Basics on Alarm Management

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Basic Alarm Management

One Mind  1 Vision  n number of Alarms

Alarm fatigue
How Many Actions to Do

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Building a Good Alarm Management System

Hazop looks
Hazop looks at at
Is
Is essential
essential to
to understand
understand consequences
consequences but but assumes
assumes
LOPA
how
Process Knowledgehow the
the Process
Process behaves
behaves (Layers of Protection that
that the
the event
event in
in question
question
and
and when
when what
what will
will Happen
Happen Analysis)
has
has happened
happened followed
followed byby
LOPA
LOPA andand used
used forfor analyzing
analyzing
Risk
Risk assessment looks
assessment looks at at the
the
whole process and
whole process and asks asks what
what
the
the hazards
hazards in in aa process
process and
and
could
could happen
happen overall,
overall, what
what segregating
segregating the the alarms
alarms
Process Risks would
would thethe consequence
consequence be be and
and HAZOP based
based onon Frequency
Frequency
(Hazardous &
Analysis how
how likely is it.
likely is it. Validate
Validate the
the Operability) ,Severity
,Severity etc.
etc. with
with mitigation
mitigation
Process
Process considering
considering aa very
very plans,
plans,  . .
broader
broader aspect
aspect like
like
Environment
Environment ,Legal,
,Legal, logistics
logistics
etc.
etc. apart
apart from
from process
process

Based
Based on
on all
all the
the
Helps
Helps as
as aa vital
vital input
input in
in
Past Experiences Alarm Assignment methodologies
methodologies we we need
need to
to
formulating
formulating the
the Alarms
Alarms like
like
assign
assign the
the respective
respective
practical
practical response
response time
time etc.
etc.
Alarms
Alarms inin Control
Control Systems.
Systems.

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Building a Good Alarm Management System

Risks
Process Knowledge Process Past Experiences
Analysis

LOPA HAZOP
(Layers of Protection (Hazardous &
Analysis) Operability)

Alarm Assignment

Implementation Process

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LOPA

Focus

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Implementation Process of Alarm Management System
• Set the Alarm Values as per the Study for
Ranging the Tags

• Set LOW/MEDIUM and HIGH as per the

Prioritize Response required

• Group the Alarm Area wise for better

Grouping seggeration

Assigning Actions • Every Alarm shall have an Action Defined

Validate • Check for Duplication

Programmatic • Of Unnecessary or Irrelevant Alarm by

Suppression state of Equipment's

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What Standards we need to Follow and Good Practice

EEMUA 191
Ideal statistics for Alarm Occurrence

1.Average Alarms per Minute : <= 1 or 2

ISA 18.2
2.Average Alarms per Hour : <=6 nos.

3.Average Alarms per Day :<= 144 nos.

IEC 62682

Behavior of Alarms during Process should be Monitored and Analyzed as a

Lifecycle

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Tips on Assigning Alarms

Assign Alarms Values as Below based on a typical Process

Normal Operating Temperature: 100 Deg C
Abnormal Temperature 105 Deg C
Tolerance Temperature 102 Deg C

• Our Control should be Set at 100 Deg C -SP

• Out Interlock Activation for containing the Temperature in
control limits 102 Deg C
• Alarm 1st Level Action at 105 Deg C Ideally should never reach
this temperature unless there is a Runaway reaction.

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Alarm Life Cycle Management

Any Changes in Alarms should follow a Change Management Process

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Advantage of Alarm Management Implementation

1. Operator can focus on the alarms as per priority.

2. No unnecessary Panic being created in the Control Room

3. Better focus on the Process Activities by operator

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Thank You

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