Glossary · Evidence, assurance and traceability
Safety claim
In safety assurance, a safety claim is a testable assertion about safety, risk reduction, or system behavior that requires supporting evidence. It states what is protected, against which hazard and under which conditions.
- Functional safety
- Verification
In one sentence
A safety claim is a testable statement about safety or risk reduction that must be supported by analysis, tests and records.
Example
“The light curtain on the palletizer infeed stops the conveyor and the robot before a person can reach the hazardous zone, in all operating modes except setup” is a safety claim with explicit scope.
How it applies
- Evidence: Each safety claim needs linked safety evidence: calculations, test reports, reviews. A claim without evidence is an opinion.
- Machine safety: Safety claims usually mirror the risk reduction credited in the risk assessment. If the risk assessment says a guard reduces risk, there should be a claim and evidence for it.
- Technical documentation: Claims in manuals and declarations must not exceed what the evidence supports. Say "designed to PL d under ISO 13849-1", not "certified safe".
- Scope: State operating modes, environmental limits and user competence. Claims silently extended beyond their scope are a common audit finding.
Safety claim vs. lifecycle claim
A safety claim may be proven at release. A lifecycle claim must remain valid through operation, maintenance and changes, so it needs monitoring and re-verification as well.