Counterfeit safety certifications discovered

Exida has found bogus certificates claiming devices are SIL-3 capable under IEC61508.

March 2, 2011

Counterfeit industrial equipment is a growing problem as unscrupulous manufacturers seek to cut costs while sacrificing quality and safety. In the same vein, exida, a test lab and certifier of automation equipment for use in safety instrumented systems, has discovered counterfeit certificates claiming exida certification to Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 3 capability of IEC 61508.

The company advises safety practitioners to consult the Safety Automation Equipment List (SAEL) to verify certification validity. The SAEL is a comprehensive directory of safety certified equipment assessed by accredited by a variety of certification bodies such as exida, TÜV Rheinland, TÜV Süd, and TÜV Nord.

Authentic certification helps process manufacturers design and implement safety instrumented systems that comply with the IEC 61511/ISA 84 functional safety standard, as required by law in some areas of the world. Authentic certification indicates that the product hardware and software design, the safety manual, as well as the processes used for development, testing, and quality control, comply with the requirements of the IEC 61508 international standard. 

exida – Functional Safety Services, IACS Cybersecurity, Alarm Management, IEC 61508 Certification

Also read Fight against counterfeit electrical products.

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Edited by Peter Welander, pwelander@cfemedia.com