CFSP: Another Feather in My Cap

After waiting for almost 3 months, the long awaited result finally came today (21 Sep). I got certified in functional safety after passing an exam conducted on 29 June 2012, in UK. Prior to this exam, I took a 4-day course on the subject, managed and delivered by exida (www.exida.com ) . I scored 39/40 points in multiple choice and 16/20 points in short answer questions; enough to pass 80% minimum points requirements to become certified in functional safety. It means I can bear the title CFSP (Certified Functional Safety Professional) title.

Alhamdulillah. Another feather in my cap. Thanks to Qatargas, our supervisor and manager, and my family for all your supports.

A brief intro about functional safety.

Functional Safety is the part of the overall safety of a system or a piece of equipment that depends on the system or equipment operating correctly in response to its inputs, include the safe management of likely operator errors, hardware failures, and environmental changes.

Functional Safety is achieved when every specified safety function is carried out and the level of performance required of each safety function is met. This is normally achieved by a process that includes the following steps as a minimum:

1. Identifying what the required safety functions are. This means the hazards and safety functions have to be known.

2. Assessment of the risk-reduction required by the safety function. This will involve a Safety Integrity Level (SIL) Assessment.

3. Ensuring the safety function performs to the design intent, including under conditions of incorrect operator input and failure modes. This will involve having the design and lifecycle managed by qualified and competent engineers carrying out processes to a recognised functional safety standard. In Europe, that standard is IEC EN 61508, or one of the industry specific standards derived from IEC EN 61508 (i.e 61511 for process industries)

4. Verification that the system meets the assigned SIL

5. Conduct functional safety audits to examine and assess the evidence that the appropriate safety lifecycle management techniques were applied consistently and thoroughly in the relevant lifecycle stages of product.

The Certified Functional Safety Expert program helps individuals gain the knowledge and skills to become recognized experts in the application & design of safety systems.

The CFSE certification program entails both a review of the applicant’s experience and the satisfactory completion of a proficiency exam. Passing the CFSE exam requires a solid in-depth knowledge of functional safety. Many applicants choose to augment their existing skill set prior to the exam by attending one of the optional preparatory training classes offered by our partners.

Certification is provided in two levels; CFSE and CFSP. The CFSE is aimed at professionals where functional safety is a major part of their role in the organization. They are typically responsible for leading, coordinating, and reviewing the activities of the safety lifecycle, including the more complex activities such as SIL Selection and SIL verification. The CFSP is targeted at professionals where functional safety is a secondary role or they are expected to support safety lifecycle projects on an execution level.

safety lifecycle as per IEC 61508

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_Safety

http://cfse.org/

 

Honeymoon at Kampung Sampireun

::. This is again a post from our recent mudik trip to Indonesia during summer

We hadn’t have our honeymoon yet until even our 12th anniversary. Many plans just gone; not materialized. So  when we have a chance to make this happen we try hard.

Kampung Sampireun (http://www.kampungsampireun.com), our selected place, is located about 2-hour drive from Bandung capital of West Java, 15 km from the city of Garut, on the road to Kamojang Crater, where a geothermal plant is located at. A drive to Sampireun is a mixed experience in itself: passing through typical crowded towns, winding roads, and mountain backdrop.

Mount Guntur

How I miss this greenery

Built in 1999, this resort features back to nature concept with Sundanese culture as a center soul: the lake, the bungalows, the art performance, the meals, the staffs.

Taken from Sundanese Language which means “a place/village to stop by”, Kampung Sampireun’s center of attraction is the lake and the bungalows floating and around it. Once we checked in the reception, we were given a traditional drink “Bajigur” (a hot and sweet beverage native to Sunda, made up of coconut milk, palm sugar, and ginger). Then dressed in Sundanese traditional outfits, hotel staff takes us to our bungalow with using canoe! If you come in large group you may be escorted with using bamboo raft.

Check-in in class with bamboo raft 🙂

It’s a bit of nervous checking-in our room with this type of transportation mode. However, the beautiful scenery of lake, original bamboo forest, and schools of ‘greedy’ gold fish soon dampens our worry.

Kampung Sampireun

The lake, bamboo forest, bungalow and floating restaurant

Pine tree, canoe, lake and traditional bungalow

From the balcony

Our bungalow is constructed using bamboo with coconut roofing. A balcony opens directly to the lake where you can feed those greedy fishes. Once settled you’ll be given one or two bags of fish pellets for feeding. Meanwhile, each bungalow is assigned with its own canoe. You may use it for canoeing, or to access lobby and different areas of resort. A beautifully landscaped walking path is available at the back of bungalow that links all bungalows to resort facilities such as restaurants, playground, swimming pool, spa, mosque, and lobby.

Enjoy at balcony overlooking gold fish filled lake

Learn how to canoe

Feeding gold fishes from balcony

These greedy gold fishes got used to people feeding them

Kampung Sampireun at night

 

Kampung Sampireun at night

 

A beautifully landscaped walking path at the back of bungalows

Art performances and snack breaks can be enjoyed at regular intervals. In the afternoon we can enjoy the Sundanese music performance “calung and angklung” (bamboo tube xylophone). While dinner, “kecapi suling” (a zither-like Sundanese music instrument is played at the restaurant.

“Calung” performance in the afternoon

After dinner, around 9 – 9.30pm, a traditional drink called ” Sekoteng ” warming up our body from cold mountain air. The drink is again dropped to our bungalow by boat.

Hotel staffs deliver pre-breakfast traditional floating pancake

Surabi – Sundanese floating pancake

Lastly, in the morning around 6am before breakfast, traditional snack  Floating Surabi (Traditional pancake) is delivered to our balcony.

Spending our honeymoon at Kampung Sampireun is indeed a memorable experience. A peaceful, exotic, romantic, tranquil environment is perfect for honeymooners. As part of our package (we ordered a honeymoon package from http://www.weddingku.com) we’re treated with the floating candle light dinner (on raft), the couple spa treatment, a specifically decorated room, a photo session, breakfast and lunch and a photo session.

Candle light dinner at floating restaurant

The hotel is also offering a trange of activities such as fishing, a tour to nearby village, a tour to tourist areas such as Papandayan Mountain, Waterfall, Traditional Snack and Leather Factory, or to hot spring water as we did.

Sabda Alam Hot Spring Water Park at Cipanas, Garut at the foot of Mount Guntur

As we leave Kampung Sampireun we get nothing than stronger bond among us; exceptional experience of city-escape break, and thirst quencher to Indonesia’s invaluable asset: nature, people, and culture.

A tale of mudik trip

“Mudik” traffic flooded almost any route (Source: Kompas, 26 Aug 2012 by Haryo Damardono)

Motorcycle becomes one of the most used transportation modes (Source: riowinto.wordpress.com)

We’ve made a “mudik (homecoming/return to the village) trip” by road the first time as a big family during Eid al Fitr. Started in Bandung, West Java, we measured a 840-km long road to Lumajang, East Java in a 22-hour non-stop driving trip outbond. our return trip however was not that smooth, 37 hours on road tough it included 7 hours stops at three different cities for visiting extended families.

Eid al-Fitr in Indonesia is akin to Thanksgiving, X-mas and Easter all combined into one.  It is a special occasion where special feasts are prepared, religious allowance (bonus) is received, celebration is everywhere, and because of the mudik, airports are packed, roads are traffic-jammed.  What else can you expect from literally about 22 millions people doing mudik, moving at the same time within such short duration (few days before Ramadan end)?

Though there are several public transportion options available, skyrocketed prices and flexibility forced most people to rely on their own transport; motorcycle and car. Unfortunately the former option takes its toll: about 900 people died each year from motorcycle accident during mudik.

Back to our mudik, we took southern route as it is normally less crowded than north coastal route. We’ve heard a day before our departure that people got stucked for several hours on northern coastal route. This route is usually used by the Jakartans.

Our southern route passed Garut, Tasikmalaya, and Ciamis on West Java, Kebumen and Purworejo on Central Java, Yogyakarta, and Madiun, Jombang, Mojokerto, Pasuruan and Probolinggo on East Java.

Most roads were in quite good condition, but it is shared-use with motorcycle, spilled market, or local communities activities that hampered smooth driving. Nevertheless it was such a good experience that we could see many different towns and cities, tasted various local cuisines as well as strengthened family bond.

 

Ready to hit the road from our house in Bandung

 

Stop for fasting break at Tasikmalaya, West Java