This intensive, programme provides a comprehensive and highly practical introduction to Functional Safety for machinery and safety-related control systems.

Delegates explore the principles, standards and methodologies used to design, assess and validate safety-related parts of control systems, gaining a clear understanding of how Functional Safety contributes to machinery risk reduction and regulatory compliance. The course examines key standards including ISO 13849, IEC 62061 and IEC 61508, together with the concepts of Performance Level, reliability, diagnostic coverage, common cause failure, fault masking, verification and validation.

The programme combines structured tuition and facilitated discussion with practical workshops and worked examples. Delegates develop Functional Safety Design Specifications from risk assessments, evaluate safety-related control system architectures, estimate Performance Levels from circuit designs, and apply relevant European and International standards covering interlocking devices, emergency-stop systems, electrical safety and other protective measures.

Throughout the course, participants build the knowledge and practical skills needed to support CE/UKCA conformity assessment, demonstrate compliance with PUWER requirements, and successfully complete the theory and practical assessments leading to certification.

Key learning content

Throughout the programme, delegates develop a practical understanding of Functional Safety and its role in the machinery risk-reduction process. The course introduces the principal Functional Safety standards, including ISO 13849, IEC 62061 and IEC 61508, and explains how they are applied to safety-related parts of machine control systems.

The programme examines the key elements used to determine the integrity of safety functions, including component reliability, system architecture, diagnostic coverage and common cause failure. Delegates learn how to identify where Functional Safety principles should be applied, develop Functional Safety Design Specifications from design risk assessments, and understand the relationship between verification, validation and the wider Functional Safety lifecycle.

Practical application is a core theme throughout. Delegates analyse example safety-related control system architectures, estimate achievable Performance Levels, identify potential fault-masking issues and assess the effectiveness of diagnostic measures. Classroom exercises and worked examples reinforce the principles of designing and evaluating safety functions for machinery.

The course also explores the application of European and International standards relating to interlocking devices, emergency-stop systems, minimum access distances, electrical safety and other protective measures, linking these requirements to CE/UKCA conformity assessment and compliance with PUWER.

The programme combines structured tuition with practical workshops and assessment activities, culminating in theory and practical assessments that demonstrate competence and support achievement of the certificate.

Who is this course for?

This course is intended for engineers, designers, managers and technical personnel who are responsible for the specification, design, modification, assessment, validation or maintenance of machinery and safety-related control systems.

It is particularly relevant to:

• Machinery Design Engineers
• Electrical and Control Systems Engineers
• Automation, PLC and Systems Integrators
• Functional Safety Practitioners
• Machinery Safety Specialists
• Project Engineers and Engineering Managers
• Maintenance and Reliability Engineers
• Compliance, CE/UKCA and PUWER Assessors
• Health, Safety and Risk Management Professionals

The programme is suitable for individuals who need to understand how Functional Safety principles are applied in practice, how to determine and achieve the required Performance Level for safety functions, and how Functional Safety supports compliance with relevant European and International standards, CE/UKCA requirements and PUWER obligations.

While no prior Functional Safety qualification is required, delegates should ideally have a basic understanding of machinery, electrical control systems or machinery risk assessment.

Delivery format

The course is delivered across three consecutive days by seasoned machinery-safety practitioners and professionally qualified trainers.

The learning experience is intentionally immersive, combining visual aids, group discussion, real-world examples and structured, hands-on activities to embed understanding.

Delegates undertake both practical and theoretical assessments, including a multiple-choice exam, applied risk-assessment scenarios and a machinery-based hazard-identification exercise.

Those who successfully meet the required standard are awarded a certificate, demonstrating their competency and commitment to best-practice compliance.

Organisations may choose to book individual delegates onto a public programme or arrange a dedicated in-house course tailored to their machinery, projects and operational requirements.

Pricing options

• Public programme at ST&L’s venue: £1,250 per delegate (ex VAT), including lunch, snacks and hot drinks.
• In-house at your UK venue: £1,400 per delegate (ex VAT), minimum of 5 delegates.

The aims of this Functional Safety for Machinery Programme are to:

• Equip delegates with the knowledge, skills and confidence required to specify, design, evaluate and validate safety-related control systems using recognised Functional Safety principles and standards.
• Build a comprehensive understanding of the Functional Safety framework, including the requirements and application of ISO 13849, IEC 62061 and IEC 61508 within machinery safety.
• Strengthen delegates' ability to determine where Functional Safety should be applied as part of the machinery risk-reduction process and how safety functions contribute to achieving acceptable levels of risk.
• Develop practical competence in defining, assessing and documenting safety functions through the creation of Functional Safety Design Specifications derived from machine risk assessments.
• Ensure participants can confidently evaluate safety-related control system architectures, estimate Performance Levels, assess diagnostic coverage, and identify common design issues such as fault masking and common cause failure.
• Enable delegates to understand how Functional Safety supports CE/UKCA conformity assessment and compliance with PUWER and other applicable machinery safety requirements.

By the end of the course, delegates will be able to:

1. Identify the three most commonly used Functional Safety standards.
2. Explain where Functional Safety fits into the risk reduction process.
3. Determine which parts of the machine’s control system should use Functional Safety principles.
4. Describe the 4 major concepts which are part of the Functional Safety model (Component reliability, Architecture, Diagnostic Coverage and Common Cause Failure).
5. Differentiate between Validation and Verification for Functional Safety.
6. Explain the importance of a Functional Safety Design Specification.
7. Develop a Functional Safety Design Specification from a Design Risk Assessment.
8. Explain the concept of Fault Masking and identify methods for preventing it.
9. Analyse example safety-related control system circuits and estimate the achievable Performance Level (PL).
10. Interpret and apply relevant European and International standards relating to interlocking devices, emergency-stop systems, minimum access distances, electrical safety, and other protective measures associated with PUWER compliance.
11. Explain how Functional Safety supports CE/UKCA conformity assessment and compliance with the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER).
12. Demonstrate the knowledge and practical skills required to successfully complete the theory and practical assessments