Is the ISA/ANSI 84.1 mandatory for projects within U.S.A, generally for refining projects and especially within the context of oil & gas pipeline/storage terminal projects? How about Canada - and what about EEC for the equivalent IEC 61508/61511 standards?

Is the Sarbanes-Oxley legislation likely to have an impact on the more widespread adoption of ANSI 84.1/IEC 61511?

Rgds

J. Zafar

 

The answer in the US is No. However, OSHA has recognized that ANSI/ISA 84.00.01 is recognized and generally accepted good engineering practice for meeting OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) regulation 1910.119 requirements (which are required to be met) for PSM requirements for safety instrumented systems (SIS). As a result, you must meet ANSI/ISA 84.00.01 or use an equivalent methodology for meeting PSM requirements. As a matter of practical course, ANSI/ISA 84.00.01 is industry practice for SIS and if you do not use 84, if called to question, the burden of proof is on you to justify your alternative methodology, and the standard you will be held to is ANSI/ISA 84.00.01. Please note also that if your process does not fall under PSM, OSHA has stated that ANSI/ISA 84.00.01 can still apply under the General Duty Clause of the OSHA regulations.

The OSHA letter can be found at: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=25164">http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=25164

In regards to IEC 61511, ANSI/ISA 84.00.01-2004 (mod 61511) is actually IEC 61511 with the addition of a grandfathering clause and change of references from 61511 to 84.

IEC 61508 is the IEC umbrella safety standard and is considered by ANSI/ISA 84.00.01/61511 to be a manufacturer's standard except for a few case where ANSI/ISA 84.00.01/61511 refers back to 61508 as an alternative or an equipment requirement or possibly an unusual case where 84 does not apply very well.

William (Bill) L. Mostia, Jr.