Alarms can be used to monitor data for anything out of the ordinary, like catching smalls deviations and alerting an operator to a possible situation before it escalates. Setting up alarms on your assets enables you to prevent physical and economic loss through faster operator intervention and response times.
How many alarms can an operator effectively handle per day? ISA 18.2 states that, ideally, one alarm per 10 minutes can be taken care of without sacrifice to the operator’s other duties. Two alarms per 10 minutes are identified as manageable.
Effectively managing alarms help your operations reduce downtime and increase efficiencies. One of the best ways to do this is through a Cloud Platform.
Cloud solution to managing alarms
Emerson's Zedi SaaS SCADA supports any digital monitoring hardware for real-time operational production data with an aggregated view of your operations. Our customers have access to their data via our web-based interface, Emerson's Zedi Access or the Zedi Go mobile App.
The Zedi Cloud software has many benefits and gives your operations team quick access to alarm data from anywhere while allowing you to eliminate capital expenditure, which makes us an ideal solution for your operations.
Some benefits to using a cloud platform as part as your alarm management strategy include:
- Powerful analytics tools are available for alarm analysis and optimization
- Quick access via browsers, tablets, and smartphones
- Eliminates high up-front investments
- Allows your team to focus on their core competencies and need not care about installing and running the system.
- New software features and updated templates become available without tedious software updates.
- Increases collaboration between office and plant personnel to manage alarms effectively
Alarm configuration in the cloud
Configuring your asset alarms can be done in Zedi Access under the Admin menu. Our platform offers four types of alarms your operations can set up, which include:
Grey Icon- No Communication alarm- Meaning the site itself has not been in communication or has been offline for 24 hours.
Red Icon- High High/Low Low alarm- This indicates your sensor is extremely outside the parameters you’ve set on your asset.
Yellow Icon: High/Low Alarms means your sensor is slightly outside the parameters you set up your asset.
Blue Icon- Indicates missing flow parameters configuration. This alarm means which site's flow parameters need to be updated.
When an alarm is triggered, you'll know what type of alarm you're dealing with based on the colors indicated above
You can also customize your alarm message and select individual or group contacts to be alerted when an alarm is triggered. Notifications can be received via email, text, and now with automated voice call out’s by phone as well.
Alarm management is an ongoing process that is never complete. Therefore, one of the keys to creating a successful alarm management program is to realize that it is a continuing process.
