Chemical Plant Management of Change (MOC) Request Template
Plant incidents often trace back to a change that was never reviewed: a different valve, a new supplier, a raised setpoint. A management of change request forces the question 'what could this affect?' before the change goes in. This template gives you a clean, exportable form.
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Chemical Plant Management of Change (MOC) Request Template
Management of Change Request
Site: Riverbend Specialty Chemicals, Plant 2 MOC number: MOC-2026-031 Date raised: 2026-10-20 Requested by: S. Okafor, Process Engineer Unit / area: Reactor R-210, Unit 2 Type of change: Equipment Duration: Permanent Expiry (if temporary): 2026-12-31
Description of Change
Replace the existing carbon steel transfer line from R-210 to T-215 with 316L stainless steel of the same diameter, and add a manual isolation valve at the tank inlet.
Reason and Benefit
Repeated corrosion leaks at the weld joints due to a change in feed acidity.
Technical Basis and Hazard Review
| Question | Yes / No / NA | Comment or action |
|---|---|---|
| Is it a replacement in kind? | ||
| Are materials compatible with all process fluids? | ||
| Do operating limits (pressure, temperature, flow) change? | ||
| Are relief devices still adequately sized? | ||
| Are interlocks or alarms affected? | ||
| Is a PHA or HAZOP revalidation needed? | ||
| Environmental or permit impact? | ||
| Impact on adjacent units or utilities? |
Documents to Update
| Document | Owner | Updated (date) |
|---|---|---|
| P&ID | ||
| Operating procedure / SOP | ||
| Process safety information | ||
| Inspection and maintenance plan | ||
| Emergency response plan | ||
| ERP bill of materials / routing / equipment master |
Training and Communication
Affected personnel to be informed or trained before startup: ____________ Training completed (date): ____________ Contractors informed: ____________
Approvals
Pre-Startup Safety Review and Close-Out
Starting point only, not legal advice. The questions are generic prompts. Align the form with your site's MOC procedure and with the regulations that apply to you, such as OSHA PSM or your national equivalent.
MOC register tied to ERP master data
Optional: talk through how MOC numbers could be linked to recipe and equipment changes in your ERP.
Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.
How to use it
Complete the header and description, export the document and route it for review. The hazard review table is a prompt list, so write an action next to every 'Yes' or 'Not sure'. The change is not complete until documents are updated, people are trained and a pre-startup review has been signed. For temporary changes, always set an expiry date and a named person who will remove or formalise it.
What counts as a change
Anything that is not a replacement in kind is a change. Replacement in kind means the same specification and the same function. Everything else needs review.
- New or modified equipment, piping, instruments or software logic
- Changed chemistry, concentration, catalyst or raw material source
- Altered operating limits or alarm and trip setpoints
- New or revised procedures and staffing changes affecting safety tasks
- Temporary bypasses and workarounds
Linking MOC to the ERP and maintenance system
A change that alters a recipe, routing, work centre or equipment record must also change the ERP master data, or the plant will keep running the old specification on paper. List those records in the documents table and assign an owner. In many ERPs a bill of materials or recipe revision can be tied to the MOC number so the audit trail is complete.
Common mistakes
Frequent failures are treating a large change as replacement in kind, skipping the pre-startup review under schedule pressure, letting temporary changes become permanent without review, and closing the MOC before drawings are updated. Track open MOCs on a register with ageing, and review that list at the safety meeting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a replacement in kind exempt from MOC?
Under common PSM practice, a true replacement in kind with the same specification and function does not need the full MOC process, though it should still follow normal maintenance controls. If there is any doubt, treat it as a change.
Who should approve an MOC?
At minimum the requester's supervisor, an engineering or process safety reviewer and the operations owner. Higher risk changes need plant management and often a formal hazard study. Your site procedure defines the matrix.
How long can a temporary change run?
Set a short, specific limit, often days or weeks, with an expiry date and owner. Extensions should require a new review. Temporary changes with no expiry are a known cause of incidents.
Does MOC apply outside the United States?
OSHA PSM is a US rule, but the practice is widely used, and equivalents exist, such as Seveso requirements in the EU. Check your local legislation and company standards.
Netray can help link your MOC records to ERP master data changes so affected recipes, routings and equipment records are not missed.
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