SIL2 Certified Program

I have a customer in Angola that requires a system be converted to SIL2 certified. We have provided all Controllogix SIL2 rated equipment so that part of the equation is set. They would also like the program to be SIL2 rated and certified. The plant is a refinery.

I have been writing Burner Management System programs for quite a few years with a very strong safety record for the equipment. In the past several years I have used only Controllogix SIL2 rated hardware. No customer has ever required/requested a certificate of compliance for a SIL2 system. I have approached my local Rockwell Distributor regarding this issue and he indicated that Rockwell would not certify my program without a large sum of money being paid for that service. Are there any members that are aware of a program to get any company certified for such programs? If not is anyone aware of third party companies that would certify a program and/or companies that will program a system to a SIL2 level with certification?

I have provided equipment certified to the SIL3 level for hardware as well as programming but those projects are using outside sources. HIMA, Triconex, ICS Triplex (now AADvance by Rockwell) and the Honeywell Safety Manager.

Any comments would be appreciated. Any information regarding a company that can accomplish the task under contract would also be appreciated.

I think large sums of money will be required whenever safety certification is being discussed. Safety adds a lot of liability, and liability needs to be compensated for. Realistically, I think they would have to certify not just the software, but the wiring, the application the safety is trying to protect, the risk assessment, etc. Most of safety certification is documentation and proving you followed the proper process. The actual programming is usually pretty easy.

I know TUV is the big European safety standards testing group (something like UL), and they have US offices as well. The link below sounds like it could be a place to start. No idea what the price tag for something like this would be.

http://www.tuv.com/en/usa/services_...logy/functional_safety/functional_safety.html

Thanks for the input. I'm finding, so far, that you are right about the money issue!