Functional Safety Certification and Training Program

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Overview of functional safety

What is functional safety?

Functional safety is the part of a system or equipment that actively and automatically detects a potentially dangerous condition and responds to that input correctly to prevent or mitigate the hazard. Examples include sprinkler systems, overflow valves, circuit breakers and emergency stop switches.

UL Solutions Functional Safety Expert Certification

Invest in building your team’s excellence with functional safety training and certification services from UL Solutions, a global safety science leader.

Our UL Certified Functional Safety Certification programs provide an opportunity to learn about or deepen your team’s existing knowledge and skills in functional safety and achieve professional credentials in this space.

Current certifications are offered in the areas of general automotive, semiconductor, autonomous vehicles, machinery, industrial automation, cybersecurity and high tech. These include coverage for ISO 26262, ISO 21448, UL 4600, IEC 61511, IEC 61508, ISO 13849, ISO 25119, UL/IEC 60730, UL 1998, UL 991, SAE 3061, ISO 21434 and IEC 62443.

Functional safety for the process industry

IEC 61511

This three-day course provides a comprehensive overview of the IEC 61511:2016 and ANSI/ISA 61511:2018 standards for the process industry. Participants who complete all three days of training can take a two-hour certification exam on the morning of the fourth day. Those who pass the exam earn individual certification as a UL Certified Functional Safety Professional in IEC 61511 or UL-CFSP.

Full course outline and course schedule

Functional safety for automation

UL 4600

This 2.5-day course highlights modern-day autonomous robotics, industrial automation, sensors and semi-automated technologies and how they can apply to safety. The course focuses on UL 4600, the Standard for Evaluation of Autonomous Products, and includes information on related safety standards.

Full course outline and course schedule

Functional safety in the automotive industry

Automotive Certified Functional Safety Training to ISO 26262:2018

Software and hardware in electronic systems have become key differentiating factors in today’s automobile design and development. With the rising role of electronics in automobiles, functional safety has increasingly become a critical aspect of overall product design and development. The standard ISO 26262, Road Vehicles-Functional Safety, is a crucial compliance requirement in the automotive value chain. Our comprehensive course covers all requirements of ISO 26262:2018. Exercises and examples are used within the presentation to show how the requirements and concepts of the standard are applied.

Full course outline and course schedule

Cybersecurity — ISO/SAE 21434

Software and hardware in electronic systems have become key differentiating factors in today’s automobile design and development. With the rising role of electronics in automobiles, cybersecurity has increasingly become a critical aspect of overall product design and development. Our comprehensive course enables participants to gain a good understanding of security processes, related standards and their impacts on the automotive industry provided by a UL Solutions cybersecurity expert. Exercises and examples are used within the presentation to show how the requirements and concepts of various concepts and standards are applied.

Full course outline and course schedule

Functional safety training for electronics and semiconductors

Designing Safety Related Electronic Control Systems in Accordance with IEC 61508

This three-day technical training course will cover functional safety standards and concepts related to electronics and semiconductors. IEC 61508 serves as the base functional safety standard for various industries, including process, nuclear and machinery, among others. During the course, we will discuss how to design and develop a functional safety system in a way that provides the developer or manufacturer with the necessary confidence to rely on their functional safety related design work and, ultimately, to help fulfill the requirements necessary for standards certification of products or systems in accordance with IEC 61508 and derivative standards

Full course outline and course schedule

ISO 26262 Semiconductor Functional Safety Training

The training starts with an overview of ISO 26262:2018, followed by an in-depth discussion of all semiconductor key topics in ISO 26262-Part 11: Guidelines on application of ISO 26262 to semiconductors. Our expert instructors will describe functional safety for a wide range of semiconductor technologies and components including microcontrollers, analog and mixed-signal designs, programmable logic devices, memories and IPs. Functional safety analyses such as dependent failure analysis (DFA) and failure modes, effects and diagnostic analysis (FMEDA) are presented from a semiconductor viewpoint, including worked examples of DFA and FMEDA.

Full course outline and course schedule

Functional Safety for Earth Moving Machinery

ISO 19014

3-day course covers functional safety standards and concepts related to earth moving machinery. Applicable standards covered in this training include the EU Machinery Directive, ISO 19014:2018, Methodology to determine safety related parts of the control system and performance requirements. Participants who complete all three days of training are eligible to take the two-hour virtual certification exam. UL experts will cover such topics as hazard identification and risk assessment in accordance with ISO 12100:2010, Safety of Machinery – General principles for design – Risk assessment and risk reduction. Case studies on a range of topics, including motor drives and safety product lifecycles, will also be used to provide examples of how the requirements and concepts of the standards are applied.

Full course outline and course schedule

Functional Safety Training for Earth-Moving Machinery in Agricultural Tractor and Construction Control Systems Per ISO 25119, ISO 13849 and ISO 19014

This 4-day course will cover functional safety standards and concepts related to agricultural and construction earth-moving machinery. Applicable standards covered in this training include the EU Machinery Directive; ISO 19014:2018, Earth-Moving Machinery — Functional Safety — Part 1: Methodology to Determine Safety-Related Parts of the Control System and Performance Requirements; and ISO 25119:2018, Tractors and Machinery for Agriculture and Forestry — Safety-Related Parts of Control Systems. UL Solutions' experts will cover topics such as hazard identification and risk assessment per ISO 12100:2010, Safety of Machinery — General Principles for Design — Risk Assessment and Risk Reduction. Case studies on a range of topics, including motor drives and safety product life cycles, will also help provide examples of how the requirements and concepts of the standards apply.

Full course outline and course schedule

ISO 13849, IEC 62061, IEC 61800-5-2 and the EU Machinery Directive

This 2.5-day course is for engineers working on programmable machinery and control systems. The training course will cover functional safety standards and concepts related to the EU Machinery Directive, including ISO 13849, Safety of Machinery - Safety-Related Parts of Control Systems; IEC 61800-5-2, Adjustable Speed Electrical Power Drive Systems - Part 5-2: Safety Requirements - Functional; and IEC 62061, Safety of Machinery - Functional Safety of Safety-Related Electrical, Electronic and Programmable Electronic Control Systems.

Full course outline and course schedule

On-demand functional safety training for electronic controls

Functional safety plays a key role in hazard prevention, and offering training on a schedule that works for you represents an essential tenet of our mission. With UL Solutions’ online, on-demand functional safety training, you can invest in yourself, boost your career options with professional credentials and work on a schedule that fits your needs. This training course offers in-depth exposure to three industrial functional safety standards for electronic controls: UL 991, the Standard for Tests for Safety-Related Controls Employing Solid-State Devices; UL 1998, the Standard for Software in Programmable Components; and IEC/UL 60730-1 Annex H, the Standard for Automatic Electrical Controls.

Full course outline and course schedule

Benefits of functional safety

Functional safety is a critical part of the overall safety of a system or product that depends on the correct execution of specific commands and functions. As products and systems increasingly incorporate complex microelectronics and software and connect to the Internet of Things (IoT), a comprehensive understanding of functional safety is critical to access the global market, meet consumer expectations and protect brand reputation.

Why UL Solutions for functional safety certification

The UL Certified Functional Safety Certification program is designed to provide individuals an opportunity to set themselves apart with a credential focused on critical knowledge and skills in the area of functional safety. Individuals certified in this area possess demonstrated knowledge of industry practices as evidenced by the completion of several competencies. Certifications levels are:

• UL Certified Functional Safety Professional (UL-CFSP)
• UL Certified Functional Safety eXpert (UL-CFSX)

We are dedicated to helping you navigate the complex technical and regulatory challenges of today’s functional safety landscape.