Management of Change (MoC)

Whenever you implement change across a business or workplace, it can impact several people and workflows. To ensure that a change is implemented with little impact, particularly to health and safety, Management of Change (MoC) is often recommended.

What is Management of Change?

Management of change is simply another process! But this process can help you structure an effective approach to implementing change within your business.

It Is often a process used within certain high-risk industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, oil and gas.

• The controlled process allows you to control and mitigate the risks associated with big changes such as:

• Changes to major procedures like how work is carried out

• Updates or modifications to your working environment

• Changes to the use of materials or chemicals (particularly relevant within engineering and manufacturing)

• Updates to safety systems

• Changes to industry regulations which require an overhaul of your current systems or procedures

Without careful implementation, these changes can potentially harm a business. Not only impacting efficiency but sometimes risking the safety of the business and staff too.

How it applies to health and safety

Management of Change is especially applicable within businesses where hazardous chemicals are being used. Or where complex processes occur with numerous health and safety hazards.

While MoC can apply to a wider range of organisational processes it is ideal for changes within health and safety.

For example, if a major change is underway, such as a renovation to your working environment, Management of Change can be followed to introduce this change to employees. Making sure correct health and safety procedures are understood and adhered to.

MoC step-by-step guide

This step-by-step guide keeps the MoC procedure simple and easy to follow:

Identification of the change required

Firstly, you should identify what changes are occurring. This may sound simple, but one planned change could have a domino effect, resulting in numerous changes across the business.

For example, switching the flow of production within a warehouse may result in staff moving to a new working location. Thus, altering the current safety protocols. You should guarantee that all these changes are possible and determine what the outcome will be.

Assess the risks involved

Now you know what change is happening, you need to start planning! Sure, it’s not the most exciting thing, but it could save you in the long run.

Your plan must include an assessment of the risks involved, ensuring you have identified all possible risks and determine the level of severity and who may be affected by these risks.

You should also consider legal compliance, making sure that your change is compliant with health and safety laws such as the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Define safety measures and controls

Before you implement the change, you must guarantee the correct safety measures are in place to protect employees and others from harm. This could include:

• Appropriate PPE

• New building signage such as warning signs

• Machine guarding

• Safety Data Sheets (SDS)

• Training for all staff

Communicate the change

Whenever a change occurs within a business, safety-related or not, this needs to be communicated to all employees and possible stakeholders.

Inform all employees of any new hazards and safety procedures, updates to your standard operating procedures (SOPs), and details of any new training requirements.

Implement the change safely

Now you can begin to safely implement the change. By following your plan closely, the change should have little impact on your workplace and employees.

Review and report

Once implemented, you can use this experience to review and report on the outcomes of the change. You can determine if the Management of Change process was successful or if any issues were encountered.

The importance of communication

Employees and other stakeholders should be made aware of changes within the business. Not only so they can adjust accordingly but are aware of additional safety procedures/measures.

It’s important to provide staff the information needed to comply with new safety procedures.

Your HR team can play a key role in this element of communication. Piecing together the internal comms required to communicate changes and requirements effectively.

For example:

HR sending an all-staff email to inform employees of the change. Attaching any relevant documentation such as leaflets, brochures, and important policy documents.

The benefits of MoC for your business

There’s no doubt that a process for managing change within the workplace is effective. Here are just some of the many benefits a Management of Change procedure can provide:

• A well-defined MOC process helps prevent accidents, reduce the impact of change and informs all staff of new processes  

• Improves business decision-making by providing an efficient plan that details all information regarding a change. If the risks identified, for example, are too dangerous, the plan may require a review

• Promotes a proactive approach to risk management which ultimately sets out to maintain a safer workplace, preventing accidents before they happen

• By planning and following a thorough process for implementing change, businesses are less likely to waste money on expensive developments that do not benefit the business

• Assigns ownership and responsibility to certain individuals within the business, making clear the role of each staff member during the implementation process

• Improves communication across the business and produces detailed documentation that can be referred to in the future

Manage change effectively with a health & safety management software

Managing change, particularly when health and safety risks are involved can be tricky, but with the right process this can be done effectively.

To boost efficiency, consider a health and safety management software to support you during the MoC process.

With BrightSafe you can securely document and record all relevant information relating to health and safety in your workplace, including your risk assessments.