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Major design changes typically refer to substantial and significant modifications to the original design. These modifications may include changes to the functions being utilized, adjustments to the scale of the project, design standards, or construction standards. Excerpt (primarily for the chemical industry): AQ/T 3033-2022 \"Guidelines for Safety Design Management of Chemical Engineering Construction Projects\" 9.2.2 Major design changes mainly include, but are not limited to, the following: a) Significant changes in the conditions surrounding the project ； →For example: military facilities (this basically doesn’t matter whether they are newly built, renovated, or expanded) ； New construction or expansion of important facilities (higher distance requirements) ； Plan high-level roads ； The park plan has changed. b) Change in the address of the construction project ； →For example: A site intended for construction by a company is located at the boundary of a chemical industrial park. During the planning phase, the boundaries of the park were redrawn in accordance with the requirements regarding buffer zones between the chemical park and residential areas; as a result, the site in question was excluded from the chemical park, forcing the company to find a new location ； Before the feasibility study phase of a company’s project, the surrounding villages were included in the area to be demolished (due to insufficient external protection distance, and the local authorities agreed to carry out the demolition), but (omitted); as a result, it was necessary to locate the project elsewhere. c) Significant changes occur in the main technologies, process routes, product designs, or scale of the facilities: → This aspect is highly subjective and prone to disputes, so it requires consultation and confirmation among various parties (the same applies below) ； →Example: Changing 2 units of 15-cubic-meter reactors to 1 unit of 30-cubic-meter reactor (without involving the initial process) ； During the project’s energy-saving assessment, the approach proposed by an energy-saving expert regarding commissions was adopted by the company ； Combining two into one saves more energy); some consider this to be a major change, while others do not ； The core unit undergoes a \"diameter change\", which theoretically results in a change in scale; however, many experts (including patent holders) consider this to be no significant change (for reference only). d) Modifications to the safety facilities, including changes to the flare system and safety relief systems; e) Changes to important design documents ； →For example: PID diagrams, equipment layout diagrams, calculation sheets, etc. f) Principle-based modifications to SIFs or safety interlocks ； g) Changes that may involve government approvals related to safety, fire protection, etc ； h) Other design changes that may reduce the safety performance of the construction project. 9.2.5 After the design documents for the safety facilities of a construction project have been approved by the relevant authorities, if there are any significant changes to the safety design, the project owner shall go through the necessary procedures for such changes in accordance with relevant regulations. Article 20 of the **Measures for the Safety Supervision and Management of Hazardous Chemicals Construction Projects** (**Ministry of Work Safety Order No. 45, amended by Ministry of Work Safety Order No. 79**) stipulates that if the design of the safety facilities for a construction project that has already been approved contains any of the following circumstances, the project owner shall apply to the original approval authority for a review of any changes to the design of those safety facilities: (1) Changes to the design of the safety facilities that may reduce their safety performance ； (II) Redesigned during the construction period. Article 14: If a construction project that has passed the safety condition review falls under any of the following circumstances, the project owner shall conduct a new safety assessment and apply for another review: (1) There are significant changes in the conditions surrounding the construction project ； (II) Change in the construction location ； (III) Significant changes occur in the main technologies, process routes, product designs, or plant scale ； (IV) The construction project has not commenced construction within the validity period of the safety condition review opinion, and construction is required to start after the expiration of that period. →For a certain project, the preliminary evaluations for phases 1 and 2 were originally issued in a combined report; however, phase 2 began construction 3 years after the approval from the regulatory body (with an effective period of 2 years), which meant that a new preliminary evaluation, regulatory review, and safety assessments were required. In accordance with the \"Guidelines for Safety Risk Prevention and Control in Hazardous Chemicals Production and Construction Projects (Trial)\” (Emergency [2022] No. 52), section 1.2.2, these same requirements apply to other chemical engineering construction projects. 7.2.1 Review Process (Excerpt) (3) If the design of the safety facilities has already passed the review, any significant design changes that may reduce the safety performance, such as modifications to the safety facility design or a new design for those facilities during construction, require a review of the revised design. (4) After a construction project passes the safety facility design review, if minor changes occur that do not fall under the circumstances requiring re-review as stipulated in the Measures for the Safety Supervision and Management of Hazardous Chemicals Construction Projects, and such changes do not affect the overall process technology plan or the risk level of the project, the design unit shall issue a design change document, explaining the reasons for the changes as well as an analysis of their compliance after the changes. →The design agency issues a \"Statement of No Significant Changes,\" a \"Change Statement,\" or similar document. PS: Additionally, there are significant changes in other industries, fields, and specialties, and the requirements for operating procedures may differ greatly from those mentioned above. Source: