2021 04 Preso: Digitalisation of Dam Safety Critical Control Systems

Digitalisation of safety critical systems and what is acceptable reliability automated protection systems that fulfil dam safety critical functions are generally designed to reduce risk to As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP). The absence of an industry accepted standards based approach leaves the designer to apply engineering best practice and commonly accepted rules of thumb. The challenge is to quantify the risk reduction of a design while demonstrating that it reduces risk ALARP. IEC61511 – Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) for the process industry is an international standard that provides a framework for the entire lifecycle of a SIS. For a designer, this includes robust methods for assessing risk and assigning risk reduction targets/performance criteria to aid in design. Is it time for hydro to align the management of dam safety critical systems with an internationally recognised standard?

• Author: Steven Conlan
• Exchange: 2021 - Virtual Exchange Mercury
• Company: Meridian Energy
• Topic:
• Key Words: Dam, Dam Safety, Digitalisation, SIS, Safety, computerised