HSSE Management Tours - BG Group

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Key Integrity Barriers
Topic 14 – Alarm Management
• Alarms are placed within process plants to alert
operators when specified process conditions (e.g.
level, pressure, temperature) exceed specified
values. Typically alarms are sent via the control
system to the control room so that appropriate
action can be taken.
• A problem that is faced in the industry is that of
managing the number of alarms received by the
control room operator. Having too many alarms can
result in reduced efficiency and in many instances
has been a critical factor in hiding integrity
incidents until much too late. Managing this
phenomenon, referred to as ‘alarm flooding’, is key
to minimising risks.
HSSE Management Tours:
Asset Integrity Guide
• The critical aspects of alarm management are:
– There is a clear hierarchy and system for
prioritisation of alarms (design)
– The number of alarms handled by the operator
is measured and actions are taken to eliminate
“nuisance” and other non-essential alarms
– Having a plan to rationalise the alarm handling
process (where this is needed)
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