Storm Technical

Technical Safety > Risk Management

Instrumentation Protection Function (IPF)

What is an Instrumented Protective Function (IPF)?

An Instrumented Protective Function (IPF) is a critical safety mechanism used in industrial processes to prevent accidents or mitigate hazards. It consists of a set of components, including sensors, logic solvers, and final elements, that work together to detect potentially hazardous conditions and take automated action to bring the system to a safe state.  For example, an IPF might shut down a process or activate an alarm if a dangerous pressure level is detected.

Key Steps of an IPF

1

Risk Analysis

Identify potential hazards and determine the need for IPFs based on the required risk reduction.

2

Design and Development

Specify the functional and technical requirements for IPFs, including hardware and software.

3

Implementation

Install, commission, and validate the IPF system to ensure itmeets safety standards.

4

Operation and Maintenance

Regularly test and maintain the IPF to ensure it
continues to perform as designed.

5

Modification and Decommissioning

Adapt the IPF as needed for process
changes or safely remove it when it’s no longer required.

What Will Our Company Do?

As a technical safety company, we offer comprehensive services to manage IPFs throughout their lifecycle:

By managing your IPFs, we help ensure safer operations, compliance with safety standards, and reduced risks in your processes.