February 20, 2011 - ABB announced that its Safety Execution Center (SEC) in San Luis Potosi, and Mexico City, Mexico, has been certified by TÜV as having in place and applying a Functional Safety Management System (FSMS) for delivery and implementation of safety system projects in accordance to international industry standards. These standards include IEC 61508 and IEC 61511 for integration and implementation of safety instrumented systems (SIS). ABB currently has more safety centers with TÜV certification for Functional Safety Management System (FSMS) delivery and implementation than any other supplier in the industry. These centers are located in every region of the world.
Thirteen of ABB’s Safety Execution Centers have been certified by TÜV Rheinland, one of the leading world specialists in the assessment and certification of organizations and products to safety standards. Ten additional SECs are currently working towards TÜV certification. ABB’s proven methodology for delivering safety systems meets international standards and best practices, and ensures consistent, flawless execution of these projects all over the world. In Mexico, ABB’s Oil and Gas business has implemented numerous safety systems for emergency shutdown (ESD) and Mitigation of Fire and Gas (F & G), primarily in refineries, marine terminals, drilling rigs and production for Cantarell field and KU-MALOOB-ZAAP in the Campeche Sond.
Interlock Systems were also implemented in ethylene oxide plants; the largest installed base is in the Cadereyta refinery with 20 emergency shutdown systems and 20 systems for Fire and Gas. “This certification is a great advantage for our customers when making decisions, by providing the assurance of a neutral certification organization that ABB develops and run their systems according the international standards”, said Daniel Galicia, Country Manager of ABB in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. "This is another example of the priority given by ABB to our customers when it comes to safety, services and products to ensure that safety in its plants and in its operations will never be compromised.”
TÜV certification recognizes that ABB’s functional safety management system complies with international standards and best practices for its products, engineering and project teams and installation methods. It meets all relevant sections of international standards IEC 61508 and IEC 61511 for integration and implementation of safety instrumented systems (SIS), including system configuration, application programming, test and front end safety consulting for specific industrial safety applications. ABB has been at the forefront of safety system development and delivery since 1979, when it commissioned the first emergency shut down system on the Statfjord B offshore oil platform in the North Sea.
ABB commemorated its 30 years of extensive safety experience in 2009; these solutions have protected literally generations of personnel and processes. ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 124,000 people.