Method for processing application programs in a distributed automation system

A method for processing a safety-related user program for a safety control system, which is configured to control at least one automated device, which contains at least one protection device for carrying out at least one safety function, wherein the safetly-related user program specifies logical connections as a function of a respective state of the at least one safety function for the safety control system for controlling the at least one automated device via the safety control system, by the steps of:

• generating data for a safety-related user program successively on a plurality of remote device environments distributed spaced apart from one another, each of which provides a safety-related user program processing tool, wherein the data for the safety-related user program is generated on a respective device environment of the plurality of remote device environments via the safety-related user program processing tool provided in each case by this device environment and, after the data is generated, the generated data together with a signature are transferred to another one of these remote device environments;
• wherein prior to transfer of the generated data together with the signature, the signature is generated based at least on the entirety of the generated data by a signature unit of the device environment on which the data for the safety-related user program has been generated;
• and
• wherein after the transfer of the generated data together with the signature, on the device environment receiving the data and signature, receiving the data and signature wherein the received signature is checked by a signature unit of this device environment, and if a result of the signature check is error-free;
• and wherein
• data for the safety-related user program is regenerated based on the received data, and the signature to be transferred together with this regenerated data based at least on the entirety of the data generated on this device environment and on the respectively received signature generated by the signature unit of this device environment.