Functional Safety Training & Certification | 29th September – 4th October 2025

Course Overwiew:

This 5-day training program is designed to provide participants with comprehensive knowledge and practical skills related to functional safety within the process industry. The course emphasises the application of safety instrumented systems (SIS), following IEC 61511 standards, to ensure the protection of personnel, equipment, and the environment. Participants will learn to apply safety concepts across the lifecycle of SIS, integrating theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience to reinforce understanding.

Course Objectives:

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Understand the principles and lifecycle of functional safety in process industries.

2. Perform hazard and risk analyses and identify safety functions for process plants.

3. Design and implement robust safety instrumented systems compliant with relevant standards.

4. Apply practical techniques for the verification, validation, and maintenance of SIS.

5. Develop and review key documentation such as Safety Requirement Specifications (SRS).

6. Integrate hardware, software, and operational considerations for effective SIS management.

7. Evaluate and optimise proof testing and diagnostics to maintain high reliability and safety.

Target:

• Process safety engineers and managers.
• Instrumentation and control engineers.
• Maintenance personnel responsible for SIS operation and testing.
• HSE professionals seeking to enhance safety system knowledge.
• Project managers involved in functional safety lifecycle activities.
• System integrators and end-users implementing safety instrumented systems.

Day One: Basics of Functional Safety

• Introduction to functional safety.

• Accidents and functional safety concepts.

• Legal status and application areas.

• Layers of protection and safety instrumented systems.

• Failure types: random, common cause, and systematic.

• History and standards of functional safety.

• Overview of functional safety management and lifecycle.

• Documentation, implementation, and monitoring.

• Verification, validation, and modifications.

Day Two: Risk Analysis and Hardware Design

• Hazard and risk analysis fundamentals.

• Techniques for risk reduction: Risk graph, LOPA, FTA.

• Planning and implementing safety instrumented systems.

• Safety plans and Safety Requirement Specifications (SRS).

• Hardware concepts: de-energise vs energise, low and high demand modes.

• Reliability metrics: PFD, PFH, and hardware fault tolerance.

• Architectural constraints and failure avoidance measures.

Day Three: Software Design and Operational Practices

• Software lifecycle and integration with hardware.

• Software development languages and tools.

• Certification and proven-in-use reliability.

• Validation, operation, maintenance, and retrofit of SIS.

• Override procedures and decommissioning.

• Utilising reliability data for operational decision-making.

Day Four: Practical Application of Functional Safety

• Writing and reviewing SRS templates.

• Risk reduction techniques: Modified Risk Graph and LOPA.

• Developing and verifying Safety Instrumented Functions (SIF).

• Practical exercises in hardware and software validation using transmitters, logic solvers, and valves.

• Lifecycle techniques: verification, validation, and report preparation.

Day Five: Advanced Maintenance and Design Concepts

• Strategies for proof testing and maintenance.

• Diagnostic methods: valve diagnostics, partial and full valve stroke testing.

• Representing SIF in design and analysis workshops.

• Application of advanced concepts: multiple safety systems, combined BPCS/SIS designs.

• Case studies: reactor systems and separator vessels.

• Using IEC 61511 concepts for Fire and Gas Systems (FGS) design and integration.

Why Choose this Course?

This course offers a unique blend of theoretical and practical insights into functional safety. Participants will gain expertise in applying IEC 61511 standards to real-world scenarios, ensuring their ability to design, operate, and maintain safety instrumented systems effectively. With an emphasis on interactive sessions and case studies, the course prepares professionals to handle complex safety challenges confidently.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completing this course, participants will:

1. Understand functional safety principles and their practical application.

2. Execute effective hazard and risk analyses for process safety.

3. Develop, validate, and maintain safety instrumented systems throughout their lifecycle.

4. Optimise proof testing and diagnostics for sustained safety and reliability.

5. Apply advanced concepts to integrate multiple safety systems and ensure compliance with standards.