Intertek helps manufacturers, integrators, and product teams design, assess, and document safety-related systems with clear, certification-ready deliverables aligned to globally recognized functional safety standards.
Intertek’s consulting for functional safety consulting services help manufacturers, integrators, and product teams manage risk and demonstrate compliance across the full safety lifecycle. Built on decades of real‑world experience, our consultants support the design, assessment, and documentation of safety‑related systems for machinery, industrial automation, embedded controls, and process applications. We work across globally recognized standards, including IEC 61508, ISO 13849, IEC 62061, IEC 60730, and others, to translate complex requirements into clear, actionable, and certification‑ready deliverables.
Our consulting engagements are structured to integrate seamlessly with your development process, from early hazard analysis and safety requirement definition through verification, validation, and assessment readiness. By engaging early, teams can reduce late‑stage rework, avoid costly delays, and streamline certification reviews through consistent, traceable documentation. Backed by Intertek’s accredited testing and certification capabilities, our functional safety consulting provides a single, coordinated approach to reducing risk, improving system integrity, and accelerating market access.
What are the typical consulting services for Functional Safety?
Safety Lifecycle & Management (IEC 61508 / IEC 61511)
- Functional Safety Plan and lifecycle development
- Facilitate Hazard analysis and risk assessment
- Safety Requirements Specification (SRS) development and review
- Verification planning, validation planning, traceability matrices
- Independent review / assessment readiness support
Machinery Safety Controls (ISO 13849 / IEC 62061)
- Machinery risk assessment support (commonly aligned with ISO 12100)
- PLr/SILr determination and safety function definition
- Architecture review for SRP/CS and diagnostic strategy
- Validation planning and documentation package
Embedded / Control Products (IEC 60730 and related)
- Safety function definition
- Test planning support and documentation readiness
- Practical gap assessments to reduce rework late in the program
Gap Assessments & Independent Reviews
- Document and architecture gap analysis vs applicable standards
- Prioritized findings with corrective action roadmap
- Review support through closure
What does a consulting project typically consist of?
- Discovery call: scope, applicable standards, timelines
- Proposal: tasks, deliverables, schedule, assumptions
- Execution: workshops, reviews, calculations, evidence package
- Closeout: final deliverables + assessment / audit support as needed
Tell us what you’re building, which markets you’re targeting, and where you are in the lifecycle. We’ll respond with next steps and a proposed approach.
Typical consulting deliverables
- Functional Safety Plan (FSP) / Functional Safety Management Plan
- Hazard Analysis & Risk Assessment (HARA / ISO 12100 / LOPA)
- Safety Function Register
- Safety Requirements Specification (SRS)
- FMEDA / MTTF Calculations
- Architecture and diagnostic coverage reviews
- Verification & Validation plans
- Traceability matrices
- Gap assessment reports and lifecycle closure tracking
Benefits of Intertek Functional Safety Consulting
- Access to a team of senior functional safety specialists
- Wide Experience across safety-critical products, machines, and process systems
- Early engagement allows for a major reduction in late-stage rework by establishing safety requirements and interfaces early.
- Reduce certification review cycles by ~ 30%
- Avoid costly rework by identifying critical safety requirement gaps before the design is finalized
- Prevent delays caused by non-compliant or incomplete lifecycle activities.
- Improved assessment readiness with consistent, traceable documentation and supporting work products.
- Faster stakeholder alignment through structured workshops and decision records.
Standards & Methods
We offer consulting services to support widely accepted standards and methods, including:
- IEC 61508 (Functional safety of E/E/PE safety-related systems)
IEC 61508 defines the overall framework for achieving functional safety in systems that rely on electrical, electronic, or programmable electronic technologies. It applies to safety‑related systems across all industries, serving as the foundational standard for sector‑specific functional safety requirements. - ISO 13849 / IEC 62061 (Safety of machinery—safety-related control systems)
These standards outline requirements for designing and evaluating safety‑related control systems used in machinery to reduce risks to acceptable levels. They apply to machine builders and system integrators developing or assessing safety controls such as emergency stops, interlocks, guards, and other protective functions. - ISO 26262 (Road vehicles—Functional safety)
ISO 26262 provides a structured approach to ensuring functional safety in automotive electrical and electronic systems throughout the vehicle lifecycle. It applies to passenger road vehicles and their components, including hardware, software, and integrated safety‑related systems. - IEC 62304 (Medical device software life‑cycle processes)
IEC 62304 establishes the framework for developing and maintaining safe, reliable software used in medical devices. It applies to all medical device software—both standalone applications and software embedded within medical equipment. - IEC 60730 (Automatic electrical controls)
IEC 60730 defines safety requirements for automatic electrical control devices used in household and similar equipment. It applies to control mechanisms such as thermostats, timers, switches, and sensors used in appliances, HVAC systems, and other automated consumer and industrial products. - IEC 61511 (Process industry sector)
IEC 61511 provides functional safety requirements for safety instrumented systems (SIS) used to reduce risks in process industry operations. It applies to chemical, petrochemical, oil and gas, and other process facilities that rely on automated safety systems to prevent hazardous events. - EN 50128 (Rail systems software)
EN 50128 specifies the processes and technical requirements for developing safe and reliable software used in railway control, signaling, and protection systems. It applies to software in rail transportation infrastructure, including onboard systems, trackside control, and safety‑critical signaling applications. - And more related to risk analysis (FMEA, FMEDA), SIL/PL determination, validation protocols.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
We commonly support IEC 61508, ISO 13849, IEC 62061, IEC 61511, and IEC 60730, in addition to the related risk assessment and product standards frequently used alongside them. For example, machinery risk methods, robotics standards and electrical safety standards depending on the product and market.
Yes. We help determine the most appropriate framework based on your product type, industry expectations, customer requirements, and the intended safety functions, then we align the lifecycle activities and deliverables according to that framework.
Both. Many clients start with a gap assessment and roadmap, then expand into targeted support (SRS, architecture review, V&V planning, validation evidence, etc.).
Typically: system description, intended safety functions, preliminary architecture, any existing hazard/risk work, requirements documents, and test information. If those don’t exist yet, we can lead structured workshops to generate them.
We provide consulting, independent reviews, and assessment/certification readiness support. If you need formal certification/assessment, we can support your preparation and help you navigate the process with Intertek or your chosen certifying body.
Yes. Where software/firmware is part of a safety function, we can help define evidence expectations, review processes and artifacts, and align verification activities to safety requirements and applicable standard expectations.
It depends on scope and maturity. A focused gap assessment can be short, while end-to-end lifecycle support runs according to your development timeline. We align our services in accordance with your development process and expectations.
We support a broad range including industrial automation, machinery/robotics, material handling, energy and embedded control products.
Yes. We offer role-based training and coaching aligned to the standards you’re working under, focused on practical application and usable templates.
Clients typically engage us at one or more of the following ponts:
- Early concept or architecture definition (to avoid rework later)
- During hazard and risk analysis to identify required safety functions
- When safety requirements or responsibilities are unclear
- Ahead of formal testing, certification or independent assessment
- After receiving non-conformances or major findings from a prior review
Related Links
Functional Safety Testing & Certification
From early design stages through to production, our modular FS solutions provide flexible options for manufacturers, and our FS Mark provides stakeholders with visibility for products they purchase, install, or utilize in operations.
Intertek’s Functional Safety Mark
The Functional Safety Mark (FS Mark) is a formal, third-party Functional Safety Certification program that evaluates products, systems, and processes against internationally recognized Functional Safety Standards.