Management of Change Policy

Purpose. Ensures that every change to plant, process, chemicals, control systems, procedures, organisation or staffing is assessed for its effect on safety, the environment and the safety case before it is made.

1.Policy statement

Hydra will not make a change that affects the process, the plant or the people who operate it without a management of change review. The review must identify the hazards the change introduces or alters, confirm that the safety case control measures remain effective and record the actions needed before, during and after the change.

2.What is a change

A change is anything that is not a replacement in kind. The following require a management of change request and must not proceed as maintenance or routine operation.

• New or modified equipment, piping, instruments or control logic
• Change of chemical, grade, supplier or concentration
• Change to a safe operating limit, alarm setting or trip setting
• New or revised operating or maintenance procedure
• Temporary bypass or override of a safety system
• Change to staffing levels, roles or shift arrangements
• Change to the terminal tank service or product allocation

3.Levels of review

Changes are classified as minor, significant or major by the Technical Services Manager. Minor changes are reviewed by the area engineer and supervisor. Significant changes require a hazard study with operations, maintenance and process safety representatives. Major changes require a formal process hazard analysis and may require a safety case revision and notification to the regulator before implementation.

4.Temporary changes

Temporary changes must have an expiry date not more than 90 days from approval. The change owner must reverse the change or convert it to a permanent change through a new request before the expiry date. Overrides of safety systems must be recorded in the shift log and displayed in the control room.

5.Closing a change

A change is not closed until the drawings, procedures, training, safety critical equipment register and safety case information are updated and the pre-start-up safety review has been completed and signed. Actions must be tracked in the management of change register.

6.Review

This policy will be reviewed annually and the register will be audited quarterly by the Process Safety Manager.