Definition:
A Certification Body (CB) is an independent organization that evaluates and certifies that products, systems, or organizations meet functional safety standards like IEC 61508. They are hired by manufacturers of the SIL rated components. It is the CB that releases the SIL Certificate.
CBs themselves must be accredited by an Accreditation Body.
Key Points:
- A CB evaluates components whose manufacturers desire to obtain functional safety certifications.
- Examples include TÜV Rheinland, Exida, and Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
- Certification Bodies must themselves be accredited by Accreditation Bodies.
- Not all CBs are recognized everywhere.
Example:
A safety PLC by Siemens is certified to SC 3 (SIL 3) by Exida. In this case, Exida is the certification body that Siemens worked with. Exida would have done the independent assessment of the PLC.
See Also: accreditation body, SIL certificate, notified body (NoBo)
Cited Source:
- ISO/IEC 17065:2012.
- ANAB CB link