IEC 62682:2022

IEC 62682 ®
Edition 2.0 2022-12
COMMENTED VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Management of alarm systems for the process industries
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from
either IEC or IEC's member National Committee in the country of the requester. If you have any questions about IEC
copyright or have an enquiry about obtaining additional rights to this publication, please contact the address below or
your local IEC member National Committee for further information.

IEC Secretariat Tel.: +41 22 919 02 11
3, rue de Varembé info@iec.ch
CH-1211 Geneva 20 www.iec.ch
Switzerland
About the IEC
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the leading global organization that prepares and publishes
International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.

About IEC publications
The technical content of IEC publications is kept under constant review by the IEC. Please make sure that you have the
latest edition, a corrigendum or an amendment might have been published.

IEC publications search - webstore.iec.ch/advsearchform IEC Products & Services Portal - products.iec.ch
The advanced search enables to find IEC publications by a
Discover our powerful search engine and read freely all the
variety of criteria (reference number, text, technical publications previews. With a subscription you will always
committee, …). It also gives information on projects, replaced have access to up to date content tailored to your needs.
and withdrawn publications.
Electropedia - www.electropedia.org
IEC Just Published - webstore.iec.ch/justpublished
The world's leading online dictionary on electrotechnology,
Stay up to date on all new IEC publications. Just Published
containing more than 22 300 terminological entries in English
details all new publications released. Available online and
and French, with equivalent terms in 19 additional languages.
once a month by email.
Also known as the International Electrotechnical Vocabulary

(IEV) online.
IEC Customer Service Centre - webstore.iec.ch/csc

If you wish to give us your feedback on this publication or
need further assistance, please contact the Customer Service
Centre: sales@iec.ch.
IEC 62682 ®
Edition 2.0 2022-12
COMMENTED VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Management of alarm systems for the process industries
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 13.320; 25.040.40 ISBN 978-2-8322-6270-2

– 2 – IEC 62682:2022 CMV © IEC 2022
CONTENTS
FOREWORD .9
INTRODUCTION . 11
1 Scope . 12
1.1 General applicability . 12
1.2 Exclusions and inclusions . 14
1.2.1 Operators . 14
1.2.2 Process sensors and final control elements . 14
1.2.3 Annunciators . 14
1.2.4 Human machine interface . 14
1.2.5 Safety instrumented systems . 14
1.2.6 Fire and gas detection and protective systems . 14
1.2.7 Security systems . 14
1.2.8 Packaged systems. 14
1.2.9 Event data . 15
1.2.10 Alarm identification methods . 15
1.2.11 Management of change . 15
1.2.12 Purchase specification . 15
2 Normative references . 15
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms . 15
3.1 Terms and definitions . 15
3.2 Abbreviated terms . 25
4 Conformance to this document . 26
4.1 Conformance guidance . 26
4.2 Existing systems . 26
4.3 Use of required functionalities . 26
4.4 Responsibility . 26
4.5 Local Jurisdictions . 26
5 Alarm system models . 26
5.1 Alarm systems . 26
5.2 Alarm management life cycle . 26
5.2.1 Alarm management life cycle model . 26
5.2.2 Alarm management life cycle stages . 28
5.2.3 Alarm management life cycle entry points . 31
5.2.4 Simultaneous and encompassing stages . 31
5.2.5 Alarm management life cycle loops . 31
5.2.6 Alarm management life cycle stage inputs and outputs . 32
5.3 Alarm states . 33
5.3.1 Alarm state transition diagram. 33
5.3.2 Alarm states . 35
5.3.3 Alarm state transition paths . 37
5.4 Alarm response timeline. 38
5.4.1 General . 38
5.4.2 Normal (A) . 39
5.4.3 Unacknowledged (B). 39
5.4.4 Acknowledged (C) and response . 39
5.4.5 Return-to-normal (D) . 40

5.4.6 Allowable response time . 40
5.4.7 Alarm setpoint . 40
5.4.8 Consequence threshold . 40
5.4.9 Alarm deadband . 40
5.5 Feedback model of operator-process interaction . 40
5.5.1 General . 40
5.5.2 Detect . 41
5.5.3 Diagnose . 41
5.5.4 Respond . 41
5.5.5 Performance shaping factors . 41
6 Alarm philosophy . 42
6.1 Purpose . 42
6.2 Alarm philosophy contents . 42
6.2.1 General . 42
6.2.2 Purpose of alarm system . 43
6.2.3 Definitions . 43
6.2.4 References. 43
6.2.5 Roles and responsibilities for alarm management . 43
6.2.6 Alarm design principles . 44
6.2.7 Alarm setpoint determination. 44
6.2.8 Prioritization method . 44
6.2.9 Alarm class definition. 44
6.2.10 Highly managed alarms . 44
6.2.11 Rationalization . 45
6.2.12 Alarm documentation . 45
6.2.13 Alarm design guidance . 45
6.2.14 Specific alarm design considerations. 46
6.2.15 HMI design principles . 46
6.2.16 Approved enhanced and advanced alarming techniques . 46
6.2.17 Implementation guidance . 46
6.2.18 Alarm response procedures . 46
6.2.19 Training . 47
6.2.20 Alarm shelving. 47
6.2.21 Alarm system maintenance . 47
6.2.22 Testing of the alarm system alarms . 47
6.2.23 Alarm system performance monitoring . 47
6.2.24 Alarm history preservation . 48
6.2.25 Management of change . 48
6.2.26 Alarm system management audit . 48
6.2.27 Related site procedures . 48
6.3 Alarm philosophy development and maintenance . 49
7 Alarm system requirements specification . 49
7.1 Purpose . 49
7.2 Recommendations . 49
7.3 Development . 50
7.4 Systems evaluation. 50
7.5 Packaged systems . 50
7.6 Customization . 50
7.7 Alarm system requirements testing verification . 51

– 4 – IEC 62682:2022 CMV © IEC 2022
8 Identification . 51
8.1 Purpose . 51
8.2 Alarm identification methods . 51
8.3 Identification training . 51
8.4 Identification documentation . 51
9 Rationalization . 52
9.1 Purpose . 52
9.2 Rationalization documentation . 52
9.2.1 Rationalization documentation requirements. 52
9.2.2 Rationalization documentation recommendations . 52
9.2.3 Plant states . 53
9.3 Alarm justification . 53
9.3.1 Alarm justification process . 53
9.3.2 Justification approach . 53
9.3.3 Individual alarm justification . 53
9.3.4 Impact on alarm system performance . 54
9.4 Alarm setpoint determination . 54
9.5 Prioritization . 54
9.6 Classification . 54
9.7 Review . 55
9.8 Removal of rejected alarms . 55
9.9 Use of Documentation . 55
10 Detailed design: basic alarm design . 55
10.1 Purpose . 55
10.2 Basic alarm design capabilities . 55
10.3 Usage of alarm states . 55
10.3.1 Alarm state triggering . 55
10.3.2 Alarm states and other logic functions . 56
10.3.3 Alarm suppression and other logic functions . 56
10.4 Alarm types . 56
10.5 Alarm attributes . 56
10.5.1 General . 56
10.5.2 Alarm description. 57
10.5.3 Alarm setpoints . 57
10.5.4 Alarm priority . 57
10.5.5 Alarm deadbands . 57
10.5.6 Alarm on-delay and off-delay . 58
10.6 Programmatic changes to alarm attributes . 58
10.7 Review of basic alarm design . 58
11 Detailed design: human-machine interface design for alarm systems . 58
11.1 Purpose . 58
11.2 HMI functions . 59
11.2.1 General . 59
11.2.2 HMI information requirements . 59
11.2.3 HMI functional requirements . 59
11.2.4 HMI functional recommendations . 59
11.2.5 HMI display requirements . 59
11.2.6 Alarm records requirements . 59

11.2.7 Alarm records recommendations . 60
11.3 Alarm states indications . 60
11.3.1 General . 60
11.3.2 Required alarm state indications . 60
11.3.3 Recommended alarm state indications . 60
11.3.4 Audible alarm state indications. 62
11.4 Alarm priority indications . 62
11.4.1 General . 62
11.4.2 Alarm priority indication requirements . 62
11.4.3 Colour alarm priority indications requirements . 62
11.4.4 Recommended alarm priority indications . 62
11.5 Alarm message indications . 63
11.5.1 General . 63
11.5.2 Recommended alarm message indications . 63
11.6 Alarm displays . 63
11.6.1 General . 63
11.6.2 Alarm summary display . 64
11.6.3 Alarm summary status . 65
11.6.4 Alarm log displays . 65
11.6.5 Process displays . 66
11.6.6 Tag detail displays. 66
11.6.7 Other display graphic elements . 66
11.7 Alarm shelving . 66
11.7.1 General . 66
11.7.2 Alarm shelving functional requirements . 66
11.7.3 Alarm shelving functional recommendations . 67
11.7.4 Shelved alarm displays . 67
11.8 Out-of-service alarms . 68
11.8.1 General . 68
11.8.2 Out-of-service alarm functional requirements . 68
11.8.3 Out-of-service alarm displays . 68
11.9 Alarms suppressed by design. 69
11.9.1 General . 69
11.9.2 Designed suppression functional requirements . 69
11.9.3 Designed suppression functional recommendations . 69
11.9.4 Suppressed-by-design displays . 69
11.10 Alarm annunciator integration . 70
11.10.1 General . 70
11.10.2 Alarm annunciator integration recommendations . 70
11.10.3 Alarm annunciator display integration recommendations . 70
11.11 Safety related alarm HMI . 70
11.11.1 General . 70
11.11.2 Independent safety related alarm HMI . 70
12 Detailed design: enhanced and advanced alarm methods alarming . 70
12.1 Purpose . 70
12.2 Basis of enhanced and advanced alarming . 71
12.2.1 General . 71
12.2.2 Effort, manpower requirements and complexity . 71
12.3 Information linking . 71

– 6 – IEC 62682:2022 CMV © IEC 2022
12.4 Logic-based alarming. 71
12.4.1 General . 71
12.4.2 Alarm attribute modification . 72
12.4.3 Externally enabled systems . 72
12.4.4 Logical alarm suppression and attribute modification . 72
12.4.5 State-based alarming . 72
12.5 Model-based alarming . 72
12.6 Additional alarming considerations . 72
12.6.1 General . 72
12.6.2 Non-control room considerations .
12.6.2 Remote alarm systems . 73
12.6.3 Supplementary alarm systems . 73
12.6.4 Batch process considerations . 73
12.7 Training, testing, and auditing systems . 74
12.8 Alarm attribute enforcement . 74
13 Implementation . 74
13.1 Purpose . 74
13.2 Implementation planning . 74
13.3 Implementation training. 74
13.3.1 General . 74
13.3.2 Implementation training requirements for new or modified alarms . 74
13.3.3 Implementation training requirements .
13.3.3 Training documentation requirements for new or modified highly
managed alarms . 75
13.3.4 Training documentation recommendations for new or modified alarms . 75
13.3.5 Implementation training requirements for new or modified alarm
systems . 75
13.3.6 Implementation training recommendations for new or modified alarm
systems . 75
13.4 Implementation testing and validation verification . 75
13.4.1 General . 75
13.4.2 Implementation testing requirements for highly managed alarms . 75
13.4.3 Implementation testing recommendations for new or modified alarms . 76
13.4.4 Implementation testing requirements for new or modified alarm systems . 76
13.5 Implementation documentation . 76
13.5.1 General . 76
13.5.2 Documentation requirements . 76
13.5.3 Implementation documentation recommendations . 77
14 Operation . 77
14.1 Purpose . 77
14.2 Alarm response procedures . 77
14.2.1 Alarm response procedures requirements. 77
14.2.2 Alarm response procedure recommendations . 77
14.3 Alarm shelving . 78
14.3.1 Alarm shelving requirements . 78
14.3.2 Alarm shelving for highly managed alarms . 78
14.3.3 Alarm shelving recommendations . 78
14.3.4 Alarm shelving record requirements . 78
14.3.5 Shift change procedures and alarm review . 78

14.4 Refresher training for operators . 78
14.4.1 Refresher training requirements for operators . 78
14.4.2 Refresher training documentation requirements for highly managed
alarms . 78
14.4.3 Refresher training content for highly managed alarms . 79
14.4.4 Refresher training recommendations for alarms . 79
15 Maintenance . 79
15.1 Purpose . 79
15.2 Periodic alarm testing . 79
15.2.1 General . 79
15.2.2 Periodic alarm testing requirements . 79
15.2.3 Periodic alarm testing for highly managed alarms . 79
15.2.4 Periodic alarm test procedure requirements . 80
15.2.5 Periodic alarm test procedure recommendations . 80
15.2.6 Periodic alarm testing recommendations . 80
15.3 Out-of-service alarms . 80
15.3.1 General . 80
15.3.2 Out-of-service process requirements . 80
15.3.3 Out-of-service highly managed alarms . 80
15.3.4 Out-of-service process recommendations . 81
15.3.5 Requirements for returning alarms to service . 81
15.4 Equipment repair . 81
15.5 Equipment replacement . 81
15.6 Refresher training for maintenance. 81
15.6.1 General requirements . 81
15.6.2 Refresher training requirements for highly managed alarms . 81
15.6.3 Refresher training recommendations for alarms . 81
16 Monitoring and assessment . 81
16.1 Purpose . 81
16.2 Requirements .
16.3 Monitoring, assessment, audit, and benchmark .
16.4 Alarm system monitoring .
16.2 Performance monitoring requirements . 82
16.3 Monitoring and assessment . 82
16.3.1 General . 82
16.3.2 Alarm system performance metrics. 83
16.3.3 Average alarm rate per operator console . 83
16.3.4 Peak alarm rate per operator console . 83
16.3.5 Alarm floods . 84
16.3.6 Frequently occurring alarms . 84
16.3.7 Chattering and fleeting alarms . 85
16.3.8 Stale alarms . 85
16.3.9 Annunciated alarm priority distribution . 85
16.3.10 Rationalization and alarm priority distribution . 86
16.4 Unauthorized alarm suppression . 86
16.5 Alarm attribute monitoring . 86
16.6 Reporting of alarm system analyses . 86
16.7 Alarm performance metric summary . 86

– 8 – IEC 62682:2022 CMV © IEC 2022
17 Management of change . 87
17.1 Purpose . 87
17.2 Changes subject to management of change . 87
17.3 Change documentation requirements . 88
17.4 Change documentation recommendations .
17.4 Alarm removal recommendations . 88
17.5 Alarm attribute modification documentation review recommendations . 89
18 Audit . 89
18.1 Purpose . 89
18.2 Benchmark . 89
18.3 Initial audit or benchmark Audit requirements . 89
18.4 Audit interviews . 89
18.5 Audit process recommendations . 90
18.6 Action plans . 90

Bibliography . 91
List of comments . 92

Figure 1 – Alarm system dataflow . 13
Figure 2 – Alarm management life cycle . 28
Figure 3 – Alarm state transition diagram . 35
Figure 4 – Alarm response timeline . 39
Figure 5 – Feedback model of operator-process interaction . 41

Table 1 – Alarm management life cycle stage inputs and outputs . 33
Table 2 – Summary of alarm states . 37
Table 3 – Required and recommended alarm philosophy contents . 42
Table 4 – Recommended alarm state indications . 62
Table 5 – Average alarm rates . 83
Table 6 – Example annunciated alarm priority distribution . 85
Table 7 – Recommended alarm performance metrics summary . 87

INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
MANAGEMENT OF ALARM SYSTEMS
FOR THE PROCESS INDUSTRIES
FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote international
co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To this end and
in addition to other activities, IEC publishes International Standards, Technical Specifications, Technical Reports,
Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) and Guides (hereafter referred to as “IEC Publication(s)”). Their
preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested in the subject dealt with
may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-governmental organizations liaising
with the IEC also participate in this preparation. IEC collaborates closely with the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sense. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that the technical content of IEC
Publications is accurate, IEC cannot be held responsible for the way in which they are used or for any
misinterpretation by any end user.
4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional publications. Any divergence between
any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in the latter.
5) IEC itself does not provide any attestation of conformity. Independent certification bodies provide conformity
assessment services and, in some areas, access to IEC marks of conformity. IEC is not responsible for any
services carried out by independent certification bodies.
6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its directors, employees, servants or agents including individual experts and
members of its technical committees and IEC National Committees for any personal injury, property damage or
other damage of any nature whatsoever, whether direct or indirect, or for costs (including legal fees) and
expenses arising out of the publication, use of, or reliance upon, this IEC Publication or any other IEC
Publications.
8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of patent
rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This commented version (CMV) of the official standard IEC 62682:2022 edition 2.0 allows
the user to identify the changes made to the previous IEC 62682:2014 edition 1.0.
Furthermore, comments from IEC SC 65A experts are provided to explain the reasons of
the most relevant changes, or to clarify any part of the content.
A vertical bar appears in the margin wherever a change has been made. Additions are in
green text, deletions are in strikethrough red text. Experts' comments are identified by a
blue-background number. Mouse over a number to display a pop-up note with the
comment.
This publication contains the CMV and the official standard. The full list of comments is
available at the end of the CMV.

– 10 – IEC 62682:2022 CMV © IEC 2022
IEC 62682 has been prepared by subcommittee 65A: System aspects, of IEC technical
committee 65: Industrial-process measurement, control and automation. It is an International
Standard.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition published in 2014. This edition
constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes minor technical changes with respect to the previous edition, based on
changes to ANSI/ISA-18.2:2016. These include the inclusion of packaged systems in the scope
(Clause 1), definitions (Clause 3) and alarm system requirements specification (Clause 7).
There are changes to improve clarity in wording throughout the document.
...