Matrikon’s Alarm Management Hands-on Workshops

Alarm Management Systems Specialist (AMSS)

Certification Programme

Many process control plants have alarm systems that actually fail the operator when they are
needed most. Instead of alarms alerting operators with useful and actionable direction, the
overwhelming number of nuisance alarms a typical plant faces impedes processes, productivity
and safety. A poor alarm system exists because of the way it is configured, not because of its
technology.

Become AMSS certified and you will be able to assess the problems with your plant's current
alarm system and take action to ensure stability, accountability and profitability in your plant.

Once certified you will know:

• How to prepare your plant for new safety, procedure and insurance regulations.
• How to successfully eliminate up to 75% of your alarms.
• How to improve safety standards, meet production demands and reduce trips.
• How to employ proven procedures and strategies to prioritize and configure alarm settings.
• How to structure and efficiently execute a complete alarm management project and reduce
implementation time by 30%.
• How to quickly and effectively integrate alarm management strategies by examining
successful, working solutions.
• How to build a successful alarm philosophy tailored specifically to your plant.
Alarm Management Philosophy (AMSS101)
Overview

Learn the fundamentals of alarm management and the impact

alarms have on the operations of a plant. The Alarm Management
Philosophy course will give you the tools to begin taking control of
abnormal situations. This is a hands-on workshop where
participants will work through computer-based exercises. This
course is part of the AMSS certification program
The Alarm Management Philosophy course provides participants
with an overview of alarm management, what alarm management
has evolved to, best practices when integrating an alarm
management project, legislation and insight into creating a
business case that is tailored to the participant’s own, unique situation. The course is divided
into modules each with an exercise or discussion component. Each module builds on the
previous one so that learning is done in an organized and structured format.

Objectives

Upon completion of the Alarm Management Philosophy Workshop, participants will have
acquired knowledge related to:

• Project Management and Execution: Learn to structure and efficiently execute a

complete alarm management project and reduce implementation time by 30%.

• Best Practice Alarm Management Strategies: Quickly and effectively integrate alarm
management strategies by examining successful, working solutions.

• Philosophy Document: Understand and build a unique alarm philosophy tailored specifically
to your plant.

• Business Case Tools: Understand the costs of not implementing an alarm management
philosophy by reviewing sample business cases.

• Standards Legislation: Prepare your plant for new safety, procedure and insurance
regulations (ISA, EEMUA, OSHA, ISO, Responsible Care™).

Target Audience

Control and Application Engineers, Integrators, Managers, Operations Managers, Plant Floor
Operators, Plant Managers, Product Managers, Project Managers, Team Engineers, Technicians,
Unit Superintendents
Learning Environment

Alarm Management Philosophy, is held within a computer lab where each participant is given
dedicated use of a computer for the duration of the course. The course is comprised of
presentations, examples, demonstrations and hands-on exercises. Participants are encouraged
to discuss current alarm and event issues they face.

Abstract

The course is divided into modules. Each module will build on the previous one so that learning
is done in an organized and structured format. This course provides participants with an
overview of alarm management, what alarm management has evolved to, best practices in
integrating an alarm management project, and legislation and insight into creating a business
case that is tailored to the participant’s own, unique situation.

Module 1: Introduction - The Alarm Management Philosophy Workshop begins by describing

key issues surrounding "the alarm management problem." You will be given context regarding
the many facets of Alarm Management as well as a description of the course objectives.

Module 2: Standards Legislation - This module reviews key legislation regulating alarm
management and how it affects your facility. Upon completion of this module, you will
understand the legislative issues enabling you to make informed business and operational
decisions about your facility.

Module 3: Alarm Management Concepts & Tools - In module 3, you will learn about the
different types/phases of Alarm Management and methods therein. Upon completion of this
module you will:
• Understand the different types of Alarm Management efforts.
• Understand the tools required to achieve Alarm Management Goals
• Know the components of an effective Alarm Management System.

Module 4: Business Case Tools - In this module, you will acquire tools that will guide you
through writing a business case for an alarm management project with an ROI focus. Upon
completing this module you will know how to create an effective business case by:
• Understanding how alarms relate to productivity
• Knowing how can you quantify the cost of poor alarm management
• Learning from sample business cases from other companies

Module 5: Project Phases - You will understand a high-level overview of the different stages
in an alarm management project. Further, you will gain insight into what stages must be
implemented and which stages can be implemented later on.

Module 6: Philosophy Document - Companies spend several months and several thousands
of dollars on consultants to develop a site-specific alarm philosophy document. This module
teaches you how to develop your own philosophy document tailored to your plant and control
system. After reviewing the key sections of an alarm philosophy, you will develop your own
specific document. Upon completing this module, you will:
• Learn what an alarm is, and the purpose of the alarm system
• Understand guiding rules and available options for determining alarm settings
• Know what to avoid when building your alarm philosophy
• Understand performance goals and continuous monitoring
• Understand Alarm design: Purpose, Priority definitions, Alarm Groups, Alarm Interface, Alarm
options (Analogue, digital, deviation, logic, etc)
• Know the significance of management-of-change and notification
• Understand roles and responsibilities

Advanced Alarm Analysis and Rationalization (AMSS102)

Overview

The second course of the AMSS Certification program teaches,

through hands-on exercise, the process of effectively reducing
alarms and optimizing remaining and new alarms. This course
takes place in a computer lab where participants will work through
computer based, hands-on exercises. This course is part of the
AMSS certification program.

The Advanced Alarm Analysis and Rationalization course provides

participants with a solid understanding and systematic approach to
reducing alarms and capitalize on the remaining alarms to boost
productivity. The course is divided into modules which includes exercises and discussion. Each
module builds on the previous one so that learning is done in an organized and structured
format.

Objectives

Upon completion of the Advanced Alarm Analysis and Rationalization Workshop, participants will
have acquired knowledge related to:

• Analysis Techniques: Successfully eliminate up to 75% of your alarms through bad actor
and alarm flood analysis to reveal true critical alarms.

• Alarm Management Assessment: Learn to concretely benchmark alarm management

performance and accurately assess your alarm management situation.

• Optimize Alarms: Improve safety, meet production demands and reduce trips.

• Rationalization / AOA: Learn effective procedures and strategies to prioritize and configure
alarm settings. Increase daily tag analysis by 50%.

• Sustaining: Use your software investment to institutionalize alarm management and sustain
results after your project is complete.
Target Audience

Control and Application Engineers, Integrators, Managers, Operations Managers, Plant Floor
Operators, Plant Managers, Product Managers, Project Managers, Team Engineers, Technicians,
Unit Superintendents.

Learning Environment

Advanced Alarm Analysis and Rationalization is held within a computer lab where each
participant is given dedicated use of a computer for the duration of the course. The course is
comprised of presentations, examples, demonstrations and hands-on exercises. Participants are
encouraged to discuss current alarm and event issues they face.

Abstract

The course is divided into modules. Each module will build on the previous one so that learning
is done in an organized and structured format.

Module 1: Introduction - The Advanced Alarm Analysis and Rationalization Workshop begins
with a review of the execution of an Alarm Management project, as well as a description of the
days objectives.

Module 2: Alarm Management Assessment - This module teaches you how to assess and
measure the effectiveness of your site alarm management activities. A review of the tools,
practices, and benchmarks are presented to help put a framework together for each participant
to analyse and assess their own site.

Module 3: Alarm Analysis - Benchmark and analyse your current system to determine what
alarms are giving you problems, which alarms can be easily fixed and the areas of quick
returns. You will develop and determine key alarm performance metrics you can continuously
rely on to give a constant indication of the state of your alarm system. These metrics will be
revisited throughout the life cycle to ensure that your process is operating at an optimal level
with respect to alarming. You will:

• Understand alarm history collection considerations

• Learn how to set up an alarm history system
• Know how to analyse alarm history according to EEMUA standards.
• Learn how to benchmark your system to know your current state and which areas require
attention in order to reach the goals decided in your philosophy.
• Know how to follow-up on the analysis

Module 4: Rationalization and AOA meetings - Alarm Rationalization, or Alarm Objectives

Analysis, is a procedure where each alarm is examined to ensure it conforms to the alarm
philosophy. Participants will learn the full rationalization process, which includes:

• Systematically analysing and fixing alarm systems to further reduce alarms

• Setting up a master database to store rationalization efforts
• Learning the Rationalization Meeting structure
• Rationalization exercises

Module 5: DCS Implementation and Dynamic Alarm Management Techniques - The

function of Dynamic Alarm Configuration Software is to optimally configure your control system
for each process operating state. This module addresses when, where and why particular
alarms should intelligently and automatically disable during operating states where they are no
longer relevant (e.g. when the plant is shut down), and when they should be re-enabled. Upon
completion of this module, you will:
• Understand State-based alarming
• Understand Advanced alarming
• Understand Intelligent alarming
• Understand Alarm Shelving
• Understand Alarm Enforcement

Module 6: Ongoing Maintenance Techniques - Once your alarm system has improved, it is
vital to maintain it so as not to lose the results and the value realized. This module will provide
and review the best practices in industry for simplifying monitoring and maintenance activities
and leveraging your alarm management infrastructure.

Instructor Profile

Eldin Dickinson: B.E (Electrical/Computer Systems), is an experienced Control Systems

Engineer, OPC & Alarm Management Specialist and an instructor of Matrikon’s Alarm
Management workshops. Eldin has delivered more than 30 hands-on Alarm Management
workshops throughout Australia and South East Asia. In his 12 years since graduating from
University, Eldin has been working in the area of control and network systems design,
implementation and commissioning and spent 2 years in North America assisting in the
establishment of a multi-national HMI/Scada company.
About Matrikon

Matrikon provides web-based products and optimization services

to leaders in oil and gas, petrochemicals, cement, utilities, pulp
and paper, automotives and heavy equipment, discrete
manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and food and beverage
processing. Across these diverse industries, we adhere to one
performance standard: customer satisfaction.

Matrikon has the tools and expertise to help plants achieve

operational excellence by transforming production and
operational data into knowledge to predict and prevent problems, identify opportunities for
improvement, and plan and execute production more efficiently. We help corporations attain
business agility by combining market and enterprise-wide operational data to make informed,
intelligent decisions in real time.

At Matrikon, we achieve our goals by helping you achieve yours.

© Copyright 2006, Matrikon Inc.

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