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Introduction to Functional Safety of Control Systems
IEC/EN 62061 and EN ISO 13849-1 both cover safety-related electrical control systems. It is intended that they will eventually be combined into one standard with common terminology. Both standards produce the same results but use different methods. They are intended to provide users with an option to choose the one most suitable for their situation. A user can choose to use either standard and they are both harmonized under the European Machinery Directive.
The outputs of both standards are comparable levels of safety performance or integrity. The methodologies of each standard have differences that are appropriate for their intended users.
The methodology in IEC/EN 62061 is intended to allow for complex safety functionality which may be implemented by previously unconventional system architectures. The methodology of EN ISO 13849-1 is intended to provide a more direct and less complicated route for more conventional safety functionality implemented by conventional system architectures.
An important distinction between these two standards is the applicability to various technologies. IEC/EN 62061 is limited to electrical systems. EN ISO 13849-1 can be applied to pneumatic, hydraulic, mechanical as well as electrical systems.
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| Figure 118: System Design Flow Diagram |
Figure 118 provides a simplified flow chart to help the safety system designer determine which of these two standards to use.