Change management program elements

The change management process ensures that modifications are thoroughly reviewed to prevent new risks being introduced or the management processes, programs or elements being compromised in any way. 

Noninitiated changes cannot be controlled with the MOC program because no one knows about them until after an event. Instead, changes of this type are controlled by other elements of the risk management program such as asset integrity, process hazards analysis (PHA), and incident investigation. 

Dynamic. A good safety net system will evolve over time. The appropriate balance of programs will change as the economy grows and changes, as other elements of policy develop, or when shocks occur. The management of specific programs should also evolve as problems are solved and new standards set. 

Training, operating procedures, management of change and audits are obvious first candidate programs and elements because these already have considerable overlap with the ISO 9000 requirements. 

It is interesting to note that facilities that are classified as Program 2 facilities do not have to include the management of change, pre-startup review, employee participation, hot work permit, or contractors elements of PSM into their RMP. 

On the other hand, there are a number of elements of fire prevention that overlap with elements of other programs. For example. Incident Investigation, Management of Change (MOC), Process Safety Information (PSI), and Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) input required for fire prevention can be derived from these same elements of the Process Safety Management (PSM) program. 

Essential elements of an effective management of change policy would include a program in which all employees ... 

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