A control system for controlling safety-critical processes in an automated system via a communications network, wherein - the control system comprises a non-safe communication master for controlling the non-safe communication on the network and a plurality of network subscribers (12, 14, 16,18); - at least some of the network subscribers have their own decentralized safety controller for controlling a safety-relevant application and are thus configured as decentralized safe network subscribers; - the decentralized safe network subscribers are adapted to perform the safety functions that are relevant to them and/or safety associations by themselves, the decentralized safe network subscribers each having a unique safety address; - the decentralized safe network subscribers are grouped into safety islands (1,2, 3), each of the safety islands comprising a respective decentralized safe network subscriber LPSDO, with each of the safety islands comprising a decentralized safe network subscriber LPSDO which has logically associated therewith, as satellites, a plurality of safety data input items (SDI items, 12) and/or safety data output items (SDO items, 14); and - a communication between the decentralized safe network subscribers is configured as a failsafe point-to-point communication based on a chain of point-to-point relationships from one safety island to a subsequent safety island, wherein one decentralized safe network subscriber of the safety island defines a master and one decentralized safe network subscriber of the subsequent safety island defines a slave, so that a concatenation of master-slave relationships between safety islands (1,2,3) forms the chain of point-to-point relationships in order to be able to provide safety functions between and covering the decentralized safe network subscribers. - the control system comprises a non-safe communication master for controlling the non-safe communication on the network and a plurality of network subscribers (12, 14, 16,18); - at least some of the network subscribers have their own decentralized safety controller for controlling a safety-relevant application and are thus configured as decentralized safe network subscribers; - the decentralized safe network subscribers are adapted to perform the safety functions that are relevant to them and/or safety associations by themselves, the decentralized safe network subscribers each having a unique safety address; - the decentralized safe network subscribers are grouped into safety islands (1,2, 3), each of the safety islands comprising a respective decentralized safe network subscriber LPSDO, with each of the safety islands comprising a decentralized safe network subscriber LPSDO which has logically associated therewith, as satellites, a plurality of safety data input items (SDI items, 12) and/or safety data output items (SDO items, 14); and - a communication between the decentralized safe network subscribers is configured as a failsafe point-to-point communication based on a chain of point-to-point relationships from one safety island to a subsequent safety island, wherein one decentralized safe network subscriber of the safety island defines a master and one decentralized safe network subscriber of the subsequent safety island defines a slave, so that a concatenation of master-slave relationships between safety islands (1,2,3) forms the chain of point-to-point relationships in order to be able to provide safety functions between and covering the decentralized safe network subscribers.