This will depend upon the company organization and expertise within the company. For some companies even the requirement for independent persons and departments may have to be met by using an external organization. Conversely, companies that have internal organizations skilled in risk assessment and the application of safety-related systems, which are independent of and separate (by ways of management and other resources) from those responsible for the main development, may be able to use their own resources to meet the requirements for an independent organization (note 2 of 8.2.12 of IEC 61508-1).

See 3.8.10, 3.8.11 and 3.8.12 of IEC 61508-4 for definitions of independent person, independent department and independent organization respectively.

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