The alerting quality is a quality attribute of alarms, defined by the capability of enforcing the operators to respond properly to the alarm .
The accident of Airbus 380 in flight AF 447 of 2009 ( Reference ) was due to improper indication of the pilot activity.
The alerting quality of an alarm signal is determined by its effect on the operator's behavior in case of threat, as follows:
| Attention | If following a fault, the operator is required to recognize the state change immediately, the alarm should alert the operator, to ensure that the operator stops doing other things. |
| Risk recognition | The alarm should provide proper indication of the risk level associated with the hazard |
| Awareness of the grace time | The alarm should indicate the time available for the operator before the hazard materializes to become a threat |
| Hazard identification | fault that triggered the alarm|
| Guidance | The alarm should include information about the proper way to respond and recover. |
Updated on 26 Apr 2016.