IEC 61508-1-2010 PDF

Full title and description

St IEC 61508-1-2010 — Functional safety of electrical/electronic/programmable electronic safety-related systems — Part 1: General requirements. This part sets out the overall principles, safety‑lifecycle model and general requirements that apply where electrical/electronic/programmable electronic (E/E/PE) systems are used to carry out safety functions; it is the general, foundational volume of the IEC 61508 series.

Abstract

IEC 61508-1:2010 (second edition) defines the high‑level safety lifecycle, management arrangements, and requirements needed to specify, design, implement, verify and maintain E/E/PE safety‑related systems. It is intended to support product- and application‑sector standards and to provide a consistent approach where sector standards do not exist. The document replaces the 1998 edition and represents a technical revision of Part 1.

General information

• Status: Published — second edition (active international standard; basic safety publication).
• Publication date: 30 April 2010.
• Publisher: International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
• ICS / categories: 13.110; 25.040.40; 29.020.
• Edition / version: Edition 2.0 (2010).
• Number of pages: 127 (IEC published PDF paginated length).

Key bibliographic and lifecycle metadata as published by IEC.

Scope

Defines the applicability, normative references and general principles for the functional safety of E/E/PE safety‑related systems. Topics include the overall safety lifecycle from concept through decommissioning, requirements allocation between system and software/hardware elements, means to claim and demonstrate conformity, and the role of management and documentation in achieving functional safety. The part is deliberately generic to allow application across different industries and to underpin more specific sector standards.

Key topics and requirements

• Definition of the safety lifecycle (concept, hazard & risk assessment, specification, realisation, installation, operation, maintenance, modification, decommissioning).
• Requirements for demonstrating and claiming conformance to IEC 61508 (including evidence, documentation and assessment practices).
• Safety Integrity Levels (SIL) concept, allocation and use as a probabilistic target for safety function performance.
• Guidance on hardware and software requirements, systematic capability, common cause failures and diagnostic coverage principles.
• Verification and validation activities, including independent assessment and evidence generation.
• Configuration and change management, maintenance and modification controls across the safety lifecycle.

These topics summarise the major requirements and concepts introduced in Part 1.

Typical use and users

Used by functional safety engineers, system designers, software developers, certifying bodies, safety assessors, manufacturing organisations and end‑users across process industries, machinery, instrumentation, automation and other sectors where E/E/PE safety‑related systems are employed. Part 1 is commonly referenced when developing sector‑specific standards, preparing safety cases, or establishing organisational functional‑safety management systems.

Related standards

IEC 61508-1 is the base part of the IEC 61508 series; closely related parts include IEC 61508-2 through IEC 61508-7 (system and software functional requirements, definitions, supporting documents). Commonly referenced or application‑specific standards include IEC 61511 (process industry — safety instrumented systems), IEC 62061 and ISO 13849 (safety of machinery), and various industry sector standards that adopt or adapt IEC 61508 principles.

Keywords

Functional safety, E/E/PE, safety lifecycle, SIL, safety integrity, hazard and risk analysis, verification & validation, safety management, IEC 61508, safety‑related systems.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: IEC 61508-1:2010 is Part 1 of the IEC 61508 international standard series; it provides the general requirements and overarching principles for functional safety of electrical/electronic/programmable electronic safety‑related systems.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the safety lifecycle model, high‑level management and technical requirements to specify, realise, verify and maintain E/E/PE safety‑related systems, including the concept of Safety Integrity Levels and the types of evidence needed to claim conformance.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Functional safety practitioners (engineers, system architects, software developers), safety assessors and certification bodies, equipment manufacturers, system integrators and asset owners in sectors using safety‑related electronic systems.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: IEC 61508-1:2010 is the second edition published in 2010 and remains the established Part 1 edition published by IEC; committees have been developing a third edition (ED3) of IEC 61508‑1 in recent years, so users should check for ED3 publication or national adoptions when seeking the very latest normative text.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — IEC 61508 is a multi‑part international standard. Part 1 is the general requirements volume and is complemented by Parts 2–7, which cover system and software requirements, definitions and supporting material.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Functional safety; safety lifecycle; SIL; safety integrity; E/E/PE; verification and validation; safety management.