Safety Integrity Level

QUICK GUIDE

SIL As a responsible manufacturer of pressure, differential pressure, level, temperature

Suitable and vacuum instruments, SOR Inc. has long recognized its accountability for the
reliability and integrity of its products. As processes become more intricate and
Switches
less tolerant, built-in safety features and rigorous in-house and third party testing
is legally and morally mandated. International and USA standards such as ANSI/
ISA 84 and other agency listings accompany most SOR® instruments as a part of
its continuing excellence program. Now the IEC 61508 Functional Safety Standard
has been added to this impressive offering.

SOR pressure, differential pressure, level, temperature and vacuum instruments

meet the rigorous, international Safety Integrity Level (SIL) standards. SIL
certification identifies all process hazards, estimates the risk of failure and
determines if a failure occurs, the product will “fail safely.” Every component in the
instrument must be examined and verified in light of this critical criteria in order to
comply with the SIL constraints.

Safety Instrumented The purpose of SIS is to maintain the safety of one or more Safety Instrumented
Systems (SIS) Functions (SIF). It is related to a specific hazardous event in which a process may
be compromised. Some SIF applications include:
• Shutdown in a hazardous process
• Open excess pressure relief valve
• On/off tank overflow control
• Add coolant to arrest exothermic runaway
• Automatic shutdown when manual control is not present or available
• Close a feed valve to prevent tank overflow
• Fire suppressant release
• Evacuation alarm alert

IEC 61508 Guidelines The International Electro Technical Commission (IEC) provides the standards
& Objectives for “Functional Safety of Electrical/Electronic/Programmable Electronic Safety
Related Systems”. Its aim is to provide design standards for SIS to an acceptable
level by following hardware and software safety life-cycle procedures and to
maintain detailed documentation. IEC 61508 is the international standard used
by safety equipment manufacturers to verify and document that their products are
suitable for use in SIL rated systems.

More information about IEC 61508 may be found at

www.iec.ch/functionalsafety/explained/

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 SIL Explained A Safety Integrity Level is determined via a procedure called Risk/Process Hazard
Analysis (PHA). It identifies all the hazards of a process and estimates the risks
inherently involved and determines if that risk is tolerable/acceptable. This safety
procedure must verify that each instrument utilized in the system (SIS) as well as
each instrument’s parts such as sensors, logic solvers and integral components will
work safely to achieve the Safety Instrumented Functions (SIF) in compliance with
the confines required by SIL.

For each instrument used within a SIS, the analysis team must concentrate their
evaluation on the design and performance of its Safety Failure Fraction (SFF)
and Probability of Failure on Demand (PFDavg). Every device in the SIF must
meet or surpass the safety standards in both categories required by SIL to achieve
SIL recognition.

SIL standards allow for a manufacturer’s proven, in-use data that demonstrates
reliability as well as fully assessed, third party analysis. Although SIL is a powerful,
peace-of-mind benefit, it is always the end-user’s responsibility to verify and
document all calculations for the entire SIS safety loop. All instruments/devices in
a SIF loop must work together to meet the SIL requirement.

4 SIL Levels SIL certification is a tool to measure the amount of risk reduction provided by a
Safety Instrumented Function. It assesses the tolerable/acceptable failure rate of
an individual device. This is important when installing or retrofitting an instrument
into a SIS. The SIL level number is based on the amount of risk reduction needed
to maintain an acceptable rate of failure. Each of the 4 levels of SIL represents an
order of magnitude of risk reduction – the higher the level, the greater the impact
a failure (and thereby, the lower the acceptable failure rate). SIL 4 has the highest
level of safety – Level 1 the lowest.

With the use of the Safe Failure Fraction and Probability of Failure on Demand
values calculated during the product design and evaluation, SIL levels are
determined using charts within the IEC 61508 standard. SOR evaluated their
switches with Type A and low demand constraints.

Safe Failure Fraction

Architectural constraints on Type A safety-related subsystems
Hardware Fault Tolerance*
Safe Failure Fraction
0 1 2
< 60% SIL1 SIL2 SIL3
< 60% - < 90% SIL2 SIL3 SIL4
* A hardware fault tolerance
90% - < 99% SIL3 SIL4 SIL4 of N means that N + 1 faults
could cause a loss of the
> 99% SIL3 SIL4 SIL4
safety function.
(Reference 61508-2 in the IEC Standards)

Probability of Failure on Demand

Target failure measures for a safety function operating in low demand mode of operation
Safety Low demand mode of operation
Integrity (Average probability of failure to perform
Level its design function on demand)
4 > 10-5 to < 10-4
3 > 10-4 to < 10-3
2 > 10-3 to < 10-2
1 > 10-2 to < 10-1
(Reference 61508-1 in the IEC Standards)

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 Assessing To determine the risk reduction needed in your process operation as required by
your SIL IEC 61508, a Failure Modes, Effects and Diagnostic Analysis (FMEDA) report
serves as a systematic tool to methodically asses the effects of all probable and
Level needs
known failure modes. The report includes on-line monitoring and error-checking
of SIS components. A FMEDA report aids you in evaluating the estimated failure
rates, failure modes and diagnostic capabilities of an instrument/device to fit your
process demands. It provides detailed circuit and performance data specific to the
instrument/device and its components.

SIL Levels SOR has the following SIL Level Certification on these Type A Device - Low
Demand Mode Use products.

Products Model SIL Level SFF* PFD*

Pressure Big Hermet, Mini Hermet 2 0.60 7.80E-05
Sub-Mini Hermet 2 0.60 7.80E-05
General Pressure, OMNI 2 0.60 7.80E-05
Dual Hi-Lo Pressure 2 0.60 7.80E-05
Adjustable Dead-band 2 0.60 7.80E-05
Pivot Seal 2 0.60 7.80E-05
Differential Opposed Piston DP 2 0.67 1.28E-04
Pressrure Series 20 DP 2 0.67 1.28E-04
Model 102/103 DP 2 0.67 1.28E-04
Model 101/121 DP 2 0.67 1.28E-04
Model 107 DP 2 0.67 1.28E-04
Temperature General Temperature 2 0.62 1.37E-04
Dual Hi-Lo Temperature 2 0.62 1.37E-04
Vacuum General Vacuum 2 0.64 6.85E-05
Large Level Model 700, 730 and 750 2 0.66 2.41E-04
Displacer Operated, Top-Insertion
Model 740 and 800 2 0.74 1.76E-04
Displacer Operated, Chambered
Model 300 2 0.62 1.89E-04
Float Operated, Top-Insertion
Model 100 and 200 2 0.72 1.89E-04
Float Operated, Chambered
Model 400 2 0.6 1.32E-04
Float Operated, Horizontal-Insertion
Model 108 and 208 2 0.71 1.32E-04
Float Operated, Horizontal Chambered
Small Level Model 1510 1 0.34 4.83E-06
Model 1550 1 0.34 4.83E-06
Model 1710 2 0.63 5.70E-05
Model 2210 2 0.63 5.71E-05
Flow Model 1520 1 0.50 4.83E-06
Model 900 - Vane Operated 2 0.72 7.46E-05
* SFF and PFD values noted are worst case for the product grouping listed above.
For calculated values applicable to a specific product, please visit sorinc.com.

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 The SOR Manufacturing integrity, rugged construction and reliability has long been the
Tradition of foundation of SOR pressure, differential pressure, level, temperature and vacuum
switches. It is what has made it the brand of choice for customers throughout the
Continuing
world for more than 60 years. Whether your instrumentation needs call for new or
Excellence replacement or primary or redundant switches, you can be confident in your choice
to go with SOR. The addition of the SIL rating just makes your decision easier.

To learn more about SOR instruments for the process industry, contact your local
SOR Representative or visit sorinc.com.

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