Alarm Management

Introduction:

The ease at which Distributed Control Systems (DCS) alarms can be created has removed the incentive to limit the number of such alarms. The result, operators today are potentially faced with more alarms than they can effectively monitor. Alarm Systems Management (ASM) should, therefore, identify unnecessary alarms, those set at the wrong value and general overall improvement to the systems and procedures

Poor management and poor ownership of alarm systems with no agreed alarms policy inevitably leads to a situation where alarms are incorrectly set giving large numbers of irrelevant alarms which the operator, frustrated, begins to ignore or which may obscure more critical alarms. Rationalization and de-manning of control rooms without an awareness of human factors further increases potential risks. In this ‘nontechnically’ based seminar you will learn how to:

Targeted Groups:

Automation, Chemical, and Process Engineers
Installation and Maintenance Technicians
Instrumentation and Control Engineers
Process Operators
Production and Project Managers
Other Professionals who want a better understanding of the subject matter

Course Objectives:

At the end of this course the participants will be able to:

Apply concepts and procedures for improving alarm management
Assess the performance of your system with a range of improvement techniques
Improve and apply Alarm Management techniques
Evaluate their current operator readiness, state of training and ability
Consider the opportunities for increased plant performance and safety
Understand the number of ways of measuring the performance of an alarm system and its users
Understand the costs of poor alarm performance or not implementing an alarm management philosophy

Targeted Competencies:

Collection of techniques, tools, standards, and procedures that will improve operations and overall effectiveness of alarm management
Business Case Tools
Best Practice Alarm Management Strategies
Alarm Management Performance
Ensuring that Emergency Response systems are in place so if/when the system does fail the response can be efficient and effective

Course Content:

Unit 1: Introduction, Aims, Objectives, and Key Issues:

Guidance document EEMUA 191
Basic Alarm Management philosophy, what does it include?
5 Justifications for Alarm Management
Alarm Management, all plants need it!
Project Plan Outline – not a one-off project!
Benchmark & Assessment
Alarm Management Philosophy
Alarm analysis/rationalization
Implementation and execution
Continuous Improvement
Functional definitions of systems

Unit 2: Principles of an Alarm Management Program:

Managing an improvement program – who should be involved?
Personal and Team targets
Alarm proliferation
Alarm review and control of modifications
Increased hazards, use of alarms, control and protection
Major commercial hazards will involve risks to people and the environment
Strategy and / or Culture of Improvement
Operator involvement and ‘no-blame’ reporting
Integrating Alarm Management to boost Plant Production

Unit 3: Measuring Performance Along With Human Factors:

Alarms need people
Human factor issues
Human Factors – International Standard IEC61508
Operator questionnaires, Improving operator procedures
Dealing with unwanted alarms
Logical processing of alarms
Case Histories – some examples of loss
Potential conflicts between various business needs

Unit 4: Legislation and Self Evaluation:

Operator Interface. “Are there problems with your existing alarm system”? Take some measurements to find out
How many alarms are there?
Are you overwhelmed by alarm ‘floods’?
Management Responsibilities – Legislation
Physical Assessment Trees
Learning from sample business cases studies
Is your organization prepared? Self Evaluating Activity and questionnaires
The Alerting process; Communications and Warnings
Equipping and identifying Emergency Operations/Communications Centres
Stress Levels of Control Room Operators & Emergency Responders

Unit 5: Should the System Catastrophically Fail and a Major Incident Follows:

Departmental Roles & Responsibilities
Role of First responders - Emergency Response Teams
Role of the Incident On-Scene Commander
Shelter or Evacuation
Designing drills

Health, Safety & Security

Alarm Management

Introduction:

Targeted Groups:

Course Objectives:

Targeted Competencies:

Course Content:

Unit 1: Introduction, Aims, Objectives, and Key Issues:

Unit 2: Principles of an Alarm Management Program:

Unit 3: Measuring Performance Along With Human Factors:

Unit 4: Legislation and Self Evaluation:

Unit 5: Should the System Catastrophically Fail and a Major Incident Follows:

Our Training Courses

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Istanbul Office (Turkey)

London (UK)

Amman (Jordan)