IEC TR 61508-0-2005 PDF

Full title and description

St IEC TR 61508-0:2005 — Functional safety of electrical/electronic/programmable electronic safety-related systems — Part 0: Functional safety and IEC 61508. This Technical Report introduces the concept of functional safety, explains the role and structure of the IEC 61508 series, and provides guidance for reading and applying the first-edition IEC 61508 parts.

Abstract

IEC TR 61508-0:2005 is an introductory Technical Report that defines the basic concepts of functional safety for electrical, electronic and programmable electronic (E/E/PE) safety-related systems, and gives an overview of the IEC 61508 family of standards. It summarises the safety lifecycle approach, key terminology, the concept of Safety Integrity Levels (SIL), and the relationship between the TR and the normative parts of IEC 61508. The report is intended to be read alongside the first edition of the IEC 61508 series to help users understand scope, application and limitations of the standard set.

General information

• Status: Published — Technical Report (IEC TR).
• Publication date: 20 January 2005.
• Publisher: International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
• ICS / categories: 25.040.40; 29.020; 35.240.50 (industrial process measurement and control; electrical engineering in general; IT applications in industry).
• Edition / version: Edition 1.0 (2005).
• Number of pages: 33 pages (bilingual English/French layout).

Scope

This Technical Report provides an accessible introduction to the principles of functional safety as applied to E/E/PE safety-related systems and explains how the IEC 61508 series is organised. It sets out terminology, the safety lifecycle concept, and the role of safety functions and safety integrity levels. The TR clarifies the relationship between guidance and the normative requirements contained in the IEC 61508 parts and identifies the intended audience and applications. It is written to accompany the first-edition IEC 61508 parts and outlines limitations and prerequisites for correct application.

Key topics and requirements

• Introduction to functional safety: definitions, objectives and fundamental concepts.
• Overview of the IEC 61508 family: purpose and inter-relationships of parts in the series.
• Safety lifecycle concept: phases from concept and risk assessment through operation and decommissioning.
• Risk assessment and hazard analysis: role in deriving safety requirements.
• Safety Integrity Levels (SILs): concept, interpretation and role in specifying reliability targets for safety functions.
• Structure of safety-related systems: E/E/PE architectures, diagnostics and fault tolerance at a conceptual level.
• Guidance on normative references and how to use Part 0 together with IEC 61508 parts 1–7 (first edition).
• Limitations and application advice: emphasises that the TR complements the normative parts and is not a replacement for mandatory requirements.

Typical use and users

Part 0 is aimed at managers, system engineers, safety engineers, procurement and compliance personnel, certification bodies and others who need a clear introduction to functional safety and the structure of IEC 61508. It is particularly useful for organisations beginning work with functional safety, for training and for stakeholders who must understand high-level requirements and how the detailed parts of IEC 61508 fit together.

Related standards

Main related documents are the normative parts of IEC 61508 (Parts 1–7) covering general requirements, system and hardware requirements, software requirements, supporting processes and industry-specific guidance. Other related standards and documents commonly referenced alongside IEC 61508 include IEC Guide 104 (user guide-type material), IEC 61511 (process industry applications), IEC 62061 and ISO 13849 (machine safety), and subsequent consolidated/revised editions of IEC 61508 (later editions and technical reports that update guidance).

Keywords

functional safety; E/E/PE; safety-related systems; IEC 61508; safety lifecycle; Safety Integrity Level (SIL); hazard analysis; risk assessment; technical report; guidance.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: IEC TR 61508-0:2005 is a Technical Report (Part 0) that provides an introduction and guidance on functional safety and explains the structure and intent of the IEC 61508 standard family for E/E/PE safety-related systems.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers basic definitions and principles of functional safety, the safety lifecycle concept, an overview of the IEC 61508 parts, the role of SILs, and guidance on how to apply and interpret the IEC 61508 series (first edition).

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Safety engineers, system designers, project managers, compliance and certification personnel, and others needing an accessible orientation to IEC 61508 and functional safety concepts.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: IEC TR 61508-0:2005 was published to accompany the first-edition IEC 61508 parts. Over time the IEC 61508 family has been revised and other guidance documents have been published; users should check whether later editions or subsequent technical reports are applicable for their project. National adoptions or updates may also exist.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it is Part 0 of the IEC 61508 family. The series also includes Parts 1 through 7, which contain the normative requirements and detailed technical content for functional safety of E/E/PE systems.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Functional safety, E/E/PE, safety-related systems, safety lifecycle, Safety Integrity Level (SIL), IEC 61508, hazard analysis, risk assessment.