Author: Gordie Thompson
Most plants don’t realize how much money they’re quietly leaving on the table because of poorly performing alarm systems.
When fewer alarms meant better operation
Early in my career at a pulp mill, operators could step away from the control board for long stretches, sometimes even heading to the kitchen to cook a turkey during the holidays, because only meaningful alarms came through. The system had been built in the 1980s, when adding an alarm was possible but required enough effort that engineers had to stop and ask, “Do we actually need this?” That discipline mattered. The result was a calm, manageable console that alerted operators only when something truly required attention.
When adding alarms became effortless… and risky
Fast forward a few years to oil sands mega‑projects, and the picture looked very different. Modern Distributed Control System (DCS), platforms made adding alarms incredibly easy, sometimes too easy. Plants began accumulating tens of thousands of alarms, and over time, alarm performance quietly drifted. Operators learned to tune out the noise, and truly critical alarms were at risk of getting lost in the flood.
The real return on getting alarms right
This is where the hidden ROI of alarm management becomes impossible to ignore.
What effective alarm management actually changes
- Operators carry far more alarm load than most leaders realize. A small number of “bad actor” alarms often generate 60–80% of total alarm traffic, and fixing them delivers immediate improvements in operational stability.
- Better alarms reduce unplanned trips. Not every trip is caused by equipment failure. Many happen when operators are overwhelmed or misled by alarm noise at the wrong moment. A properly rationalized alarm system helps operators identify the real issue faster and take the correct action.
- Alarm quality is directly tied to safety. A noisy alarm system erodes operator trust. A clear, intentional system reinforces fast response, prevents escalation, and improves process safety.
- Dynamic (state‑based) alarming is the only proven method to control alarm floods. According to ISA 18.2 and IEC 62682, state‑based alarm management is the only approach shown to reduce alarm floods and prevent operators from missing critical alarms.
- Alarm rationalization works best when it starts early. Rationalizing alarms after startup is rework. Including an Alarm Philosophy and rationalization during design avoids unnecessary alarms, reduces engineering cost, and creates a system operators can trust.
Why standards exist, and why they matter
Standards such as ISA 18.2 (published in 2009 and revised in 2016) and its global counterpart IEC 62682 (2014) define best practices for alarm design, operation, and lifecycle management. Today, they’re widely recognized as accepted good engineering practice across the industry.
Better alarms, not bigger budgets
Bottom line
You don’t need a capital project to unlock value.
You just need alarms that genuinely help operators operate.
Want to Learn More?
Alarm systems work best when operators trust them.
