Change and Replacement in Kind

Management of change ensures that modifications are assessed and authorised before implementation. The gateway question is whether something is a change or a replacement in kind — a replacement that meets the original design specification in every relevant respect.

Replacement in kind requires

• Same material of construction, rating and dimensions.
• Same performance characteristics and set points.
• Same failure mode and same maintenance requirements.

Anything else is a change, however small it seems. A pump with the same duty but a different seal arrangement is a change. A gasket of a different material is a change. A "like for like" valve from a different manufacturer with a different failure position is emphatically a change.

Categories of change

• Technical — equipment, materials, process conditions, control systems, software, instruments, alarms and set points.
• Procedural — operating procedures, operating limits, maintenance strategies, inspection intervals.
• Organisational — structure, staffing levels, shift patterns, roles, outsourcing, contractor changes.
• Temporary — anything intended to be reversed, including overrides, bypasses, temporary repairs and trials.

If the answer to "is this a replacement in kind?" requires a discussion, it is a change.