After evaluating a record 760 review comments from industry experts, the ISA18 standards committee on Instrument Signals and Alarms plans one final review cycle prior to submitting draft ISA-18.00.02 for committee ballot by the end of the year.
The draft, “Management of Alarm Systems for the Process Industries,” has been the main focus for the ISA18 committee this year – eliciting a whopping 2,500-plus comments in the last 12 months from end users, vendors and other process industry professionals.
This outpouring of interest and input is no surprise to ISA18 co-chair Nick Sands of DuPont. “The processes and practices in this lifecycle approach to alarm management will benefit any process plant,” he points out. “Implementation of the standard, when complete, will help users understand the elements of alarm management from philosophy and rationalization to monitoring and audit. The committee plans to issue technical reports with guidance on how to complete these activities.”
The ISA18 committee’s next meeting is October 13 in Houston in conjunction with ISA EXPO 2008 (www.isa.org/expo). For more information about ISA18 or any of ISA’s standards activities, visit www.isa.org/standards or call 919-549-8411.
About ISA
Founded in 1945, ISA (www.isa.org) is a leading, global, non-profit organization that is setting the standard for automation by helping over 30,000 worldwide members and other professionals solve difficult technical problems, while enhancing their leadership and personal career capabilities. Based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, ISA develops standards; certifies industry professionals; provides education and training; publishes books and technical articles; and hosts the largest conference and exhibition for automation professionals in the Western Hemisphere. ISA is the founding sponsor of The Automation Federation (www.automationfederation.org).
