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Our Alarm Management Philosophy
Alarms are not the problem, they are a symptom
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A core tenet of alarm management is improving the ability of operators
to successfully react to an abnormal trend
prior to an alarm.
Alarm management is really about striving to operate with zero alarm activity, however there will be unexpected and undesirable situations that should generate alarms. Those alarms should be meaningful and timely so the operating team can respond successfully.
Instead of fixating on the alarm, look for the underlying reason
the alarm has become a problem. You may find that the alarm system
has become the crutch for ineffective graphics or inadequate training.
Once the alarm system is properly designed, other sources of information
(better console graphics, improved ergonomics, updated training,
etc.) should be in place to prompt action
prior to an alarm.
Alarm management is not rocket science
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Alarm management is simply a method of applying, or reapplying, basic site engineering and operating principles. It is helpful to understand the dynamics of alarm design and interaction, so there is a potential need to consult an "expert" in the education and project planning process. Once the project team is familiar with the process and procedures of alarm management, the remaining effort will consist of "turning the crank". Engineering services firms can supplement labor requirements as needed.
Alarm management is a continuous process
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Alarm management should be integrated into everyday procedures because the physical and human assets in a plant are in a state of constant change. Over time, equipment and people age and change, weather and raw materials change. The alarm system is under dynamic stress from direct and indirect sources.
To prevent the dynamic environment from degrading an alarm system, it should be consistently monitored. Proposed changes should also be scrutinized through a management of change program.
Successful alarm management is operations focused
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The "end user" of alarms is the operator. Giving Operations influence over the alarm management process effectively gives them the ability to control the information they receive about plant condition. This is not to say that Operations has overarching control of the alarm system. They should simply have a prevalent voice within the team assembled to manage control room information systems - including alarms.
Most alarm management initiatives are data driven. Alarm improvements are prioritized through nuisance analysis or performance benchmarking. However, they can also be Operations driven, where the operating team identifies alarm issues through observation only - no data considered. In fact, even when data is used, the focal issue should be operator loading because the goal is improvement of the operator's ability to respond to an abnormal trend.
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