11/1/2020 ISO 14001 - Basis and Principles of Environmental Management Systems - GCC Standardization Organization

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ISO 14001 – Basis and Principles of Environmental Management

Systems
ISO 14001

The set of international standards (ISO 14000) Issued by International Standardization organization (ISO), 1996 is a result of series of

developments and international appeals started in the United Nations conference on the human environment, it was held in 1972, Stockholm

and it resulted in the International environment Committee along with the issuance of its famous report ” Our Common Future ” in 1987

Which included an appeal for the industry to develop an effective environmental management system, it was followed by holding the United

Nations conference on environment and development ” Summit of Earth”, in Rio de Janeiro In 1992. That was followed by the decision taken

by “ISO”, 1993 regarding the establishment of Technical Committee No: TC207 In order to develop a set of specifications for “EMS” No: ISO

14000, this is to address the following environmental issues:-

Environmental Management systems (EMS)

Environmental audits

Environmental posters

Means of environmental performance Assessment

Life cycle Analysis

environmental terms and definitions

environmental trendsrelationship of product specifications

The following figure shows such organizations:

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ISO

Ever since, “ISO” issued significant number of specifications, technical reports and manuals so as to serve environmental management

systems, as illustrated by the following figure:-

“ISO 14001”

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The most important of which is the International Standard “ISO 14001” titled Requirements of the “EMS” That gives the minimum

requirements of the environmental management system in enterprises in order to control the environmental impact of its products, services

and operations

Stages of application and evaluation of Environmental Management systems “EMS”

In general, if any organization is willing to apply an environmental management system, it should follow the following steps:-

1. to conduct a study on the state environmental laws apply on the Foundation and its products, services and activities and to identify the

environmental standards necessary to be adhered to.

2. To make an integrated analysis on environmental influences arising out of Products, operations and services in the facility, what is cold

the analysis of Aspects and environmental influences?.

3. To make field measurements of the gap between existing environmental influences and the standards necessary to be adhered to, in

order to set environmental objectives and environmental policy of the facility which is called the initial environmental survey.

4. To make a study of the gap between existing status of environmental management of the organization and the requirements of the

environmental management system. Generally, this study is conducted via specialists working jointly with the organization Personnel

using various tools including “audit” , ” Personal interviews” and “Questionnaires”. By the end, a specific image is formed about how far

or near the organization of desired environmental management system. Fundamental output of this study is to determine the exact gap

between the existing system in the organization and the system of environmental management targeted.

5. The senior management of the organization in association with specialists in developing an operational plan of the steps and works

need to be done to cover the gap that was identified in step 3&4.

6. Adapting and executing a training and awareness program in organization, for all workers in the facility, about the targeted

requirements of environmental management system so as to prepare the facility for the required change.

7. Through the officials and experts, the ****** plan is executed in step 2, the senior management shall provide materials necessary for the

execution.

8. Post implementing the new system, that is supposed to confirm the environmental management system for a reasonable period which

assures the stability of the new system, the senior management shall ****** specialists with a reasonable experience, whether within or

outside the organization, to make a comprehensive audit of the implementation of the new system of the organization. Usually, this

audit is done Systematically and according to a preset plan.

9. The results of the audit are usually “Non-identical” to the requirements of the environmental management system, this all are assisted by

senior management of the organization appropriate remedial action to eliminate that “non-identical”. The organization shall implement

Operations contained in items 8 & 9 on a regular basis to maintain a satisfactory level of performance of the organization and in

accordance with the requirements of the environmental management system.

Stages to obtain ISO 14001 certificates

The international standards ISO 14001 Represents general requirements for environmental management system Suitable for application to

any organization of any kind or size or affiliation these specifications represent a system of environmental management, the most applicable

in the world, these are international specifications issued by the ISO organization, 1996. When applied, the organization can get a certificate

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11/1/2020 ISO 14001 - Basis and Principles of Environmental Management Systems - GCC Standardization Organization

confirming the organization’s commitment to the standards of this specification.

Steps of rehabilitation, according to ISO 14001

Steps in the previous item represent basic steps for rehabilitation with the exception of some details; the following is a summary of these

steps:

1. To assign a representative of the department with the authority to establish and follow-up the system and to communicate with third-

parties in connection to the system, following, is the study of the gap, complying with ISO 14001 and the issue of a report gap and

developing an operational plan for the treatment of that gap.

2. conduct an initial environmental survey.

3. Develop and implement a training and awareness program for employees about environmental management system complying with

ISO 14001.

4. Execute the operational plan, place the instruments and process all systems for the organization complying with ISO 14001

specifications.

5. Conduct an internal audit, discover the “non-identical” and treat by corrective actions studied.

6. The senior management shall make planned periodic rebounds and reviews for the organization and how it implements the system and

resolve problems of implementation for the senior management to be assured that the organization matches the management system

and requirements contained in the ISO 14001 standard.

7. The organization select and contract with a recognized point of issuing certificates that, in coordination with the management

representative of the organization, arranges the timing of the audit.

8. The issuer of the certificate audit on the organization and in the case of the audit was positive, organization is awarded ISO 14001

certificate subject to periodic audits by the donor league to ensure the continuity of the organization matching with requirements of

international standard.

Benefits of getting ISO 14001 certificates

1. Client satisfaction

2. Improve relationship with the community

3. Satisfy investor

4. Improve image of facility and rate of participation in the market

5. Meet the requirements of the system

6. Improve cost control

7. Reduce Accidents

8. Show interest

9. Provide input of raw materials and energy

10. Facilitate obtaining permits

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11. Improve the relationship with the government

Mechanism of qualifying facilities to obtain ISO 14001 certificates

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