Professional Documents
Culture Documents
An Overview of Environmental
Management Systems (EMS)
and the ISO Standard
Management Environmental
Review Policy
Document Control
Training,
Awareness and
Competence
Operational Control
Structure and
Responsibility
Communication
Emergency
Preparedness and
Response
EMS Implementation Workshop 40
4.4 Implementation and
Operation
4.4.1 Structure and responsibility of system and
persons involved with maintaining the EMS
includes identifying Management Representative.
4.4.2 Identification of training needs, and procedures for
training, awareness and competence.
4.4.3 Procedures for communications.
Management Environmental
Review Policy
Consistency
Various elements inter-related (i.e., Significant aspects reflected
in emergency planning, etc.)
Continual improvement
Mechanisms are in place to improve the EMS and organizational
performance, supported by management commitment and
support
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Keep in mind…
• The EMS and related measurement tools are just
that, tools. Alone, they will not guarantee success.
The organization must use the tools, not just have
them.
• An effective EMS is “alive”; constantly measuring
performance, making adjustments, and looking for
opportunities for continual improvement
• Accountability is critical
EMS Auditing
Environmental Management System
Consistency
Various elements inter-related
(I.e., significant aspects reflected in emergency planning, etc.)
Continual Improvement
Mechanisms in place to improve
(including fixing non-conformances and improving performance)
1. What does the EMS policy say and what does it mean
to you?
2. What is your familiarity with the EMS program?
3. What do you do in case of a procedural
nonconformance?
4. What do you do in case of a emergency?
5. What kind of training have you received?
6. How do you communicate environmental concerns or
ideas?
7. What do you do if you receive environmentally-
related communication from external parties?
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Typical Questions of Critical
Operations (Con’t):
1. What are the significant aspects and impacts associated with
your
function?
2. How do you know what to do?
(Ask for procedures and operating criteria).
3. What specific training have you received?
4. What are the objectives and targets associated with your
function?
5. What is your responsibility for monitoring and measurement
activities?
6. What records do you keep?
7. (Any other specific questions prompted by answers 1-6 and/or
specific circumstances?)
EMS Implementation Workshop 95
Types of Interviewees:
Plant management
Management representatives
Department managers
Document control and record departments
Research and development
Engineering
Operations employees (plant, administration)
Human resources and training
Contractor management and purchasing
Security
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Audit Process
Examining Documents and Records
1. Environmental Aspects
As required by ISO 14001, environmental aspects and impacts must be identified in order to
develop an appropriate EMS.
The aspects analysis is intended to be a general data gathering effort to establish the
environmental character of the site as opposed to a comprehensive audit or assessment.
The purpose of the aspects analysis is to determine how the activities, products and
services of the facility interact with the environment. Ultimately, the methodology will
get documented so that the future aspects of the facility’s operations can be identified
and reviewed in a consistent manner on an ongoing basis.
An environmental aspect is any element of the organization’s activities, products and
services which can interact with the environment that it can control and over which it
can be expected to have an influence. The impact is the change which occurs in the
environment, positive or negative. Existing as well as potential aspects and impacts are
identified.
In order to identify the environmental aspects activities, products and services, the following procedures can be
followed:
6. Review the site operations in order to prepare a list of categories that the activities, products and services can be placed
into. These categories may include chemical storage, wastewater treatment and product transportation among others.
7. Conduct interviews with appropriate personnel and conduct a reconnaissance of the site to identify the various
operation units of the facility which interact with the environment. Migration and transport pathways and
environmental receptors will be noted in order to document how the activity, product or services were identified as
relevant.
8. Review documented corporate environmental policies and related documents such as performance standards,
procedures and compliance management tools to assist in determining the environmental character of the facility. This
information will also be used in ultimately determining the significance of the impacts of the aspects.
9. Assess the impacts from the aspects. The impact assessment should evaluate the aspects under both normal and
abnormal operating conditions, and for actual and potential conditions.
10. Determine the criteria for determining the significance of the identified aspects. Examples of such criteria would be
issues that result in public complaints, incidents that involve the release of a substance which is immediately harmful to
health and the environment, and/or releases that exceed regulatory requirements. The definition of significance is
determined by the site management. Significant aspects are then noted accordingly, and used to guide development of
objectives, targets, and implementation of the EMS.
11. Upon new processes or changes, modifications will be evaluated for changes to the aspects lists.
The data is then compiled into matrix form listing environmental aspects and impacts. The
listing is divided by site activities, products, and services. Within each such division, the list
is further subdivided by aspect category, including air, water, and solid wastes, energy,
resource consumption, and human and ecosystem impact. This listing, and related
subsequent modifications and versions, are considered records of the EMS, and can be used
to review and verify the Aspects Determination procedure. From this list, the organization
will then select and list those aspects to be considered significant (see Step 5 on previous slide).
Aspects and Impacts are generalized in the listing. More details can be input, as appropriate,
depending on the ultimate use of the information. For example, impacts can be listed as
“regulatory requirements”, but specific permit needs may not be itemized in the listing for a
given aspect.
Responsibility
The aspects analysis is the responsibility of the Environmental Manager and the Aspects
Team.
REFERENCE DOCUMENTS
RECORDS
Job descriptions
Organizational charts
Communication
Operational Control
Records
• Records
EMS Audit
• Specific audit procedures, checklists, forms
• EMS audit notes and working documents
• EMS audit reports
Management Review
• Document retention.