Emerson Exchange 365

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Board Operator Rounds Options/Solutions

Our operations management has a new initiative idea related to ensuring that the board operators are "making a round" on the board similar to how the field operators make a round out in the unit.  They want some type of accountability tracking measure.  I don't really want to debate the intent or the why of this request or how popular this is going to be or how "isn't that their roll as a board operator" because we already provided our stance related to this.  I am looking to see if anyone else has done something like this previously and what methodology you used.  The list of tags they want on the "round" is fairly significant quantity wise and below is a list of thoughts thrown at the wall to see what sticks.  Thanks for any feedback.

1. Add a radial button on the graphic or faceplate that changes color and resets the in between round timer.  This would also write a record to PHV so that management could audit.  Should this be module based or simply a PHV write and animation on the graphic?
2. Create an SFC that walks them thru the round, opens the faceplate & associated graphic in a popup & then cycles to the next one once acknowledgement is made.
3. Create level 1 graphics that have the tags identified as "look at me overview" and put a single acknowledgment per those graphics
4. Create a tag list graphic that has all the current values and the ability to launch the faceplates along with acknowledgment with date stamping in PHV that "I looked at this"
5. Trying to avoid the I didn't get any alarms so all is good mentality, lets add optimal operating ranges that are adjustable and only alarm on the values when they deviate from that band.  This goes against our alarm management philosophy and would wreck our statistics but is IMO one of the most sensible way to do this, however it doesn't engage the operator to make a complete "DCS round"

Option 1 is what they are requesting because they want the operator to go thru the entire unit and look at key variables.  The challenge is are they going to have to use a written list to navigate all of those tags one by one and from a programming and load point of view, what is the simplest way to accomplish this.  Also we want this digitalized not filling in some form on the intranet or hardcopy like a reading sheet.

Option 2,3 & 4 in our PC opinion, is simply an opportunity to CLICK, CLICK, CLICK, DONE & satisfy the management and doesn't really accomplish their communicated intent of you  looked at X,Y,Z and optimized the operation of your facility.

Any and all opinions or lessons learned is appreciated.  Thanks....JWB

Jason.Brumfield

• 13 Jul 2022 4:24 PM
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4 Replies

• David Lee

  

  • 13 Jul 2022 7:53 PM

  Jason,
  
  I have seen many sites try this, and the most prevalent method was to have a physical log sheet and the operators had to fill them in periodically. However, this was open to abuse and never really solved the problem, and I rarely see this approach used any more. The goal really is to provide a level of situation awareness for the operators which was missing in earlier platforms/implementations that could not or did not use a properly developed display hierarchy. A well designed Level 1 should obviate the need for the operators to do a round. With all of the techniques above there is an inherent problem in that presenting information and comprehending information is not the same thing. Failing that I would suggest the cheapest, easiest and equally effective option, is the paper log (even though it is going back to the stone age!) - this, at least, gets the operator to read and transcribe which improves comprehension.
  
  Dave

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• Steve Elves

  

  • 13 Jul 2022 8:42 PM

  I would like to forcefully disagree with the idea that we want to give up on operator rounds.  If you read about the Stuxnet virus attack on the uranium enrichment facility in Iran, you will see that operators did NOT go into the field, where they would have immediately noted the ramping up and down of centrifuges - behavior that was deliberately masked in the control system.
  With cybersecurity (and physical security) being more and more necessary, there is NO SUBSTITUTE for operator "eyes on the ground" - none.  Let's not make the mistake of thinking that "proper design" can be a complete substitute. 

  Steve Elves

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• Jason.Brumfield

  

  • 13 Jul 2022 9:01 PM

  In reply to Steve Elves:

  Steve, we are not giving up operator rounds, actually the opposite, we are adding a digital round on the board in addition to the physical rounds out in the field.

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• Steve Elves

  

  • 13 Jul 2022 9:43 PM

  Very good.  I shall sleep well tonight!
  Thanks for setting me straight.

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