ABSTRACT
The general aims of the survey were to obtain information to enable an assessment of control desk engineers’ (CDEs) reactions to their alarm system. This information was sought to explore the differences in alarm handling in different industries. This is a valid area for human factors research, as Lees (1974) wrote:
Alarm systems are often the least satisfactory aspects of process control system design. There are a number of reasons for this, including lack of clear design philosophy, confusion between alarms and statuses, use of too many alarms, etc. Yet with the relative growth in the monitoring function of the operator, and indeed of the control system, the alarm system becomes increasingly important. This is therefore another field in which there is much scope for work.
