About The 61508 Association
The 61508 Association (T6A) is a group of companies with an interest in gaining the full benefits of the successful implementation of IEC 61508 and related standards. A principal aim is to promote the demonstration of compliance to these standards.
The four principles of membership:
01
Members recognise IEC 61508 and related standards as the benchmark for achieving functional safety and managing risks in a proportionate way.
02
When members apply IEC 61508 and related standards they do so properly in all respects relating to their role in the safety life cycle
03
Members demonstrate compliance with IEC 61508 and related standards by using a method which has integrity, transparency and consistency (for example, the CASS methodology).
04
Members participate actively in the work of the Association.
Who are we
Our members include end users, system integrators, manufacturers of sub-systems and components, consultants and certification bodies. Observers include the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as well as companies and individuals who are considering the advantages of membership.
You can follow us on LinkedIn.
What we do
The Association is run by the members through meetings and correspondence.
The 61508 Association is a networking organisation for functional safety related aspects. Our general meetings are used to deliver presentations, share knowledge and discuss issues.
At any one time there are a number of working groups (WGs) which report to the members through the general meetings. WGs are formed to develop industry guidance on specific topics as needs are identified. Each WG is given a brief to review with a specified scope and deliverable. Completed deliverables are typically presented at an Association meeting after which the WG is disbanded. Examples of the output from our WGs can found on our downloads page.
The Association can also run steering committees (SCs) and interest groups (IGs), as relevant, and also occasionally runs a T6A Symposium for the benefit of members.
The Association is also a nominating organisation for BSI GEL/65/1 and some of our members contribute to standards develop at the national and international level.
The 61508 Association Rules
Edition 10: 13.03.2024
The Association is operated under a set of rules agreed and voted on by the current members of the Association
Dedicated to helping our members
The Association welcomes members, involved with safety-related systems, of all competence levels. Membership can support the development of personnel and organisations.
As safety systems have become more complex so the need has grown to provide confidence that they will perform in the intended manner whenever they are called upon to do so. IEC 61508, provides a framework for all parties to work together to ensure that systems operate to the required level of integrity. Whether you are a specifier, designer, manufacturer, integrator, installer, operator or maintainer of safety systems, you need to find out how IEC 61508 and related standards can help.
Conformity assessment tools
With so much resting on the integrity of safety systems, there is a necessity to demonstrate compliance to the standard at every level, whether it be an organisation’s functional safety management, the safety system itself or the components that form the system. The Conformity Assessment of Safety-related Systems (CASS) scheme was originally set-up by industry for industry with backing from the UK Government to provide the tools for this purpose.
Association administration
- The general meetings of members appoint a chair and a treasurer who, together with a representative of each working group / steering committee, form the association management committee.
- This management committee is responsible for the implementation of the policies agreed by the members in general meeting.
- The coordinator provides the administration for the meetings, communications, membership applications and subscriptions.
- The costs of running the association are shared by the members and covered through an annual subscription.