The Importance of Functional Safety Assessment and its Application
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8.3 Publish
When FSAs are being conducted, FSA reports shall simultaneously be prepared detailing all the
findings made. The report shall include but be not limited to the following:
v
The relevant project information
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Scope of the FSA
v
Assessors and attendees list
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List of key documents reviewed
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Observations may be raised using the clause objectives and requirements
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Classification of observations based on compliance criteria
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Required corrective actions
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The final verdict of the FSA
Once the findings have been recorded, the report is then published with the necessary classification
of the findings, any required corrective actions with the “Final” verdict of the FSA phase and handed
over to respective team for review and actions.
The assessed team will need to review and prepare an ‘action closing plan’ if in the case of any gaps
and subsequent requirements of corrective actions.
8.4 Persist
FSAs are usually performed in phases so that any gaps are identified at earlier phases and fixed prior
to the final assessment of the lifecycle FSA ‘stage’. This ensures timely compliance to FS
requirements, minimises the burden on the assessor from reviewing a whole raft of documentation
and as well provides more time for the assessed team to undertake any corrective actions.
Reports once issued shall be subject to periodic re-review by the assessor(s). Any corrective actions
are then validated for compliance and recorded with the review of the necessary evidence.
Any corrective actions require review of the evidence presented within the agreed and stipulated time
from the date of issue of the report.
Support from senior management for the FSA team activities is vital. The assessor shall have full
encouragement to persist with any corrective action requirements until they are satisfied functional
safety has not been compromised. Project activities should therefore not continue until the FSA
phase/stage is completed to the satisfaction of the assessor.
8.5 Complete
When all the corrective actions are implemented, the evidence for each required action is then
provided to the assessor for review. This may be in a phased approach as and when the actions are
closed or at a pre-defined period agreed between all parties.
Review of the evidence and progress on any corrective action typically takes one or more review
sessions. When the evidence is found to comply with the functional safety requirements and
satisfactory for the assessor, then the assessor approves the FSA report with the appropriate FSA
verdict, e.g. “Complies to FS requirements”, etc.
Once the verdict is released to the assessed team, the FSA process is then agreed to be Complete.