OPC UA provides all of the items listed as both required and recommended as part of its alarm definitions, but it is up to the client to subscribe for the information. In OPC UA the Client controls what alarm information is requested and obtained from the Server. The Server does not define visual aspects of the alarm system, but does provide priority information from which the visual aspect can be set on the client side.

OPC UA also supports all of the states described in IEC 62682. This includes tracking the process states, system states and individual alarm states. OPC UA also provides a StateMachine model that can be used in conjunction with an alarm system to alter alarm behaviour based on the state of a system or process. For example, during start-up or shutdown of a process or a system some alarms might be suppressed.

The behaviour of an OPC UA alarm system also mimics that required by IEC 62682. All behaviour described in IEC 62682 can easily be mapped to functionality define in OPC UA Alarm & Conditions.