Karen Griffin, P.E., vice president of controls & automation, and Heath Stephens, P.E., digitalization leader, from Hargrove Controls & Automation, a system integrator and a subsidiary of global EPC firm Hargrove Engineers & Constructors, achieved TÜV Rheinland functional safety engineer certifications.
“TÜV requires engineers to retrain and retest every 10 years; this was a recertification class for me. This is important because best practices are always evolving,” said Stephens, who received his original certification in 2012. “I learned about the latest standard changes and how they are being implemented. It was a great opportunity to sharpen my skills and interact with our clients.”
The program for the certification is based on functional safety standards AS/IEC 61508 – As/IEC 61511, set by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). This certification demonstrates Hargrove Controls & Automation’s dedication to safety and meeting OSHA requirements for employees to be trained with “an emphasis on-specific safety and health hazards, emergency operations including shutdown, and safe work practices applicable to the employees job tasks.”
Hargroves’ Chet Barton, P.E., FS Eng, controls & automation process safety industry leader, explains: “OSHA requires all personnel involved in a hazardous chemical process to be adequately trained. The TÜV Rheinland Functional Safety Certification is widely accepted as demonstration of competency in the area of expertise. Knowledge, insights and best practices from this certification can be implemented to ensure a safe facility for all manufacturing personnel.”
TÜV Rheinland is a testing service provider, serving as an independent third party providing safety and quality testing and training in a multitude of industries including environmental engineering, IT and consumer goods. The functional safety engineering course covers content such as process hazard and risk assessments, safety requirement specifications, SIS design and engineering (AP development) and management of functional safety.
“Keeping current with industry standards is important for all personnel performing work in the field of process safety,” said Griffin. “This includes leadership staff working in the field, so they can help identify obstacles, provide insight based on best practices and seek innovative ways to improve processes.”
Hargrove Controls & Automation, is a CSIA-certified system integrator by the Control System Integrators Association. The company is a multi-service automation group for plant automation, safety systems, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and industrial digitalization. Since its inception in 2012, Hargrove has grown to more than 130 control systems engineers and specialists across all 19 Hargrove offices. The team consists of panel builders, instrumentation designers, programmers, certified process safety engineers and process control engineers
Founded in Mobile, Alabama, in 1995, Hargrove Engineers & Constructors is a full-service EPC, automation, life sciences and technical services firm.
