What is BS EN 61508-7 - Functional safety of electrical/electronic/ programmable electronic safety-related systems about?
BS EN 61508-7 is the seventh part of the multiple series that contains an overview of various safety techniques and measures relevant to IEC 61508-2 and IEC 61508-3.
IEC 61508-1, IEC 61598-2, IEC 61508-3, and IEC 61508-4 are basic safety publications, although this status does not apply in the context of low complexity E/E/PE safety-related systems (see 3.4.3 of IEC 61508-4). As basic safety publications, they are intended for use by technical committees in the preparation of standards in accordance with the principles contained in IEC Guide 104 and ISO/IEC Guide 51. IEC 61508-1, IEC 61508-2, IEC 61508-3, and IEC 61508-4 are also intended for use as stand-alone publications.
Note 1: The horizontal safety function of BS EN 61508-7 does not apply to medical equipment in compliance with the IEC 60601 series.
Note 2: The references should be considered as basic references to methods and tools or as examples, and may not represent the state of the art.
Note 3: One of the responsibilities of a technical committee is, wherever applicable, to make use of basic safety publications in the preparation of its publications. In BS EN 61508-7 the requirements, test methods, or test conditions of this basic safety publication will not apply unless specifically referred to or included in the publications prepared by those technical committees.
Who is BS EN 61508-7 - Functional safety of electrical/electronic/ programmable electronic safety-related systems for?
BS EN 61508-7 on the functional safety of electrical/electronic/ programmable electronic safety-related systems is useful for: 
- Safety engineers 
- Manufacturers of electrical, electronic, and programmable electronic safety devices 
- Suppliers of electronic safety devices 
- Regulatory bodies 
- Occupational health and safety officers 
Why should you use BS EN 61508-7 - Functional safety of electrical/electronic/ programmable electronic safety-related systems?
Computer-based systems (generically referred to as programmable electronic systems) are being used in all application sectors to perform non-safety functions and, increasingly, to perform safety functions. If computer system technology is to be effectively and safely exploited.
BS EN 61508-7 sets out a generic approach for all safety lifecycle activities for systems comprised of electrical and/or electronic and/or programmable electronic (E/E/PE) elements that are used to perform safety functions. This unified approach has been adopted in order that a rational and consistent technical policy be developed for all electrically-based safety-related systems. A major objective is to facilitate the development of product and application sector international standards based on the IEC 61508 series. This will help you to indicate the role that IEC 61508-7 plays in the achievement of functional safety for E/E/PE safety-related systems.
Overall, BS EN 61508-7 will help you to control failures in electromechanical components.
A Commented Version (CMV) of this standard series is available here. Please note, the CMV of the standard is not adopted, and therefore doesn’t contain an additional national foreword, or national annex that might be contained in the BS adoption of the standard. However the IEC text that forms the content of the standard is identical to the BS adoption of the standard.
Commented Versions (CMVs) are specialized publications featuring detailed commentary from technical experts on the major changes between the new edition of a standard and the previous one. Comments may include an explanation for the changes as well as information on the impact of these changes on the application and usability of the standard.
