Free Live Online =Method CPD Seminar with Q&A

Next date - 1st May 2025.

The =Method CPD Seminars are FREE to attend events presented by our specialist consultants.

At each 1-day Seminar we pick a series of topics that we think will be of interest and which can provide the basis for maintaining qualifications, such as the TUV Functional Safety and the =Method Hazard Study Leader, through CPD.

CPD Seminar - 8 CPD hours If you have an involvement or interest in the fields of Functional Safety, Process Safety and OT Cyber Security, then the CPD Seminar is for you. A healthy amount of time is dedicated to Q&A and the =Method team will do their best to answer your questions.

Agenda: 1st May 2025

Early hazard studies - Introducing the Early Stage Hazard Studies

Hazard studies 0 and 1 take place right at the start of a project and have four important functions:

Evaluating whether any changes can be made to make the process “inherently safer”
Identifying the main hazards present and the control measures that will be required
Understanding the key legislative and good practice requirements applicable to the project
Deciding which of the later stage hazard studies will be required

In this talk, David Sparkes, our Process Safety Technical Director will explain what these studies entail, and when and how to carry them out.

Presenter: David Sparkes
Start time: 09:30 am BST

When Should You Use Machinery Safety Instead of Functional Safety?

Machinery Safety (IEC62061 and ISO13849) and Functional Safety (IEC61511) are often considered as variations on the same theme and sometimes used interchangeably. This presentation will look at when both concepts should be used, and to what extent they can be used together.

Presenter: Simon Sheehan
Start time: 10:30 am BST

What's new in ISA TR84.00.09:2024 "Cybersecurity Related to the Safety Lifecycle

The International Society of Automation Technical Report TR84.00.09 “Cybersecurity Related to the Safety Lifecycle” was redrafted and issued in 2024. In this presentation Dr. Steve Essery of Method Cyber Security Ltd. will discuss the new content and changes made since the 2017 version of this useful guidance document for the integration of cyber security throughout the safety lifecycle.

Presenter: Steve Essery
Start time: 11:30 am BST

ALARP Explained (as simply as reasonably practicable)

"ALARP" is short for "as low as reasonably practicable". This involves weighing a risk against the trouble, time and money needed to control it. Thus, ALARP describes the level to which the HSE expect to see workplace risks controlled. However, how do you go about assessing whether you’ve met this requirement or not? In this talk, David Sparkes, our Process Safety Technical Director will attempt to explain ALARP and how it works, as simply as is reasonably practicable in a half hour webinar!

Presenter: David Sparkes
Start time: 01:00 pm BST

Functional Safety: More Than a PFD Calculation

Functional Safety design puts a lot of emphasis on the reliability of SIF’s and SIS’s via PFD average calculation, but in this presentation, the speaker will highlight some other steps of the lifecycle which are often overlooked, or poorly executed, sometimes negating the PFDavg/reliability of the SIF completely.

Presenter: Simon Sheehan
Start time: 02:00 pm BST

What’s happening with IEC 61511 Edition 3?

A review on progress on the development of IEC Edition 3, some thoughts on the likely changes and a review on how you can be involved in commenting on the draft standard.

Presenter: Dil Wetherill
Start time: 03:00 pm BST

Previous Agendas

October 2024 Agenda

Fundamentals of Process Safety Management The main elements required in a good process safety management system.
Lessons Learned: The Smiler ride roller coaster crash. First in a series exploring the lessons we can learn from previous incidents: lessons for chemical manufacturers from the Smiler ride roller coaster accident of 2015.
Functional Safety Assessments. Discussing common failings and non-compliances and identifying the potentially dangerous failures these represent.
Machinery Safety Devices. Issues that arise when using machinery safety certified devices in SIFs that should comply with IEC 61511.
Fundamentals of Cyber Security. The threat landscape is continually evolving and system complexity and inter-connectedness is increasing – so what should you do?
Prior Use. A review of a prior use project scrutinised by the regulator.

April 2024 Agenda

Taking the stress out of HSE Visits
What happens after a Functional Safety Assessment Stage 3
Don’t buy security vulnerabilities – Understanding Supply Chain Risk
PFD Calculation - The basics
What to ask your Design Contractor and your Systems Integrator
LOPA pitfalls

April 2023 Agenda

A review – 10 years of functional safety, process safety and OT Cyber security
Verification and Assessment – the value they add
Lessons learnt from HazOp studies
What do we typically find from an FSA 4?

Managing Legacy Systems

Senior Management’s role in Functional Safety
Operations staff and cyber security
A debate – “This house believes that you don’t need to do an FSA 1 if the HazOp and LOPA conclude no SIL”

April 2022 Agenda

Could the correct operation of a safeguard cause a new risk?
Co-ordinating Project, Process Safety and Functional Safety Lifecycles
Why Functional Safety works
If a system isn’t Cybersecure, you can’t rely on it to be safe
Managing Legacy Safety Instrumented Systems

Register your interest in our next CPD Seminar

The next CPD Seminar will be delivered on May 1st 2025. To register your interest in our seminar please enter your details on our Microsoft Teams registration page. Once registered we will review your information and then send you a confirmation with login details for the event. If you have any questions please contact us.

Delegate Rating 92.3%

Delegate feedback

"Very interesting and something that I've considered previously. "

"Well coordinated."

"Often, these topics require a degree of interpretation based on standards, good practices and interpretation. The team of METHOD experts highlighted the complexity and interactions among the various topics. "

"Very insightful and highlights the challenges of culture and management lack of awareness "

"Very well prepared speakers; open to share their knowledge and to answer to all raised questions "

"A really informative day given at a good pace, can see the genuine passion and intricate knowledge for Functional Safety from the presenters. "

"No highlights as such just great mixed topics and presented in a format to keep interest "

"I thought each talk managed to convey lots of information in a relatively short time. "

"Overall the learning experience was excellent"

"Overall the seminar was excellent"