Betriebsicherung

Betriebsicherung is a term used to describe the measures and processes intended to ensure safe, reliable, and continuous operation of technical systems, facilities, and processes. The concept aims to prevent hazards to employees and the public, protect the environment, and minimize production losses due to failures, faults, or disruptions.

The scope of Betriebsicherung covers technical, organizational, and human factors. Technical safeguards include protective devices, interlocks, emergency shutdown systems, redundancy, monitoring, and reliable power or data back-ups. Organizational measures involve risk assessment, planned maintenance, clear operating procedures, change management, incident reporting, and emergency planning. Human factors focus on competence, training, safety culture, and regular drills to maintain readiness and adherence to procedures.

A lifecycle perspective is typical: from design and installation to operation, maintenance, and eventual decommissioning, with ongoing risk assessment, testing, verification, and verification of safety functions. The objective is to integrate safety into daily operations while ensuring availability and efficiency of processes.

Legal and standards context varies by country and industry. In Germany, general occupational safety is governed by the Arbeitsschutzgesetz, with specific requirements in the Betriebssicherheitsverordnung (BetrSichV) regarding safe use of work equipment. Internationally, relevant standards include ISO 45001 for occupational health and safety management, and functional safety standards such as IEC 61508 and IEC 61511 in applicable sectors.

Betriebsicherung is thus a cross-cutting concept linking safety, reliability, and continuity of operations across technical systems and organizational structures.