What is Management of Change (MOC)

Management of Change or MOC is a best practice used to ensure that safety health and environmental risks are controlled when a company makes changes in their facilities documentation personnel or operations

When decisions and changes are made rapidly safety and health risks can increase resulting in disasters such as explosions at the oil refinery and detergent plant described in the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Boardrsquos 2001 ldquoManagement of Changerdquo safety bulletin There are many other notable examples of how even simple changes at a worksite have led to tragedy

At worksites where highly hazardous chemicals are used the Process Safety Management (PSM) rules apply and proper application of Management of Change is not just a best practice but is actually a requirement In these cases a MOC program is used to ensure all changes to a process are properly reviewed and any hazards introduced by the change are identified analyzed and controlled before resuming operation

MOC often seems deceptively simple in concept but can be very effective in the prevention of accidents and can be used as a best practice at worksites where the Process Safety Management rule doesnrsquot apply

When is MOC used

Generally a business need or opportunity becomes a project or business solution and requires changes in the workplace that can affect processes systems people or organizational structure Think about whether implementing this change improves your safety program and makes good business sense

One obvious benefit Management of Change gives is avoiding the consequences of unforeseen safety and health hazards through planning and coordinating the implementation of change in your facility This is why Management of Change is required in the PSM rules when highly hazardous chemicals are used

What are the benefits of MOC

It minimizes unplanned adverse impacts on system integrity security stability and reliability for the business process being altered or added

It maximizes the productivity and efficiency of staff planning coordinating and implementing the changes

It provides a stable production environment It ensures the proper level of technical completeness

accuracy of modifications and testing of systems before implementation

It provides an appropriate level of management approval and involvement

Elements of an effective MOC Program

10487071048707Procedures that consider The technical basis for the proposed change Impact of the change on employee safety and health Modifications to operating procedures Time needed for the change Authorization required for the proposed change 10487071048707Steps to identify hazards before the changes are made 10487071048707Methods to screen and classify changes 10487071048707Keys to identifying hazards in changes 10487071048707Methods for documenting MOC reviews 10487071048707Procedures to make approvals and authorizations

workable 10487071048707Plans to inform and train personnel about the changes 10487071048707Methods for updating Process Safety Information

procedures and other Process Safety Management information 10487071048707Steps for effective implementation 10487071048707Procedures for reviewing and revising any existing MOC

Program

American John P Kotter (b 1947) is a Harvard Business School professor and leading thinker and author on organizational change management Kotters highly regarded books Leading Change (1995) and the follow-up The Heart Of Change (2002) describe a helpful model for understanding and managing change Each stage acknowledges a key principle identified by Kotter relating to peoples response and approach to change in which people see feel and then change

Kotters eight step change model can be summarised as

1 Increase urgency - inspire people to move make objectives real and relevant

2 Build the guiding team - get the right people in place with the right emotional commitment and the right mix of skills and levels

3 Get the vision right - get the team to establish a simple vision and strategy focus on emotional and creative aspects necessary to drive service and efficiency

4 Communicate for buy-in - Involve as many people as possible communicate the essentials simply and to appeal and respond to peoples needs De-clutter communications - make technology work for you rather than against

5 Empower action - Remove obstacles enable constructive feedback and lots of support from leaders - reward and recognise progress and achievements

6 Create short-term wins - Set aims that are easy to achieve - in bite-size chunks Manageable numbers of initiatives Finish current stages before starting new ones

7 Dont let up - Foster and encourage determination and persistence - ongoing change - encourage ongoing progress reporting - highlight achieved and future milestones

8 Make change stick - Reinforce the value of successful change via recruitment promotion new change leaders Weave change into culture

What are the benefits of MOC

It minimizes unplanned adverse impacts on system integrity security stability and reliability for the business process being altered or added

It maximizes the productivity and efficiency of staff planning coordinating and implementing the changes

It provides a stable production environment It ensures the proper level of technical completeness

accuracy of modifications and testing of systems before implementation

It provides an appropriate level of management approval and involvement

Elements of an effective MOC Program

10487071048707Procedures that consider The technical basis for the proposed change Impact of the change on employee safety and health Modifications to operating procedures Time needed for the change Authorization required for the proposed change 10487071048707Steps to identify hazards before the changes are made 10487071048707Methods to screen and classify changes 10487071048707Keys to identifying hazards in changes 10487071048707Methods for documenting MOC reviews 10487071048707Procedures to make approvals and authorizations

workable 10487071048707Plans to inform and train personnel about the changes 10487071048707Methods for updating Process Safety Information

procedures and other Process Safety Management information 10487071048707Steps for effective implementation 10487071048707Procedures for reviewing and revising any existing MOC

Program

American John P Kotter (b 1947) is a Harvard Business School professor and leading thinker and author on organizational change management Kotters highly regarded books Leading Change (1995) and the follow-up The Heart Of Change (2002) describe a helpful model for understanding and managing change Each stage acknowledges a key principle identified by Kotter relating to peoples response and approach to change in which people see feel and then change

Kotters eight step change model can be summarised as

1 Increase urgency - inspire people to move make objectives real and relevant

2 Build the guiding team - get the right people in place with the right emotional commitment and the right mix of skills and levels

3 Get the vision right - get the team to establish a simple vision and strategy focus on emotional and creative aspects necessary to drive service and efficiency

4 Communicate for buy-in - Involve as many people as possible communicate the essentials simply and to appeal and respond to peoples needs De-clutter communications - make technology work for you rather than against

5 Empower action - Remove obstacles enable constructive feedback and lots of support from leaders - reward and recognise progress and achievements

6 Create short-term wins - Set aims that are easy to achieve - in bite-size chunks Manageable numbers of initiatives Finish current stages before starting new ones

7 Dont let up - Foster and encourage determination and persistence - ongoing change - encourage ongoing progress reporting - highlight achieved and future milestones

8 Make change stick - Reinforce the value of successful change via recruitment promotion new change leaders Weave change into culture

American John P Kotter (b 1947) is a Harvard Business School professor and leading thinker and author on organizational change management Kotters highly regarded books Leading Change (1995) and the follow-up The Heart Of Change (2002) describe a helpful model for understanding and managing change Each stage acknowledges a key principle identified by Kotter relating to peoples response and approach to change in which people see feel and then change

Kotters eight step change model can be summarised as

1 Increase urgency - inspire people to move make objectives real and relevant

2 Build the guiding team - get the right people in place with the right emotional commitment and the right mix of skills and levels

3 Get the vision right - get the team to establish a simple vision and strategy focus on emotional and creative aspects necessary to drive service and efficiency

4 Communicate for buy-in - Involve as many people as possible communicate the essentials simply and to appeal and respond to peoples needs De-clutter communications - make technology work for you rather than against

5 Empower action - Remove obstacles enable constructive feedback and lots of support from leaders - reward and recognise progress and achievements

6 Create short-term wins - Set aims that are easy to achieve - in bite-size chunks Manageable numbers of initiatives Finish current stages before starting new ones

7 Dont let up - Foster and encourage determination and persistence - ongoing change - encourage ongoing progress reporting - highlight achieved and future milestones

8 Make change stick - Reinforce the value of successful change via recruitment promotion new change leaders Weave change into culture