3.5.1

Is the design of the alarm system based on

  1. an alarm philosophy and
  2. an alarm specification?

The alarm system should be designed based on an alarm philosophy, which states aims of the alarm system including how to approach human factors issues. The alarm system should also be based on an alarm specification, in which the components of the alarm system are specified.

Check:

  1. that there exist routines to improve the usefulness and usability of the system such as performance requirements,
  2. the role of the operator, how this changes according to operating state, and what support the operator has,
  3. how the design accounts for human limitations,
  4. use of alarm priorities: The purpose of using priorities, how priorities are defined and the rationale behind the definitions,
  5. the use of alarm acknowledgment, describing its purpose and how operators should be trained in using it and
  6. standards, alarm generation and structuring principles.

Comments/Recommendations

DC: Applicable to the DC