Distributors must raise their safety awareness

Siemens has launched a safety engineering service that requires its distributors to improve their knowledge of safety matters, or risk losing the right to supply the company`s safety products. It says that the Safety Technology & Engineering Partnership (Step) initiative is a response to the need for a better understanding of safety regulations and service.

The initiative follows a recent HSE safety which revealed that 60% of accidents analysed were caused by badly designed or implemented safety systems. The remaining 40% were caused by poor installation or maintenance, or uncontrolled modifications. None of the accidents were the result of equipment failure.

If Siemens` distributors cannot improve their safety capabilities (usually because they lack the resources), Siemens will suggest a third party to provide these services for them. If a distributor does not want to follow either of these routes, it can seek its own safety-competent partner, subject to Siemens` approval.

Siemens` Solutions Providers systems integrators will undergo the same process.

Step is designed to offer a complete lifecycle safety engineering service, including risk assessments, validation and maintenance.