At the core of ethylene manufacturing, plant operators play a critical role inmaintaining safe, sustainable and profitable production. For nearly four decades, industrialcompanies and automation suppliers have unintentionally installed control systems withoutadequate attention to the design of alarm systems. Consequently, alarm systems have oftenbecome a hindrance rather than a help to operations personnel. At times when an effectivealarm system is most needed, poorly implemented alarm systems with excessive alarm ratescan overwhelm the operator and impede their ability to effectively react and respond to thesituation. Nuisance alarms, in addition to the alarm floods, are routinely causing unnecessarystress and fatigue upon the operations personnel.This paper examines the history of the modern alarm system, provides an analysis of the costof poorly performing alarm systems to the industry, and delivers a concise seven-step bestpractice methodology for designing and implementing a sound alarm management system.
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