What is the role of management of change (MOC) in PSM?

Management of Change (MOC) plays a crucial role in Process Safety Management by ensuring that any changes to processes, equipment, or personnel are assessed for their potential safety impacts before those changes are implemented. This proactive approach helps to identify and mitigate risks that could arise from alterations in operational procedures, technology use, or organizational structure.

When changes are considered, MOC allows for a systematic review that examines how the alteration could affect the safety of operations, personnel, and the environment. This thorough assessment can involve evaluating previous incidents, conducting risk assessments, and consulting with employees to ensure that all potential hazards are identified and addressed.

Implementing changes without any reviews would increase the risk of accidents and incidents, undermining the safety culture that MOC aims to build. Documentation of changes is certainly important for future reference, but the primary focus of MOC is on assessing risks beforehand rather than solely on record-keeping. While increasing employee autonomy can be beneficial in certain contexts, it is not the primary purpose of MOC; rather, it is about ensuring safety is prioritized during the change process.