IEC 61508 Insights

What is IEC 61508?

IEC 61508 is an international standard for 'Functional Safety of Electrical/Electronic/Programmable Electronic (E/E/PE) Safety-related Systems'. It provides a framework for developing safety-related systems where safety functions are implemented using electrical, electronic, or programmable electronic components. It's widely used across various industries, including automotive, industrial automation, and process control, to ensure the safety of equipment and processes by minimizing the risk of hazards.

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What other technologies are related to IEC 61508?

IEC 61508 Competitor Technologies

ISO 13849

ISO 13849 is a standard for safety-related parts of control systems, especially for machinery. It is a competitor because it offers an alternative framework for achieving safety in machinery applications, while IEC 61508 is more general.

mentioned alongside IEC 61508 in 55% (526) of relevant job posts

ISO 26262

ISO 26262 is the adaptation of IEC 61508 for automotive applications. It's a competitor as it provides a specific framework for automotive safety, while IEC 61508 can also be used in automotive.

mentioned alongside IEC 61508 in 17% (1.6k) of relevant job posts

IEC 61511

IEC 61511 is a sector-specific standard for functional safety in the process industry. While based on IEC 61508, it is a competitor since it provides a tailored framework for the process industry.

mentioned alongside IEC 61508 in 45% (407) of relevant job posts

IEC 62061

IEC 62061 is a standard for safety-related electrical, electronic, and programmable electronic control systems for machinery. It serves as a competitor to IEC 61508 because it addresses functional safety for machinery.

mentioned alongside IEC 61508 in 66% (204) of relevant job posts

ISO 25119

ISO 25119 deals with functional safety for agricultural and forestry tractors and machinery. It's a competitor as it provides a framework for agricultural machinery.

mentioned alongside IEC 61508 in 41% (90) of relevant job posts

EN 50128

EN 50128 is a standard for railway applications – communication, signaling and processing systems – software for railway control and protection systems. It serves a similar purpose to IEC 61508 but is specific to railway applications, making it a competitor.

mentioned alongside IEC 61508 in 22% (115) of relevant job posts

DO-178B

DO-178B is a standard for software considerations in airborne systems and equipment certification. It serves as a competitor for aviation-related applications.

mentioned alongside IEC 61508 in 17% (74) of relevant job posts

DO-178C

DO-178C is a standard for software considerations in airborne systems and equipment certification. It is an updated version of DO-178B, and serves as a competitor for aviation-related applications.

mentioned alongside IEC 61508 in 7% (147) of relevant job posts

IEC 61508 Complementary Technologies

FTA

Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) is a top-down deductive failure analysis used to determine how failures can occur at the system level. It complements IEC 61508 by providing a method to identify and analyze potential hazards.

mentioned alongside IEC 61508 in 9% (457) of relevant job posts

FMEDA

Failure Modes, Effects, and Diagnostic Analysis (FMEDA) is a systematic analysis technique to identify failure modes and their effects, along with diagnostic coverage. It complements IEC 61508 by providing a method for quantitative assessment of safety integrity.

mentioned alongside IEC 61508 in 17% (216) of relevant job posts

HARA

Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment (HARA) is a process for identifying hazards and assessing their risks. It complements IEC 61508 by providing a structured way to identify the hazards that the safety lifecycle needs to address.

mentioned alongside IEC 61508 in 21% (144) of relevant job posts