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Welcome to the Houston Section page.

Dear ISA Houston Section Members,

It is with great honor and enthusiasm that I write to you today as the newly elected President of the International Society of Automation, Houston Section, for the 2024-2025 term. My journey with ISA began a few years ago, driven by a quest for knowledge in functional safety and fire and gas. Little did I know that this search would lead me to an extraordinary community of like-minded professionals dedicated not only to expanding their expertise but also to fostering meaningful connections and making a positive impact in our industry and beyond.

Having served in the leadership program roles within our Houston section – starting as Secretary, then Treasurer, and subsequently as Vice President – I have had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the remarkable contributions of our members and the collective achievements we have accomplished together. I am profoundly grateful for the support of our dedicated team and consider myself fortunate to have the opportunity to lead and learn from such talented individuals.

Reflecting on our achievements, I am proud to highlight the impactful programs and events that define our section. From our educational initiatives and technical program meetings to our signature events, each contributes significantly to our community's growth and development. Moreover, our Scholarship Program and support for young professionals underscore our commitment to nurturing the next generation of automation leaders.

As we embark on this new term, I would like to remind and reinforce ISA Corporate core values:

Vision: Create a better world through automation.
Mission: Empower the global automation community through standards and knowledge sharing.
Values: Excellence, Diversity and Inclusion, Professionalism, Integrity, and Collaboration.

And the ISA Corporate Strategic Objectives of Outreach, Awareness and Advocacy, and Innovation Insights. With the foundational Objectives of a Vibrant Community and Financial Stability.

Looking forward to the next term, I am excited to share my key goals for the ISA Houston Section, aligned with ISA's core values and strategic objectives:

1. Expansion of Education Programs: We aim to consolidate our renowned PE Study Group and enhance our educational offerings to meet the evolving needs of our members. And in collaboration with ISA corporate programs, we seek to introduce additional local initiatives.

2. Support for ISA Houston Section Signature Events: We will work diligently to ensure the success of our signature events—such as the Cajun Cook Off and Expo, Golf Tournament, and Chili Cook Off and Expo—while exploring opportunities for new networking and sponsorship events to further enrich our community.

3. Promotion and Expansion of the Scholarship Program: With a focus on inclusivity and support for future leaders, we will promote and expand our Scholarship Program to increase participation and impact.

4. Leadership Development: We are committed to nurturing leadership within our section by actively seeking new volunteers, providing training opportunities for current board members and committee chairs, and empowering individuals to contribute effectively to our community's growth.

As we strive to achieve these goals together, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to each of you for your continued dedication and commitment to ISA Houston Section. To stay updated and connected, I invite you to visit our ISA Connect page regularly. Additionally, you are welcome to join our monthly board meetings to contribute your ideas and feedback directly. And please feel free to reach out to me via LinkedIn or email at president@houstonisa.org.

Best Regards,

Matheus Bertazolli

2024-2025 ISA Houston Section President

The Houston Section is the largest ISA section in the world with approximately 750 members. Chartered on March 16th, 1948, we are also one of the oldest! The Houston Section has been the Host Section for many ISA annual events and participates closely with our partners and members to provide ongoing education and information to anyone interested in the Automation Industry.

Visit https://www.houstonisa.org/ and/or social media platforms shown below to learn more about our activities.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/houstonisa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/isa-houston-section/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HoustonISA

Announcements

🎉 Congratulations to the Newly Elected ISA Houston Section Officers! 🎉

By: Matheus Bertazolli , 28 days ago
We’re excited to announce the results of our recent ISA Houston Section elections! Please join us in congratulating the outstanding volunteers who will be serving on the 2025–2026 board term. Thank you to everyone who participated in the election process and to all who continue to support our section’s mission.

Your 2025–2026 ISA Houston Section Leadership:

President: Leticia Zarpellon

President-Elect: Anan Dolmo

Treasurer: Matthew Ramirez

Assistant Treasurer: Alan Bryant

Secretary: Tobi Abori

Program Director: Jane Buchanan

Membership Director: Jayaharan CJ

Communications Director: Chery Haarmeyer

Events Director: Jeremy Staggers

Education Director: Dr. Tom Duffey

We’re looking forward to another great year of technical programs, training courses, signature events, student engagement, professional development, and community building. Let’s make it a successful and impactful year together!

Matheus Bertazolli

ISA Houston Section President 2024-2025
ISA 84 - Request for Fucntional Safety Expertise in support of IEC 60079-42 (TC31 WG42)

By: Ardis Bartle , 2 months ago

Needed a functional safety expertise in support of “fine tuning” IEC-60079-42 (TC31 WG42) Explosive atmospheres - Part 42: Electrical safety devices for the control of potential ignition sources for Ex-Equipment in addition to the request going out today within the S84 committee proper.

Below is the introduction verbiage for the Standard.

Generally, the probability of potential ignition sources becoming effective is mitigated by applying the protection measures according to the IEC 60079 and the ISO 80079 series. If the probability of an ignition source becoming effective and none of the aforementioned protection measures can be applied, this probability could be reduced by using a suitable safety device. The combination of the safety device and the Ex Equipment could then comply with the relevant standards of the IEC 60079 series and the ISO 80079 series with respect to the Equipment Protection Level.

Safety devices, which are used as part of the protection of Ex Equipment for control of potential ignition sources, should consider reliability for the intended purpose to recognise the principles for the classification of hazardous areas and explosion protection techniques. This document provides requirements for the application of safety functions to provide a reduction of ignition risk for Ex Equipment as part of the IEC 60079 series and ISO 80079 series. It relies on relevant IEC and ISO standards for safety related control systems. However, some of the Functional Safety concepts can’t be related directly to the Hazardous Area classification.

This document does not specify the standard that will be used for the assessment of the integrity of the safety function (for example, IEC 61508, IEC 61511, IEC 62061 or ISO 13849-1/2) to give the manufacturer of the equipment and the safety device the opportunity to choose the relevant standard. The main requirements are based on risk reduction factors. This addresses the plurality of safety functions and different types of reaction to different situations (energize 144 to trip, de-energize to trip, immediate reaction, delayed reaction, …).

So overly simplistically IEC-60079-42 (TC31 WG42) is providing guidance on how to design “safety functions” (e.g., high high temperature interlock) to reduce the likelihood of ignition associated with say a motor following functional safety principles for Gas, Dust, and Mining applications.

The leadership team for IEC-60079-42 (TC31 WG42) is noted below.

TC31 Chair: martin.thedens@ptb.de

TC31 Secretary: Tom.Stack@bsigroup.com

Convenor: otto.walch@r-stahl.com

They can reach out to me or Rahul Bhojani or contact the leadership team for IEC-60079-42 directly to inquire about support.

Mike Scott