This month’s presentation at the Vaal branch covered the basic principles and fundamentals of SIL. It included the common misconceptions about SIL, risks, accidents, processes, random and systemic failures amongst others. Risk is an integral part of our daily lives. Hazards are also present in our working environment. Thus it is important to identify anything that could pose a risk of death or injury and to eliminate any hazards at work emanating from production processes.
Jannie Claasens (l) from the Vaal Branch presents Jurie Weidemann from Pepperl+Fuchs with the SAIMC presenter’s certificate.
Standards applied to overcome these risks are based on proven principles:
• Statutory architectures.
• Exclusion of faults.
• Stipulation of single and multiple fault safety measures to implement a protective function.
An increasing number of programmable devices are now used when designing a plant, from a PLC to intelligent sensors. It is not possible to assess multiple fault safety measures in this form. Specific standards have therefore been devised so that the risk can be quantified, based on probability statements, and reliably reduced. This involves new concepts that require a more detailed explanation.
The abbreviation SIL refers to the safety integrity level and is a measurement of performance required for a safety-instrumented function.
SAIMC: From the office of the CEO: Understanding the Engineering Profession Act SAIMC
SAIMC
For a full and detailed explanation of whether you are doing engineering work, I recommend visiting the ECSA website and looking up the IoEW Gazette. Meanwhile, here’s a simplified breakdown to get you started and hopefully encourage you to explore further.
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The local Johannesburg Branch of the SAIMC recently hosted a Technology Evening at Bryanston Sports Club on 9 April 2025.
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The SAIMC User Advisory Council started 2025 with its first event in the ‘Knowlege Sharing 4 Industry’ event series on the 19th of March.
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In proud partnership with Innomotics, SAIMC will be hosting the first Knowledge Sharing 4 Industry event for 2025.
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The Society for Automation, Instrumentation, Mechatronics and Computer Engineering (SAIMC) will deliver a powerful series of training sessions and technical workshops during the Africa Automation Technology Fair (AATF) 2025, providing engineers, technologists and technicians with the tools they need to register professionally, stay compliant, and lead industrial innovation.
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SAIMC
The SAIMC Johannesburg March technology event was hosted by Comtest, the Fluke agent in southern Africa. The topic was Renewable Energy Resources.