Tuesday 24 October, 14:00-17:30
Tutorial 3: Explaining the International Standard IEC 61508
Felix Redmill, Redmill Consultancy (UK)

The international standard, IEC 61508, addresses the functional safety of programmable safety-related systems. Even when it was in draft form - as IEC 1508 - it was greatly influential, and it defined the philosophy for many sector-specific safety standards. Now that it has been elevated to standard status, it is recognised internationally as the definitive statement on the safety management of software-based systems. Customers are already demanding that suppliers should conform to it.

As its principles are recognised to reflect current good practice, not only technical programmes but also legal frameworks will expect adherence to it. It is therefore of considerable importance and needs to be understood by suppliers, assessors, and operators of safety-related systems.

IEC 61508 is a 'meta standard', to be used as a basis of sector-specific standards, but where these do not yet exist, it is also intended for direct use. It defines the way in which we need to think and act towards safety throughout a system's life cycle.

This tutorial will explain what the standard is, what its objectives are, how it sets out to achieve its objectives, and how it will affect the way in which we manage safety. It will also explain the technical principles on which the standard is based, including:
o The safety lifecycle;
o Risk assessment;
o Safety integrity levels;
o Safety requirements and safety planning.

Finally, the implications of the standard on management will be explained, including the standard's requirements on document and safety assessment, and what is required to claim conformity with the standard.

The tutorial will be presented by Felix Redmill, who has run numerous courses on IEC 61508, both in-house and in public, in many countries. He has been invited by professional organisations and other bodies to give lectures and talks on the standard and its implications, and has provided consulting on it to industry.

This tutorial is for all persons who need or want an understanding of the standard, including general managers, project managers, safety and risk managers and assessors, software engineers, and others. No prior knowledge of the standard, or of risk assessment, is assumed.