The Safety Critical Systems Handbook
A Straightforward Guide to Functional Safety
- 6th Edition - March 1, 2027
- Latest edition
- Authors: David J. Smith, Kenneth G. L. Simpson
- Language: English
"The Safety Critical Systems Handbook: A Straightforward Guide to Functional Safety, 6th edition" is a practical, fully updated guide to achieving safer technology in systems t… Read more
End of Summer Sale
Save up to 30% off
Bright savings for research, study, and discovery
Description
Description
"The Safety Critical Systems Handbook: A Straightforward Guide to Functional Safety, 6th edition" is a practical, fully updated guide to achieving safer technology in systems that protect workers and the public against injury and death, while also addressing environmental risk. Building on IEC 61508 and related guidance, this sixth edition incorporates the latest 2026 updates, including clarified scope for artificial intelligence (software technology class), expanded coverage of human factors and security, and strengthened requirements for competence and levels of independence in functional safety assurance. It introduces enhanced technical expectations including relocated semiconductor content, new requirements for diagnostic functions and common cause failures, and expanded guidance on software off-line support tools. For systems engineering, it incorporates and extends IEC TS 61508:2016 to support Systematic Capability SC3 and SC4, clarifies the difference between SIL (required) and SC (achieved), and strengthens software lifecycle management, traceability, and regression testing, including new guidance for data-driven systems.
Key features
Key features
• Provides the only comprehensive guide to IEC 61508 (updated for 2026) and 61511 (updated for 2016) that ensures engineers are compliant with the latest process safety systems design and operation standards
• Clarifies 2026 updates including requirements for AI, human factors, and security, plus enhanced expectations for competence and independence in safety assurance activities
• Extends software-focused guidance, introducing new requirements for diagnostic functions, common cause failures, software off-line support tools (SOFSTs), and strengthened lifecycle controls for achieving Systematic Capability (SC3/SC4)
• Presents a real-world approach that helps users interpret the standard, with new case studies and best practice design examples using revised standards
• Covers applications of the standard to device design
• Clarifies 2026 updates including requirements for AI, human factors, and security, plus enhanced expectations for competence and independence in safety assurance activities
• Extends software-focused guidance, introducing new requirements for diagnostic functions, common cause failures, software off-line support tools (SOFSTs), and strengthened lifecycle controls for achieving Systematic Capability (SC3/SC4)
• Presents a real-world approach that helps users interpret the standard, with new case studies and best practice design examples using revised standards
• Covers applications of the standard to device design
Readership
Readership
Chemical, Process, Plant, Oil and Gas, General Machinery and related systems safety engineers and students
Table of contents
Table of contents
Part A. The Concept of Safety Integrity
Chapter 1. The Meaning and Context of Safety Integrity Targets
Chapter 2. Meeting IEC 61508
Part 1
Chapter 3. Meeting IEC 61508
Part 2
Chapter 4. Meeting IEC 61508
Part 3
Chapter 5. Reliability Modeling Techniques
Chapter 6. Failure Rate and Mode Data
Chapter 7. Demonstrating and Certifying Conformance
Part B. Specific Industry Sectors
Chapter 8. Second Tier Documents—Process, Oil and Gas Industries
Chapter 9. Machinery Sector
Chapter 10. Other Industry Sectors
Part C. Case Studies in the Form of Exercises and Examples
Chapter 11. Pressure Control System (Exercise)
Chapter 12. Burner Control Assessment (Example)
Chapter 13. SIL Targeting—Some Practical Examples
Chapter 14. Hypothetical Rail Train Braking System (Example)
Chapter 15. Rotorcraft Accidents and Risk Assessment
Chapter 16. Hydroelectric Dam and Tidal Gates
Chapter 17. Cyber Security
Appendices
Appendix 1. Functional Safety Management
Appendix 2. Assessment Schedule
Appendix 3. BETAPLUS CCF Model, Scoring Criteria
Appendix 4. Assessing Safe Failure Fraction and Diagnostic Coverage
Appendix 5. Answers to Examples
Appendix 6. References
Appendix 7. Quality and Safety Plan
Appendix 8. Some Terms and Jargon of IEC 61508
Appendix 9. Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH)
Chapter 1. The Meaning and Context of Safety Integrity Targets
Chapter 2. Meeting IEC 61508
Part 1
Chapter 3. Meeting IEC 61508
Part 2
Chapter 4. Meeting IEC 61508
Part 3
Chapter 5. Reliability Modeling Techniques
Chapter 6. Failure Rate and Mode Data
Chapter 7. Demonstrating and Certifying Conformance
Part B. Specific Industry Sectors
Chapter 8. Second Tier Documents—Process, Oil and Gas Industries
Chapter 9. Machinery Sector
Chapter 10. Other Industry Sectors
Part C. Case Studies in the Form of Exercises and Examples
Chapter 11. Pressure Control System (Exercise)
Chapter 12. Burner Control Assessment (Example)
Chapter 13. SIL Targeting—Some Practical Examples
Chapter 14. Hypothetical Rail Train Braking System (Example)
Chapter 15. Rotorcraft Accidents and Risk Assessment
Chapter 16. Hydroelectric Dam and Tidal Gates
Chapter 17. Cyber Security
Appendices
Appendix 1. Functional Safety Management
Appendix 2. Assessment Schedule
Appendix 3. BETAPLUS CCF Model, Scoring Criteria
Appendix 4. Assessing Safe Failure Fraction and Diagnostic Coverage
Appendix 5. Answers to Examples
Appendix 6. References
Appendix 7. Quality and Safety Plan
Appendix 8. Some Terms and Jargon of IEC 61508
Appendix 9. Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH)
Product details
Product details
- Edition: 6
- Latest edition
- Published: March 1, 2027
- Language: English
About the authors
About the authors
DS
David J. Smith
Dr. David J. Smith is the Proprietor of Technis Consultancy. He has written numerous books on Reliability and Safety over the last 40 years. His FARADIP database has become widely used, and his other software packages are also used throughout the profession. His PhD thesis was on the subject of reliability prediction and common cause failure. He contributed to the first drafting of IEC 61508 and chairs the IGEM panel which produces SR/15 (the gas industry safety related guidance). David is past President of the Safety and Reliability Society.
Affiliations and expertise
Independent Consultant, Technis, Tonbridge, UKKS
Kenneth G. L. Simpson
Kenneth G. L. Simpson is Managing Director of Engineering Safety Consultants Ltd and has been associated with safety related systems design and also with their assessment for over 40 years. He is a member of both the IEC61508 and IEC61511 drafting committees and the IGEM (SR15) panel, which writes the gas industry guidance. Following a career in aerospace, Ken has spent over 35 years in the control and safety system industry, has written a number of papers on the topic and gives frequent lectures.
Affiliations and expertise
Independent Consultant, ESC, UK