywell - SLG700 SmartLine Guided Wave Radar Level Transmitter with HART®
IEC 61508 in the Safety Automation Equipment List
Blog Entry: Getting Realistic Failure Rate Data - Part 5
Over the course of several blogs , I will talk about getting realistic failure rate data, where this failure data comes from, and how different methods of failure data analysis compare. I think if you understand this, you will begin to get a very good feel of what it takes…
News Item: Alarm Rationalization with SILAlarm Course to be Held in Calgary
The exida course “Alarm Rationalization with SILAlarm” is scheduled to be held on September 9-10, 2015 in Calgary, AB Canada. Attendees will learn how to conduct alarm rationalization of greenfield (new) or brownfield (existing) applications in order to optimize performance of their alarm systems. The class immerses participants in discussion…
Recorded Webinars: exida Automation Cybersecurity (ACS) Certificate Program
This webinar will introduce and discuss the exida Automation Cybersecurity (ACS) program. This is a certificate program that addresses a growing need to provide confirmation that an attendee showed competency by retaining the knowledge presented in a training course. The ACS program will also provide an analysis of where the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses lie. This program will also help a participant judge their competency level if interested in obtaining a certification like the Certified Automation Cybersecurity Expert (CACE) or Certified Automation Cybersecurity Specialist (CACS).
Blog Entry: I Did Not Lock the Car Door
I was driving one of exida’s top risk experts from Europe to a business meeting. We parked and I locked the car door. He commented “I noticed you did not lock the car door when you parked at the exida office.” He was right. In an area I do not…
Blog Entry: Getting Realistic Failure Rate Data - Part 4
Over the course of several blogs , I will talk about getting realistic failure rate data, where this failure data comes from, and how different methods of failure data analysis compare. I think if you understand this, you will begin to get a very good feel of what it takes…
Blog Entry: That Could Never Happen! What are the Odds?
I often walk through my quiet neighborhood streets on weekday evenings or weekend mornings. These are the times when I don’t expect much traffic, and my expectations are usually met. The probability of a dangerous event that would injure me seems pretty low (risk assessment), since I am usually on…
Recorded Webinars: Designing a Useful and Effective Proof Test: Part 2
A continuation of the “Designing a Useful and Effective Proof Test,” this webinar will look at how to handle final elements that are made up of several distinct devices. We will review functional failure modes by device and provide a methodology on how to determine the overall proof test effectiveness when multiple devices are used. The webinar will also map failure modes from components, to devices, and elements to illustrate how accurate proof test coverage values can be determined.
Blog Entry: Can Wireless be used in Functional Safety?
exida just completed certification of a new sensor product that uses wireless communication to signal a safety logic solver of a potential problem. Shortly after the certificate was posted , a challenge arose: “How can wireless be used for safety?” Well, it is different. A designer must be fully aware…
Blog Entry: Performing a Cybersecurity Risk Assessment as a Component of the PHA
There are three main components of the safety lifecycle : analysis, realization, and operation. We will be taking a look at the analysis phase, particularly related to the cyber industry. To start, the first thing to do in both safety and security is do a detailed process, hazard and risk…
Woodward Industrial Controls - DVP5000 / DVP10000
IEC 61508 in the Safety Automation Equipment List