IRC    May 2009 

Replacement‐in‐Kind vs. Change triggering a MOC 
The PSM Standard requires that facilities with covered processes manage changes that directly or 
materially affect the covered process. 

1910.119(l) Management of Change 

(1)  The employer shall establish and implement written procedures to manage changes 
(except “replacement in kind”) to process chemicals, technology, equipment, and procedures 
and changes to facilities that affect a covered process. 

Oftentimes, there is confusion as to what constitutes a “change” vs. a replacement‐in‐kind related to the 
above‐mentioned areas: process chemicals, technology, equipment, procedures, and changes to 
facilities.  The table below provides examples of changes that would require a MOC as well as some that 
are replacements‐in‐kind that would not necessitate a MOC. 

MOC
Case Description Required?
Yes No
Examples of “Process Chemical” Changes
Lubricant changes in compressors from mineral-
1 9
based to semi-synthetic or fully-synthetic oil
Acceptance of a shipment of inbound refrigerant-
2 grade anhydrous ammonia from an alternate 9
supplier
Acceptance of a shipment of inbound anhydrous
3 ammonia that is metallurgical grade rather than 9
refrigerant grade
The change of a water treatment regimen from a
4 9
chemical to a non-chemical program
Addition of a brine mixing state to a space
5 9
adjacent but connected to the machinery room
The change of secondary fluid type on an
6 ammonia chiller (e.g. from calcium chloride to 9
sodium chloride)
Change in salt concentration in a secondary fluid
7 9
system outside of the normal range
The change in product formulation (but of similar
8 composition) being chilled using a scraped 9
surface heat exchanger

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IRC    May 2009 

MOC
Case Description Required?
Yes No
Examples of “Technology” Changes
Conversion of a glycol system to a direct-
9 9
refrigerant system
Conversion of a direct-refrigerant system to a
10 9
glycol system
11 Conversion of ceiling-hung to penthouse air units 9
Conversion of an atmospheric pressure relief
12 9
vent system to an internal relief system
Replacement of a 100 ton screw compressor with
13 9
100 ton reciprocating compressor
Examples of “Equipment” Changes
Replacing carbon steel piping with stainless steel
14 9
tubing
Replacing an vessel with a larger vessel
15 9
constructed of the same material
The addition of a transfer system to a plant
16 9
currently without one
17 Adding a pump-out connection to a valve group 9
Replacing a section of 6” schedule 40 A106 high
18 temperature piping with a 6” schedule 40 A53 9
pipe
The change out of evaporator or condenser fans
19 9
from fixed speed to variable speed
Changing an air unit from carbon steel to
20 9
stainless steel
Replacing a Refrigerating Specialties evaporator
pressure regulator (A4A) with a Hansen
21 9
evaporator pressure regulator (HA4A) of equal
size
Replacing a Hansen ¾” hand-expansion valve
22 with a Refrigerating Specialties ¾” hand- 9
expansion valve
Replacing a Hansen H5600A ½”x ¾” pressure
relief valve (250 psi set pressure) with a Hansen
23 9
H5600R ½”x ¾” pressure relief valve (250 psi
set pressure)
Replacing a clear sight glass with a reflex lens
24 9
sight glass – both of the same material
Replacing a screw compressor (e.g. a Frick
25 9
RWFII 399) with a factory re-built screw

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IRC    May 2009 

MOC
Case Description Required?
Yes No
compressor – on the same package.
Adding a Bourdon tube pressure gauge to a
26 regulator temporarily in order to set the 9
regulator
Adding a Bourdon tube pressure gauge to a
27 regulator permanently in order to set the 9
regulator
Replacement of equipment that is no longer
28 9
made be the original manufacturer
29 Large scale replacement of an insulation system
Examples of “Procedure” and “Organizational” Changes
Re-setting suction pressure control set point but
30 still within the limits of operation as-defined in 9 9
the process safety information
Re-setting suction pressure control set point but
31 outside of the limits of operation as-defined in 9
the process safety information
32 Modifying a standing operating procedure (SOP) 9
Revisions to the inspection and test interval for
33 9
an ammonia detection system
Outsourcing refrigeration operations and/or
34 9
maintenance
35 Reductions of refrigeration staffing levels 9
Reducing the frequency of preventive
36 maintenance intervals for refrigeration 9
equipment
Examples of changes to “Facilities” that can impact a covered
process
Modifying racking in a warehouse equipped with
37 9
ceiling-hung evaporators
The purchase and use of “high lift” fork trucks in
38 9
a refrigerated dock or warehouse
Addition of battery chargers in or adjacent to a
39 9
machinery room
Addition of a new non-refrigerated process line
40 9
within a plant
41 Reconfiguring office spaces in a plant 9
Addition of an overhead crane in the engine
42 9
room

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IRC    May 2009 

MOC
Case Description Required?
Yes No
Addition or re-arrangement of equipment within
43 a plant (if it changes or affects escape paths for 9
employees)
Other
Any changes that are generated as a result of a
44 PHA, incident investigation, general safety 9
review, or pre-startup safety review
45 Replacement of equipment that is no longer
9
made be the original manufacturer
 

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