Functional Safety

Defining functional safety in today's systems 

Functional safety is about reducing the risks of simple and complex systems, such that they function safely in the event there is an electrical or electronic malfunction. As more products incorporate complex microelectronics and software into their design, it is becoming increasingly challenging for quality and safety engineers to assess and implement functional safety at the system level. A few examples of this include:              

How UL Solutions helps shape the functional safety landscape

UL Solutions is dedicated to helping customers navigate the complex technical and regulatory challenges of today’s functional safety landscape. With our extensive certification expertise and holistic approach to safety engineering and assessment, we can help customers identify, specify and determine the functional safety of products and systems to key standards and ratings.

Solutions serving critical business needs

Functional Safety Certification and Training Program

Functional safety is critical in today’s interconnected world. Leverage our extensive certification and safety expertise to expand your company’s functional safety knowledge and skills and achieve certification at the professional or expert level.

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Automotive Functional Safety Services

Drive successful change with us through intelligent, proactive, cost-effective and functional safety services for the automotive industry. 

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Industrial Cybersecurity Solutions

Advisory, testing and certification services to help organizations manage cybersecurity risks and validate cybersecurity capabilities.

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Robotic Safety, Security and Performance

As industrial robotic machines interact more closely with personnel, our Robot Testing and Certification services can help create a safer workplace environment for you and your employees.

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Benefits of working with UL Solutions for automotive and industrial functional safety

Building on our safety science and engineering expertise in many different functional safety domains — including automation and machinery, signaling and alarm systems, medical devices, automotive, autonomous vehicles, lighting and appliances — we provide customers with a single global partner for all safety challenges and specific market needs.

Manufacturers, system integrators and suppliers around the world are able to take advantage of the full depth of our services, bundling traditional UL Solutions product safety investigations with our functional safety assessments for greater project efficiencies and speed to market.

Whatever the need or challenge, we can help determine the best assessment process for specific products, based on the reasons for conducting a functional safety assessment and/or a product’s intended use.

Some European directives require a functional safety evaluation of specific products. Trade unions and regulatory bodies such as the U.S. OSHA require or encourage a functional safety evaluation in addition to a traditional safety evaluation. Insurers also may require a functional safety evaluation before a customer installs equipment in a workplace and may provide discounted premiums to customers who use products that have been evaluated for functional safety. We are expertly qualified to help customers address these unique requirements and can help reinforce a point of differentiation in the marketplace through the use of the UL Mark, one of the most recognized symbols in the world.

UL Marks for functional safety are available as a global, U.S., Canadian and European designation. We are United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accredited and a Notified Body (NB) for the (EU) Machinery Directive. Our functional safety Marks puts the safety rating — such as the SIL or PL  — directly with our Marks, making it easier for users and interested parties to understand exactly what and how the product and/or function has been certified.

Expertise in functional safety standards: