Alarm Response and Operational Discipline
Silencing an Alarm Does Not Silence the Hazard
An alarm is a demand for attention, not an inconvenience to be acknowledged and forgotten. Repeated alarms can become familiar, but familiarity does not prove that the underlying condition is safe. Operators must identify the cause, apply the approved response and keep the abnormal condition visible until it is corrected or formally managed.
Controls to confirm
- Respond to every alarm using the approved priority and operating procedure, confirming the affected equipment and current process condition.
- Escalate standing, repeated or unclear alarms and do not suppress, inhibit or alter an alarm without the authorised review and compensating controls.
- Record the cause, actions and outstanding risk at shift handover, and verify that corrective work is completed before treating the alarm as closed.
Today’s action
Review one standing or frequently repeating alarm today and confirm its cause, owner, interim controls and planned correction.
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