Filling Gaps in SIS Standards for Reliable, Cost Effective Safety Solutions

Automated Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) have evolved dramatically over the last 20 years becoming critical for mitigating risk and ensuring plant safety in the offshore and process industries. Data from HSE studies (see Figure 1) reveal that 44 percent of failures in safety shutdown control systems are due to insufficient specification. Studies such as this resulted in the development of new safety instrumented system standards ISA84.01/IEC61511 and IEC61508. However, these standards have left end users with little guidance on how to integrate and test these systems. Compliance has grown complex and costly for systems that are often the last line of defense in protecting personnel, the environment and nearby communities.