Remotely Operated Shutoff Valves (ROSoV) are valves designed and installed for the purpose of quickly isolating plant items which are used for the storage of hazardous substances. These valves could also be called Emergency Isolation Valves (EIV) or Emergency Shutdown Valves (ESDV). The valves play a major role within the safety system.

The standards mentioned below recommend that ROSoV installations are periodically tested to ensure availability of the complete valve, actuator assembly. If a failure is reported as a result of the test, this detected failure can be immediately addressed and a potential undetected failure has now been avoided.

Due to various events in recent years operators and developers have invested heavily in improving their Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS). The SIS can sometimes be separate to the normal control system and usually performs will play a significant role in stabilizing the plant, reducing the threat to human life and the environment.

Historically, individual companies would design their own protective systems based on certain industrial standards and company codes of practice. The industry is now moving forward and standards such as IEC 61511, applicable to operators or owners and IEC 61508, applicable to manufacturers are now widely used.