Functional Safety and SIL for Operators
Operate with Confidence in a SIL Environment
AND Become the operator who understands the “why” behind FUNCTIONAL safety — and get certified for it.
Understand the Role of SIL in Operations — and Be Recognized for It
Functional safety in process industries doesn’t stop at design — it lives in daily operations. This course empowers plant operators with the real-world knowledge to confidently interact with Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) and support Safety Integrity Levels (SIL) during normal operations, start-ups, shutdowns, and emergencies.
Through engaging, practical examples and modules aligned with IEC 61511, you’ll learn how your role fits into the safety lifecycle, how to avoid common causes of failure, and how to operate within a safety framework without compromising performance or compliance. You’ll gain clarity on SIL, functional safety principles, layers of protection, and operation. maintenance and repair — and you’ll leave certified with a Risknowlogy Specialist Certificate that demonstrates your knowledge and commitment to safety.
Key Course Outcomes
By completing this training, you will:
Module 1 - Introduction to Functional Safety
What do deadly accidents in Seveso, Bhopal, and Texas City have in common? Functional safety failures.
In this first module, you’ll discover how safety systems are meant to protect people — and how operators are the last line of defense when things go wrong.
Key topics:
- Functional safety shows up in accidents
- What is safety?
- Occupational safety versus Process safety
- Layers of protection
- Safety instrumented systems and safety instrumented functions
- What is functional safety?
- Two important functional safety standards for operators
- Safety integrity level
- SIF failures, states and process states
- Random, common cause and systematic failures
Module 2 - Hazard and Risk Analysis
Can you recognize a hazardous situation before it becomes an accident?
This module gives you the tools to understand how risks are analyzed and reduced — and why knowing the cause is just as important as preventing the consequence.
Key topics:
- Hazard and hazardous situation/event
- What is risk?
- How often something happens?
- How bad are the consequences?
- From hazard to hazardous event
- What is tolerable risk?
- Putting it all together
- Many Hazard & Risk Analysis techniques exist
- HAZard and OPerability study - HAZOP
- Layers Of Protection Analysis - LOPA
- Risk and risk reduction
- Process owners need to manage their risks
- SIF Description
- Role of Operators
Module 3 - Functional Safety Management
Safety doesn’t just happen — it’s managed.
Learn how your work is verified, audited, and certified — and what the safety lifecycle demands from you as an operator in real working environments.
Key topics:
- Why manage safety?
- Functional Safety Management
- IEC 61511 safety lifecycle
- Need for a functional safety manager
- Competency of Operators
- How to proof competency
- Verification
- Validation
- Assessments
- Audits
- Assessment and audit stages
- The OMR phase requires an audit plan
- Tools are subject to audits
- Documentation
- Modifications
Module 4 - Planning the SIS
What makes a safety system “safe”? It starts with a plan — and ends with your actions.
This module explains how safety requirements are defined and what operators need to know about documentation, validation, and working with certified systems.
Key topics:
- Definition of the needs to achieve safety with SIS
- Safety requirements specification - SRS
- Safety requirements specification - End user
- Application program - safety requirement specification
- Planning for end users
- Functional safety plan
- Verification plan
- Validation plan
- Assessment plan
- Audit plan
- Requirements for suppliers
Module 5 - Safety instrumented system - Hardware
Redundancy, diversity, 1oo2, 2oo3 — what does it all mean for you?
Get hands-on insight into how hardware keeps the plant safe, and what to look for to keep it running the way it’s supposed to.
Key topics:
- De-energize versus energize
- Low demand, high demand, continuous mode
- Target failure measure (PFDavg, PFH)
- Subsystems
- Redundancy
- Diversity
- Voting - MooN
- Hardware fault tolerance - HFT
- Hardware fault tolerance for safe failures - HFTs
- HFT and HFTs in practice
- Equipment Type A and Type B
- Testing, Diagnostic tests,Proof tests
- Safe failure fraction - SFF
- Architectural constraints
- Route 1h and route 2h
- Proven in use, Prior use
Module 6 - Hardware Reliability - PFD
How likely is your safety function to fail when needed? And how can you help reduce that risk?
In this module, you’ll understand what failure probability means and how proof tests and operational practices influence the reliability of safety functions.
Key topics:
- Reliability analysis
- Example of simplified equations
- Simplified equations - practical matter
- Safety loop - PFD in motion
- PFD in graphics
Module 7 - Safety instrumented system - Software
You’ll learn how safety software behaves, what OMR actions apply to it, and why understanding the logic can make all the difference during abnormal conditions.
Key topics:
Module 8 - Role of certification
Not everything that’s SIL-certified is created equal. Do you know what you’re working with?
This module clears the confusion around certification and shows you how to use safety manuals, evaluate competence, and trust the systems you interact with.
Key points:
- Dilemma for end users
- Everything can be SIL certified
- Why use certified devices and/or solutions
- What does this mean for OMR professionals
- Safety Manual: The basis for your OMR work
- How to proof your competence
Module 9 - Operation, maintenance and repair of SIFs
From alarms and proof testing to bypasses and documentation, you’ll learn how to operate within the safety envelope and support compliance without second-guessing.
Key points:
- Operation, maintenance and repair (OMR)
- OMR plans
- Operation, maintenance, repair procedures
- Inspection
- Proof testing
- Bypass
- Repair
- Configuration management
- Operation, maintenance procedures - Training
- Alarm management
- Documentation
- Hidden modifications
Exercises
In this module, you’ll step into the real world by applying your new functional safety knowledge to your own company’s OMR procedures. These exercises are your bridge from theory to confident action.
Exam
Wrap up your training by taking the Risknowlogy Knowledge Certification exam. You’ll demonstrate your understanding of functional safety and SIL for Operators — and take the next step toward becoming a certified FS Operator.
KNowledge Certification
YOur certification options
ou can follow this training with or without certification. If you choose to take the exam, you’ll have the opportunity to earn the internationally respected Risknowlogy Specialist Certificate with the title FS Ops™— a credential that demonstrates your knowledge of functional safety and SIL in operations.
Role-Based Certification: There Is a Higher Level of Certification As Well.
This course prepares you for an advanced certification that goes beyond theory — it focuses on your practical experience as an operator working with SIL-rated safety instrumented functions (SIFs).
This Role-Based Certification is optional and available as a combo package alongside this training. If you’re not yet experienced, Risknowlogy will guide you toward gaining the experience you need.To qualify, you’ll need to:
Submit 2 real-world case studies.
Provide two references.
Interview.
The certification title depends on the number of hours you can prove. Based on this course, you can achieve Professional. But if you have enough hours also qualify as Expert or Master FS Operator.
Knowledge Certificate - FS Ops™
RISKNOWLOGY
Certified FS Ops™
RISKNOWLOGY
Certified FS Ops™
With DISTINCTION
Role Certificate - Certified Professional, Expert or Master Operator
Dr Michel Houtermans
Carlos M.
Before this training, I only followed procedures. Now I actually understand the safety systems behind them. I know what to do — and why.
Julia S.
The course helped me see how even small actions during startup or shutdown can impact SIL levels. That knowledge makes me feel much more responsible and confident in my job.
Amir R.
Dr. Houtermans made complex concepts easy to understand. I never thought I'd grasp things like SIF states or common cause failures — but now I do, and I even passed the exam!
John K.
We’ve been through safety audits before, but this time I actually understood what the auditors were asking. That alone was worth taking this course.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Self-Study, Live Online and In-Person
- Self-Study: Self-study refers to the process of learning independently without direct supervision or guidance from a teacher or instructor. In many instances we do have periodic live Q&A sessions.
- Live Online: During live online training participants attend live sessions conducted by an instructor or trainer through MS Teams or Zoom
- In-Person: During in-person training participants and trainers gather together physically in the same location for example your company office or a hotel.
Can I cancel and get a refund if I'm and not satisfied?
- The course comes with a 7 day money back guarantee.
- Exception: Once you have earned your Course Certificate, you are no longer eligible for a refund, even if you earn your Certificate within the 7 days refund period.
- You can request a refund up until 1 day before the training course starts.
- You can request a refund up until 7 days before the training course starts.
How, when and how long can I access the course material?
- Self-Study: A few days before or the day the training starts. You will have access to the course material for life. After the deadline you will not have access to exam material.
- Live Online: Before the training starts so you can print your material
- In-Person: Depends on the arrangement
How and when can I do the exam?
- Self-study: The exam is available at any time. You can do it as soon as you feel confident.
- Live Online: As soon as the course is finished
- In Person: As soon as the course is finished