“Accredited” SIL certificate: what is the difference compared with a “regular” certificate?

In general, a certificate is “accredited” when it has been issued by an accredited certification body. The main difference between an accredited certificate and a non-accredited one therefore lies in the level of formal recognition and independent trust in the certification process. Let us see what this means in the specific case of the SIL (Safety Integrity Level) certificate.

An accredited SIL certificate means that:

the body issuing the certificate has itself also been assessed by a third party; specifically according to the ISO/IEC 17065 scheme, which is specific to products and processes, and with a scope that includes the IEC 61508 functional safety standard.

 

Accreditation is the choice we have made since our foundation as a certification body, in order to guarantee our customers the best quality and the highest market potential for their products.

 
In fact, although accreditation may be seen as an additional or superfluous practice, it is purely for the customer’s benefit, because:

• the technical competence of the assessors, impartiality, procedures, and quality management have been validated as reliable by a third party
• the scope of the issued certification is clearly defined
• accreditation is reflected in the certified product, allowing the manufacturer to gain a better reputation with customers, authorities, inspectors, insurers, and in tenders or procurement processes

These characteristics show that an accredited certificate is not merely a sheet of paper, but a strategic investment available to manufacturers of components and systems under the IEC 61508 standard.

Eliminating risk

Please note: this does not mean that a non-accredited certificate is false or incorrect, but rather that, due to the lack of formal third-party verification of the body issuing it, in some contractual or regulatory cases, a non-accredited certificate may not be sufficient.
Therefore, if with an accredited certificate the risk does not arise, thanks to the greater institutional reliability of the certification body, in the case of a non-accredited certificate, reliability must be demonstrated on a case-by-case basis.

 

If you already hold a SIL certificate, you can find out whether it can withstand challenge by checking:

• What exactly it certifies, for example a product or product family, a process, a hardware/software platform
• What the certificate conditions are regarding architecture, proof test, SFF/PFD/PFH, and permitted applications
• Whether the accreditation number of the body and the scope of accreditation are present

 
This last point is a strong differentiator, because if reference is made generically to “independent certification” but not to accreditation, the body may not be accredited, and therefore neither may the certificate.

 

Going into more detail about the value of a certificate, it must be possible to verify:

• full name of the certification body
• trademark/logo of the certification body
• address or official contact details
• certificate number
• date of issue and, if applicable, expiry or revision date
• specific parts and edition of the IEC 61508 standard applied to the product
• scope of accreditation, i.e. whether the body is accredited to actually issue that type of SIL certificate or for other activities
• clear indication of SIL 1, SIL 2, SIL 3, or SIL 4 level
• details on SIL capability, systematic capability, suitability for use in a safety function, or probabilistic integrity values (PFD, PFH)
• supporting technical documents, such as the functional safety assessment report and safety manual

Check that all the correct features are present in our certificates and obtain yours.

 

Important: accredited certification is not only a matter of quality, but also of feasibility. Above all, accredited does not necessarily mean rigid.

 
When a customer works with us, they rarely leave us because, in addition to accreditation, we guarantee:

• fast response times, or in any case response times adaptable to the customer’s needs
• excellent value for money
• a team of highly technically qualified assessors
• professional and clear communication (in English and Italian)
• consistent technical decisions and efficient handling of requests
• certification of multiple projects, across different sites and countries, based on any concurrent customer needs

 
We know the market’s needs in depth, not only the standards applicable to:

• sensors
• actuators
• complex electronics
• embedded software
• diagnostics
• redundant architectures
• proof testing
• related cybersecurity, where relevant

 
Finally, we pay particular attention to our customer’s business continuity, ensuring timeliness and planning as a certificate approaches expiry.

If your SIL certificate expires in a few months, or if you have never had one, take action now.

Check exactly what is about to expire: is a renewal, surveillance, re-assessment, or full recertification required? Or do you need to start from scratch?