In the 1970s and 80s, the hardwired alarm annunciator was essential to industrial control rooms, particularly in high-risk sectors such as nuclear, petrochemical and oil and gas. These wall-mounted panels with flashing lights and hardwired inputs served as the front line of safety monitoring, giving operators clear visibility of the alarm through pattern recognition. However, the 1990s brought a shift. Gary Bradshaw, director at alarm annunciator developer Omniflex, explains how the company saw the market differently to then established players like Highland and Rochester, and how it reshaped the industry.
“The rise of the digital age and PC-based systems and graphical interfaces led many to view the traditional annunciator market as obsolete. Major players in the sector either scaled back investment or consolidated, leaving the market seemingly in decline. At Omniflex, we recognised that while the technology was evolving, the fundamental need for reliable, unambiguous alarm systems in critical environments wasn’t going away. In fact, it was becoming more important.”
As competitors exited the space or shifted focus, Omniflex chose to remain active. The company adapted to emerging technologies, like scada DCS and HMI, positioning itself not just as a hardware provider, but as a solution partner in integrated alarm systems.
A pivotal moment came in 1994 with the Milford Haven explosion. This catastrophic event exposed serious flaws in alarm management. During the incident, operators were overwhelmed by an avalanche of screen-based alarms, and were unable to distinguish urgent threats from routine warnings.
This tragedy accelerated the development and adoption of the IEC61508 SIL and the EEMUA191 Alarm Standard which called for clear prioritisation of alarms, including colour coding, and the importance of the hardwired alarm annunciator due to its clear display format giving pattern recognition and concise operator guidance. Recognising the implications of this shift, Omniflex worked closely with a committee member involved in drafting the EEMUA 191 standard.
Responding to evolving regulations, Omniflex continued to develop its already successful OMNI range of alarm annunciators, ensuring that they aligned with IEC61508 and EEMUA191. This range of modern annunciators features a compact design and flexible configuration, and can integrate seamlessly with scada and PLC systems.
The OMNI range filled a critical gap in the market just as demand for high-integrity alarm systems resurged. It gave Omniflex a strong competitive advantage as others had exited the space.
Changing regulations can breathe new life into technologies once considered outdated. By anticipating the impact of safety standards, like IEC61508 and EEMUA191 and investing accordingly, Omniflex helped shape what the modern alarm annunciator sector looks like today.
No power, no coverage, no problem Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists
Industrial Wireless
Remote monitoring expert, Omniflex has delivered a remote monitoring and control solution for an impressed current cathodic protection control system, aiding local authorities in Queensland, Australia in the essential maintenance of roadside culverts.
Read more...Smart ICCP monitoring for safer tank storage Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists
Industrial Wireless
Cathodic protection is critical for combatting corrosion in oil and gas infrastructure. Omniflex explores how to manage CP systems in hazardous and hard-to-reach areas.
Read more...When SCADA meets the cloud Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists
SCADA/HMI
Engineers are faced with the challenge of unifying legacy SCADA systems with modern, IoT-based data platforms. The trouble is, when hardware from multiple manufacturers and generations are all used in the same system, compatibility becomes an issue
Read more...Safety-critical fibre optic systems in mining Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists
Enclosures, Cabling & Connectors
Omniflex highlights the importance of fibre optic technology in in enabling systems in the mining industry to transmit shutdown commands reliably over tens of kilometres and verify that they have been executed.
Read more...The keys to successful nuclear decommissioning Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists
Industrial Wireless
Remote monitoring specialist, Omniflex has published its latest sector overview exploring the challenges of maintaining critical alarm visibility and radiation monitoring during nuclear decommissioning.
Read more...Upgrading radiological surveillance systems in nuclear facilities Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Nuclear plant operators face an uncomfortable reality. Many of the control and monitoring systems still in use today were never designed to support the full operational lifespan of the facilities they serve.
Read more...Wireless radiation monitoring for nuclear defence facilities Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists
Industrial Wireless
Gary Bradshaw, director of radiation monitoring specialist Omniflex, discusses why sitewide radiation and alarm monitoring remains one of the most complex challenges in defence environments, and how experience-led system design is critical to maintaining safety and resilience over the long term.
Read more...Modernising critical water systems without disruption Rockwell Automation
SCADA/HMI
The region of Waterloo needed to upgrade its SCADA and PLC systems across 157 water facilities while ensuring continuous water availability for over 60 000 residents. Their success story, powered by Rockwell Automation technology, shows that modernisation doesn’t have to mean disruption.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.
printer friendly version