An alarm system is an indispensable component for the safe operation of process plants such as oil refineries, chemical plants, and power plants. Requirements for alarm management have recently intensified. For existing plants, the first step in alarm management is to evaluate the alarm system performance. However, a number of conventional methods focus on alarms only as signals requiring operator attention. That would not be enough for comprehensive evaluation. In this paper, an operator questionnaire for comprehensively evaluating plant alarm systems is proposed. The questionnaire evaluates the systems from the standpoints of eight characteristics—unique, timely, prioritized, understandable, diagnostic, advisory, and focusing of a good alarm as stated in EEMUA 191. The effectiveness of the proposed method was validated with an actual plant.

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In our previous paper, the results of a survey on proposed design standards for graphics used for distributed control systems (DCSs) in plant operation were reported and a set of design standards was proposed. In this paper, the proposed design standards are reinforced and thoroughly explained. Next, a survey of operators was conducted to prove that the design standards are acceptable to plant operators. Several practical ideas for designing graphics for plant operation in order to show differences from normal states, alarm information and non-steady-state operations are also proposed. Furthermore, some recommendations for implementing and maintaining the graphics are explained. These standards and ideas will help engineers provide effective graphics and enhance operational efficiency.

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In order to improve the effectiveness of color coding for industrial plants, ranges of colors were measured, which most participants identified by the same color name. Six colors were selected because they are used for color coding in large-scale plants: red, orange, yellow green, green and blue. Since workplace is often dark in the plants, three illuminance levels were set, 10 lx, 50 lx and 500 lx. Based on the results, color ranges that more than 95% of the participants identified as the same color name under all illuminance levels were determined.

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Technology transfer or knowledge transfer of senior skilled engineers to the younger generation has become one of the common problems for Knowledge Management (Hereinafter called KM) in Japanese industries, as more and more of the experienced seniors retire. However, solving this common KM problem is becoming far too complicated to deal with using conventional KM methods. Conventional methods only aim for specific areas of concern and their methodology for application varies to each method, therefore conventional methods are not sound for industrial application. In this study, simplified comprehensive knowledge transfer model and methodology to apply the model has been established to challenge this industrial KM problem. There are 2 major problems we face, if one of the conventional methods is applied for any specific industrial KM problem: 1st problem is that expected results cannot be obtained; 2nd problem is that quantitative analysis for the effect of the KM method applied cannot be obtained. To solve these problems, the new simplified knowledge transfer model is established as a form of tacit knowledge and/or explicit knowledge based on our knowhow of managing various success factors for knowledge transfer, which are developed inductively throughout our past consulting experience. In this new KM method, complicated knowledge transfer process is simplified by the new KM model incorporating the idea of knowledge transfer from one storage medium to another. This model enables us to understand the true KM problems in each project and therefore easier for us to solve those problems. This model also enables us to quantitatively analyze the effect of the KM activities.

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