Safety
protection, by its very nature, has to be simple by design, reliable and proven.
As does the fact that such safety considerations have been carried out and
that they have been correctly and thoroughly assessed.
AME
Automation can help in this assessment and in its documentation by
following simple, proven procedures as laid down in IEC 61511 and ISA.84.
1.
AME Automation
can provide valuable input at the concept stage of a system’s design or
modification and have been involved in numerous HAZOPS. Early involvement
ensures that the complete SIF scope is determined and assessed as failure
to capture and quantify all requirements may lead to costly delays,
re-evaluations or worse.
2.
Having
identified the required protective functions, the next stage is to
determine their required integrity level. In today’s commercial climate,
whist safety integrity (SIL) is paramount, Asset Integrity is often a
consideration, off which AME Automation are experienced in both.
3.
Having
identified the protective functions, AME Automation has the experience and
ability to design safety instrumentation and control systems to detect and
respond, taking evasive actions to protect personnel, plant and the
environment.
4.
An achieved
level of safety integrity is often claimed by equipment manufacturers, but
this is misleading. A Safety Integrity Level can only be claimed for the
entire Safety Instrumented Function, from sensor element, through logic
solver, to final element inclusive, and NOT for the devices themselves.
5.
Again AME
Automation is experienced in evaluating the actual Safety Integrity Level
attained by a loop’s design and its component parts including the clear
identification of assumptions and limitations.
