Your operators are drowning in alarms. Your safety manager spends days compiling reports. Your security team is stretched thin. Sound familiar?
This blog is about three specific actions you can take now to save time on compliance while improving safety and security. No long implementations. No major overhauls. Just practical steps that work.
Speed up alarm management
Up to 75% of alarms don't require immediate attention.1 But there’s lots of evidence that too many alarms can desensitize operators, making it harder to keep plants safe, and resulting in some serious incidents.2
In fact, the ISA-18.2 standard recommends a maximum of one alarm every 10 minutes to avoid overload.3 But many plants frequently exceed this threshold.
Let’s look at ways to improve the situation – fast.
Quick win 1: Stop alarm floods
Install software that monitors alarms in the background and spots trends. Work with your operational teams to configure the system. It needs to prioritize alarms and deliver relevant advice for each one. This helps operators react fast to avoid shutdowns.
Implementation takes about a month with zero downtime required. Solutions like ABB AlarmInsight™ work exactly this way. And operational teams see results quickly.
Quick win 2: Use data to prevent issues
Once you're aggregating alarm data, take the next step. Connect your alarm system to broader automation systems and asset health data.
Right now, skilled data analysts can use this information to spot recurring issues. They can identify patterns and improve efficiency before problems escalate. Soon, AI will make this analysis even faster and easier.
Simplify cybersecurity compliance
By 2018, 60% of surveyed organizations had experienced a breach in their industrial control systems or SCADA systems.4 The threats are real and growing.
New regulations are coming. In the EU, NIS2 regulations take effect in 2025 for most member states. How do you get ahead without massive investment?
Quick win 1: Choose partners carefully
The fastest path to NIS2 compliance starts with your technology partners.
Choose companies with ISO 27001 certification. These partners can supply evidence to support your audits. You'll still need to manage those audits yourself, but if your partners have strong security foundations, the process can be much easier.
Quick win 2: Close monitoring gaps
You probably have some security monitoring in place, but not across everything. That's common. Most plants have limited resources for comprehensive threat detection.
Look for solutions that include 24/7 incident monitoring and response. Third-party experts can oversee detection and remediation for you.
OT specialists like ABB are developing these services. The goal is to give industrial companies round-the-clock access to cybersecurity experts. The cost is a fraction of what you'd spend employing these individuals full-time.
Manage safety compliance more easily
Gathering data to prove safety compliance can take hours every single week. This creates two problems. First, it's a massive time drain. Second, it means you can't see safety risks in real time.
Let’s look at some solutions.
Quick win 1: Automate safety reporting
You can dramatically decrease time spent on safety compliance by deploying wireless sensors to gather data automatically. Then, use systems that update reporting automatically as regulations change.
This approach lets you defer maintenance that isn't necessary. You can even extend the gap between rounds of proof testing and generate reports for regulators instantly.
Implementation is fast. In some cases, it takes just a few minutes. The maximum is about a week. Either way, you won’t need to commit to any downtime.
Systems like ABB Ability™ SafetyInsight™ work this way. They gather data from your different platforms and handle reporting. Over time, there's an added benefit. We analyze your historical safety data and find ways to improve procedures.
Quick win 2: Handle shutdown safety
Shutdowns create unique safety challenges. In fact, some research suggests that nearly 50% of incidents at chemical facilities occur during shutdown or startup.5
The smartest solution is to deploy temporary systems to monitor the area affected by the shutdown. Wireless sensors, wireless call points, and smoke detectors should stay in place for a few weeks. This makes it easy to monitor safety and get automated compliance reports during the shutdown.
When the shutdown ends, remove the equipment. You've managed risk without permanent investment.
Seven more quick wins for your plant
You shouldn’t need to run massive transformation projects to see benefits from digital transformation.
At ABB, we don’t believe in jargon about ‘Industry 4.0.’ Instead, we think it’s about getting straight to the results. Any investment you make should deliver immediate wins for your plant – and build towards even bigger benefits.
Explore more quick wins for your plant, and get tailored advice for your situation, in our full-length whitepaper.
1https://new.abb.com/process-automation/energy-industries/digital/solutions/alarminsight
2https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1474667015325246
3https://www.grahamnasby.com/files_publications/NasbyG_2013_IntroToAlarmMgmt_YorkRegion_oct2013_slides.pdf
4https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/business%20functions/risk/our%20insights/cybersecurity%20in%20a%20digital%20era/cybersecurity%20in%20a%20digital%20era.pdf
5https://int-enviroguard.com/blog/dangers-of-start-up-and-shutdown-operations/
