IEC 62278-1:2025
Collections
International IEC standards
Publication date
July 2025
Number of pages
199 p.
Reference
IEC 62278-1:2025
Print number
1
IEC 62278-1:2025
July 2025
International standard
Current
Railway applications - Specification and demonstration of reliability, availability, maintainability and safety (RAMS) - Part 1: Generic RAMS process
IEC 62278-1:2025 addresses railway specifics, enables conflicts between RAMS elements to be controlled and managed effectively.This document specifies:a) a process, based on the system life cycle and tasks within it, for managing RAMS;b) a systematic process, tailorable to the type and size of the system under consideration, for specifying requirements for RAMS and demonstrating that these requirements are achieved.This document does not specify:c) RAMS targets, quantities, requirements or solutions for specific railway applications;d) rules or processes pertaining to the certification of railway products against the requirements of this document;e) an approval process for the railway stakeholders.This document is applicable to railway application fields, including signalling, rolling stock and fixed installations, and specifically:f) to the specification and demonstration of RAMS for all railway applications and at all levels of such an application, as appropriate, from complete railway systems to major systems and to individual and combined subsystems and components within these major systems, including those containing software; in particular:- to new systems;- to new systems integrated into existing systems already accepted, but only to the extent and insofar as the new system with the new functionality is being integrated. It is otherwise not applicable to any unmodified aspects of the existing system;- as far as reasonably practicable, to modifications and extensions of existing systems already accepted, but only to the extent and insofar as existing systems are being modified. It is otherwise not applicable to any unmodified aspect of the existing system;g) at all relevant phases of the life cycle of an application;h) for use by railway duty holders and the railway suppliers.This document is not applicable to:i) any unmodified aspects of the existing system;j) existing systems which remain unmodified, including those systems already compliant with IEC 62278:2002.This first edition, together with IEC 62278-2, cancels and replaces IEC 62278:2002. This edition constitutes a technical revision.This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:a) added 5.2 on multi level system approach;b) added 5.3 on railway system overview;c) added 5.9 on risk reduction strategy;d) updated the content of correlation of RAMS management process and system life cycle in 6.2;e) added 6.4 on organizational requirements;f) added 6.5 on application of this document and adaptability to project scope and size;g) added 6.8 on independent safety assessment;h) added Clause 8 on safety case;i) added Annex D providing guidance on system definition;The IEC 62278 series forms part of the railway sector specific application of IEC 61508. IEC 62278, IEC 62279 and IEC 62425 comprise the railway sector equivalent of the IEC 61508 series so far as railway communication, signalling and processing systems are concerned. When compliance with these documents has been demonstrated, further evaluation of compliance with the IEC 61508 series is not foreseen. A list of all parts in the IEC 62278 series, published under the general title Railway applications ? Specification and demonstration of reliability, availability, maintainability and safety (RAMS), can be found on the IEC website.
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Sumary
Railway applications - Specification and demonstration of reliability, availability, maintainability and safety (RAMS) - Part 1: Generic RAMS process
IEC 62278-1:2025 addresses railway specifics, enables conflicts between RAMS elements to be controlled and managed effectively.
This document specifies:
a) a process, based on the system life cycle and tasks within it, for managing RAMS;
b) a systematic process, tailorable to the type and size of the system under consideration, for specifying requirements for RAMS and demonstrating that these requirements are achieved.
This document does not specify:
c) RAMS targets, quantities, requirements or solutions for specific railway applications;
d) rules or processes pertaining to the certification of railway products against the requirements of this document;
e) an approval process for the railway stakeholders.
This document is applicable to railway application fields, including signalling, rolling stock and fixed installations, and specifically:
f) to the specification and demonstration of RAMS for all railway applications and at all levels of such an application, as appropriate, from complete railway systems to major systems and to individual and combined subsystems and components within these major systems, including those containing software; in particular:
- to new systems;
- to new systems integrated into existing systems already accepted, but only to the extent and insofar as the new system with the new functionality is being integrated. It is otherwise not applicable to any unmodified aspects of the existing system;
- as far as reasonably practicable, to modifications and extensions of existing systems already accepted, but only to the extent and insofar as existing systems are being modified. It is otherwise not applicable to any unmodified aspect of the existing system;
g) at all relevant phases of the life cycle of an application;
h) for use by railway duty holders and the railway suppliers.
This document is not applicable to:
i) any unmodified aspects of the existing system;
j) existing systems which remain unmodified, including those systems already compliant with IEC 62278:2002.
This first edition, together with IEC 62278-2, cancels and replaces IEC 62278:2002. This edition constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:
a) added 5.2 on multi level system approach;
b) added 5.3 on railway system overview;
c) added 5.9 on risk reduction strategy;
d) updated the content of correlation of RAMS management process and system life cycle in 6.2;
e) added 6.4 on organizational requirements;
f) added 6.5 on application of this document and adaptability to project scope and size;
g) added 6.8 on independent safety assessment;
h) added Clause 8 on safety case;
i) added Annex D providing guidance on system definition;
The IEC 62278 series forms part of the railway sector specific application of IEC 61508. IEC 62278, IEC 62279 and IEC 62425 comprise the railway sector equivalent of the IEC 61508 series so far as railway communication, signalling and processing systems are concerned. When compliance with these documents has been demonstrated, further evaluation of compliance with the IEC 61508 series is not foreseen. A list of all parts in the IEC 62278 series, published under the general title Railway applications ? Specification and demonstration of reliability, availability, maintainability and safety (RAMS), can be found on the IEC website.
IEC 62278-1:2025 addresses railway specifics, enables conflicts between RAMS elements to be controlled and managed effectively.
This document specifies:
a) a process, based on the system life cycle and tasks within it, for managing RAMS;
b) a systematic process, tailorable to the type and size of the system under consideration, for specifying requirements for RAMS and demonstrating that these requirements are achieved.
This document does not specify:
c) RAMS targets, quantities, requirements or solutions for specific railway applications;
d) rules or processes pertaining to the certification of railway products against the requirements of this document;
e) an approval process for the railway stakeholders.
This document is applicable to railway application fields, including signalling, rolling stock and fixed installations, and specifically:
f) to the specification and demonstration of RAMS for all railway applications and at all levels of such an application, as appropriate, from complete railway systems to major systems and to individual and combined subsystems and components within these major systems, including those containing software; in particular:
- to new systems;
- to new systems integrated into existing systems already accepted, but only to the extent and insofar as the new system with the new functionality is being integrated. It is otherwise not applicable to any unmodified aspects of the existing system;
- as far as reasonably practicable, to modifications and extensions of existing systems already accepted, but only to the extent and insofar as existing systems are being modified. It is otherwise not applicable to any unmodified aspect of the existing system;
g) at all relevant phases of the life cycle of an application;
h) for use by railway duty holders and the railway suppliers.
This document is not applicable to:
i) any unmodified aspects of the existing system;
j) existing systems which remain unmodified, including those systems already compliant with IEC 62278:2002.
This first edition, together with IEC 62278-2, cancels and replaces IEC 62278:2002. This edition constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:
a) added 5.2 on multi level system approach;
b) added 5.3 on railway system overview;
c) added 5.9 on risk reduction strategy;
d) updated the content of correlation of RAMS management process and system life cycle in 6.2;
e) added 6.4 on organizational requirements;
f) added 6.5 on application of this document and adaptability to project scope and size;
g) added 6.8 on independent safety assessment;
h) added Clause 8 on safety case;
i) added Annex D providing guidance on system definition;
The IEC 62278 series forms part of the railway sector specific application of IEC 61508. IEC 62278, IEC 62279 and IEC 62425 comprise the railway sector equivalent of the IEC 61508 series so far as railway communication, signalling and processing systems are concerned. When compliance with these documents has been demonstrated, further evaluation of compliance with the IEC 61508 series is not foreseen. A list of all parts in the IEC 62278 series, published under the general title Railway applications ? Specification and demonstration of reliability, availability, maintainability and safety (RAMS), can be found on the IEC website.
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Replaced standards
(1)
IEC 62278:2002
September 2002
International standard
Cancelled
Railway applications - Specification and demonstration of reliability, availability, maintainability and safety (RAMS)
Provides Railway Authorities and railway support industry with a process which will enable the implementation of a consistent approach to the management of reliability, availability, maintainability and safety, denoted by the acronym RAMS. Processes for the specification and demonstration of RAMS requirements are the cornerstones of this standard. It aims to promote a common understanding and approach to the management of RAMS. Can be applied systematically by a Railway Authority and railway support industry, throughout all phases of the life cycle of a railway application, to develop railway specific RAMS requirements and to achieve compliance with these requirements. The systems-level approach defined by this standard facilitates assessment of the RAMS interactions between elements of complex railway applications
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