How to Get an ISO 14001 Accreditation

If you are someone who is looking into getting an ISO 14001, then you may be wondering exactly why it is that you have to get this accreditation. First, you have to understand that ISO stands for the International Organisation of Standardisation. This is a series of standards that have been developed with a singular level of guidance for all companies to measure up to. The particular 14001 deals with the requirements that you will need to have in order to measure up to the environmental standards that have been set forth by the ISO.

While you do not necessarily have to get the ISO 14001 accreditation to operate your business, it is something you can do to prove to your clients and customers that you are doing your part to help out with the environment. However, you may be confused on how to go about getting this important accreditation, but it is not as difficult to attain as you might think, and most businesses should be able to get the certification within a year of the application. You should know that they will want to make sure that you have been following some form of environmental standards for at least three months prior to your application. To do this you can write an environmental review of your company’s environmental impact as it is in its current operating state. You will then want to make sure that you provide this information when you send off your initial paperwork to begin the overall process.

In order to help prove that your company is doing its part to be environmentally aware you will have to go through an initial audit once the application has been filled out and filed. After the audit has been completed you will get a list of issues that the auditor feels you need to resolve before you can be certified for the ISO 14001. You will need to work on and correct these issues before the second audit is conducted, and they will give you a time period (usually three to six months) when they will return to check on your progress.

When the second audit occurs they will once again assess the overall business and then they will address the issues that were laid out in the previous audit. If everything goes well then your company will have proven that they are doing what they can to meet the standard set forth in ISO 14001, and they will then receive accreditation. However, this is not the end of the process. Even though you are now recognised as having environmentally conscious policies that are congruent with the international standards, you will have to go through periodic audits every three years to make sure that you are still operating correctly. Not only this, but every three months partial aspects of your company will be analysed to see that they are still working within the standards as well. As long as you remain within the compliance terms you will continue to receive your ISO 14001 certification.

The Audit Report In ISO 14001

Once agreement has been reached, both among the audit team and with the auditee, it is time to prepare the audit report. Note that ISO 14001 does not require a documented audit report. However, it is very difficult to verify that the auditing requirement has been satisfied without a supporting record, which is typically a documented audit report.

The audit report is prepared by the lead auditor, although he or she may have other team members prepare portions. The content of the audit report is determined by the audit plan and the organization’s EMS audit procedures. Having completed the examination phase and evaluated the collected data observations, etc., the assessor is faced with the problem of documenting any deficiencies he or she may have found. There are many different methods of documenting deficiencies, ranging from inclusion in the body of the audit report to producing non-conformance notes or corrective action requests. Irrespective of which method is adopted, the basic principles to be followed are similar. ISO 14001 does not dictate what should be in the report, and ISO 14011 only suggests contents. ISO 14011 indicates that at a minimum, the findings need to be in the report. The findings appear as a statement that the EMS is or is not in conformance with the criteria, and states what the criteria and supporting evidence are for the statement. ISO 14011 also lists other optional items to include such as:

• the identification of the organization audited and of the client;

• the agreed objectives, scope and plan of the audit;

• the agreed criteria, including a list of reference documents against which the audit was conducted;

• the period covered by the audit and the date(s) the audit was conducted;

• the identification of the auditee’s representatives participating in the audit;

• the identification of the audit team members;

• a statement of the confidential nature of the contents;

• the distribution list for the audit report;

• a summary of the audit process including any obstacles encountered;

• audit conclusions such as:

- EMS conformance to the EMS audit criteria;

- whether the system is properly implemented and maintained;

- whether the internal management review process is able to ensure the continuing suitability and effectiveness of the EMS.

The format of such reports can vary considerably and may range from completion of a simple pro-forma to expansive documents describing all aspects of the audit performance and findings. However, irrespective of the style and format, the audit report should cover the key topics already identified as being essential for discussion and presentation at the opening and closing meetings. In constructing the report two specific objectives must be borne in mind.

(1) The report has to provide objective evidence of effective implementation of the audit procedure.

(2) The report has to allow for corrective action to be addressed and that the follow-up requirements can be established and initiated.

Where there are non-conformances, there are various options regarding deficiency reporting. One option is to describe each of the deficiencies identified in the main body of the report along with any supporting evidence, and if requested, corresponding recommendations. Although this may result in a comprehensive report of audit findings, it has the disadvantage that the individual

deficiencies are often difficult to locate, particularly when trying to monitor follow-up actions.

This can be partly overcome by writing separate corrective action requests for this purpose. A useful alternative that is less time consuming is to restrict the description of deficiencies in the body of the report to general summaries only. Details of deficiencies can then be included in non-conformance notes. Ideally, the non-conformance note should also provide space for agreeing corrective actions and recording subsequent monitoring of that corrective action. In this manner, any duplication of effort with respect to audit reporting is minimized, thus producing a more easily managed system. It is important that however non-conformances are handled, it be constant with the EMS correction action process (ISO 14001, Section 4.5.2).

Before considering the steps in preparing the non-conformance note we must be clear about their purpose.

• To convey to the auditee the findings in a clear and accurate manner so that they know what to do next.

• To advise the EMS personnel or other auditors what you have found so that he can follow it up.

• To present a record that can be reviewed remotely from the scene and be understood.

All non-conformance notes must contain certain basic information.

• The physical area being audited.

- Failure to record this often results in great confusion 3 to 6 months later when a follow up visit is carried out to review corrective action implementation.

• The specific clause(s) of the assessment standard(s) against which the non-conformance is issued.

- If the auditor is unable to readily identify the applicable section of the EMS manual or the procedure against which to issue the non-conformance, he must question whether or not he is justified in writing the non-conformance. It is good practice to re-read the

requirements of the relevant system documentation to confirm that these can be interpreted as supporting the non-conformance. If they do not, then the non-conformance cannot be issued.

• The detailed nature of the non-conformance including the specific identity of documents/procedures/material, etc.

Earlier we considered the requirements for recording observations during the assessment and emphasized the need for them to be factual and to contain objective evidence that the system requirements were not being satisfied. Although this appears to be fairly straightforward, in practice this is often not the case. It is not unusual for inexperienced auditors to identify a deficiency only to fail to communicate the findings in a manner that facilitates implementation of the appropriate corrective action. The non-conformance note, while not being over long, must contain sufficient information to enable a person not present during the audit to be able to gauge the seriousness or otherwise of the observation.

The use of descriptive terms such as extensive, several, isolated, etc… is essential to communicate accurately the nature and extent of the deficiency, but care must be taken to ensure that their use does not result in a lack of objectivity; e.g., the term extensive can only be included if there is irrefutable evidence to justify its use. The auditor must also take care to ensure that the description is not only accurate but it is also fair, e.g., a statement that 50% of manifests were incorrectly signed may be accurate but is hardly fair if only two manifests were sampled.

Having documented the nature of the deficiency, some audit systems require the auditor to grade the deficiency or non-conformance, e.g., major and minor. It is not intended to discuss grading systems in detail since there are many potential variations that companies may wish to adopt. Irrespective of what system is being adopted, the auditor must ensure that the grading given and

the text describing the deficiency are completely compatible.

Distribution of the audit report and nature of documentation are decided between the auditor and auditee, although this too is usually addressed in the audit plan. An audit is considered successful when the auditee and client feel that they have useful, constructive feedback that allows them to improve the system.

Implement ISO 14001 To Reduce Carbon Footprint

Around the world people and their governments are concerned about climate change and global warming. During 2009 there is a series of international meetings preparing for the next climate change agreement to be hammered out in Copenhagen in 2010. This will be a very critical meeting because the planet is fast approaching a “tipping point” when it will be too late to pull back from very serious climate change.

So what does this mean to business and particularly small business? Small business is the backbone of economies around the world and cumulatively is responsible for an enormous amount of carbon emissions even when they are small and “just office or home based”. In fact office based business is responsible for 30% of greenhouse gas emissions. This is far more than transport which is the most obvious target for concern.

When a small business systematically addresses all its activities and looks at the carbon and other environmental impacts of each, the business can remove a large amount of waste and preventing waste is what also saves money. If you can reduce your electrical waste by 20% you will reduce both your greenhouse emissions and your power bill by that same 20%. And electrical consumption is just area that can be looked at.

If this is to work effectively the business will need to work with all employees to change the culture and raise awareness of green issues. Commencing some green training for all personnel helps them to understand and accept the reasons for the changes and know what is expected of them.

Many people feel that they want to go beyond carbon emissions because they realise that there is more to the environment than just emissions. In this case the business may want to take their planning a step further and implement and environmental management system. This works even better when an effective feedback loop is included so that when mistakes of any kind are made, the business looks at the root cause or real reason that they were able to happen then remove that cause.

Many businesses take their environmental management system a step further and have it independently audited to ISO 14001 which is the international standard for environmental management. It is important to keep the system simple and low in paper because otherwise it is unlikely to work effectively in the long term.

A simple and effective environmental management system can save a small business for more than the cost of implementing and maintaining it and it also saves time and money. Reducing your carbon footprint saves money but a full management system saves even more and achieves an internationally recognised green certification, ISO 14001.

Refer to http://www.e-wia.com for more information on ISO 14001 Standards – Environmental Management System

Role of Governments in ISO 14001 Standards

Role of Governments in ISO 14001 Standards

Although ISO 14001 is a set of voluntary standards that individual companies may or may not choose to adopt, governments can clearly have a role in providing information, establishing the necessary framework and infrastructure, and, in some cases, helping companies to develop the
basic capabilities to adopt ISO 14001. There are wo particular areas in which government action would be useful:
(a) providing information on he sectors and markets where ISO 14001 certification s a significant issue and assisting sector rganizations to develop appropriate responses, and
(b) helping to establish a certification framework, ased on strengthening national standards organizations and encouraging competitive private sector provision of auditing and certification
services. At present, the World Bank is having discussions with a number of countries about how assistance could be provided with these issues.

Governments should see EMS approaches as part of a broad environmental strategy that includes regulatory systems, appropriate financial incentives, and encouragement of improved industrial performance. Such encouragement can really only be effective where there is cooperation at the government level between the relevant departments, including industry and trade, as well as environment. There is a growing interest in integrating environmental management issues into productivity or competitiveness centers designed to promote SME performance, but little information exists on experience to date.

Certification Of ISO 14001 Standards

Certification Of ISO 14001

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is functioning from Geneva in Switzerland as a worldwide federation of national standards organizations. The mission of ISO is to promote the development of standardization and related activities in the world with a view to facilitating the international exchange of goods and services, and to developing corporation in the spheres of intellectual, scientific, technological and economic activity. ISO’s works result in international agreements which are published as international agreements which are published as international standards.

ISO 9000

Previous version of ISO 9000 (1994) emphasize on documents and document control. But as per new standard the extent of documentation can differ from company to company in a simplified manner.

ISO 9000 system requires records at relevant stages which provide data for continual improvement and can be used for legacy as a data bank.

ISO 14000

ISO 14000, the environmental management system family of standards, was formally published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) on September 2, 1996. ISO 14001 is the conformance standard within the ISO 14000 series. After extensive groundwork, the revised version of ISO 14001 was released on 15th of November 2004. ISO 14001:2004 will replace ISO 14001:1996 after a transition period of 18 months, ending on 14th May 2006, and will become the basis for the certification procedure for environmental management. All ISO 14001:1996 certificates will be rendered invalid on 15th May 2006

Since 1996 the ISO 14001 has formed the basis for structuring, implementation, review and further development of environmental management systems. It lays down the applicable demands for organizations of all kinds and sizes as well as for diverse geographical, cultural and social conditions. The overall objective is to promote environmental protection and the prevention of environmental stress in harmony with economic, social and political requirements.

OHSAS 18001 is an Occupation Health and Safety Assessment Series for health and safety management systems. It is intended to help an organizations to control occupational health and safety risks (OH&S). The importance of managing Occupational Health and Safety is recognized by all interested parties – employers, employees, customers, suppliers, insurers,shareholders, the community, contractors, and regulatory agencies. It enables an organization to control occupational health and safety risks risks and to improve performance.

Evaluation Of Compliance Of ISO 14001 EMS

The requirement to establish a procedure for periodically evaluating compliance with applicable legal and other requirements falls short of specifically requiring regulatory compliance audits but, in fact, a system of regular regulatory compliance audits may be the most practical means for meeting this requirement of the standard. In the U.S., determination of whether to conduct a compliance audit will be governed in part by the particular jurisdiction’s approach to allowing a legal privilege for the self-assessment audit.

Evaluation vs. Audit – The difference between an evaluation and audit can only be determined by looking outside of ISO 14001. Consulting a dictionary reveals that an evaluation involves a determination of value or worth and that an audit is an examination of accounts done by persons appointed for the purpose. A better definition `is the more specific ISO 19011:2002, Guidelines for Quality and/or Environmental Management Systems Auditing, which defines an audit as a “systematic, independent, and documented process for obtaining audit evidence and evaluating it objectively to determine the extent to which the audit criteria are fulfilled.” Many organizations do not have a system for evaluating regulatory compliance other than their own records and the inspections of regulatory officials. This lack of a verification system can be a risky way to operate. Reports of enforcement actions and consent agreements show that many organizations are blindsided by rogue employees who violate rules and falsify documents to cover up environmental misdeeds. Although ISO 14001 does not prescribe a specific approach to evaluation of regulatory compliance, organizations should consider methods for going beyond verification of records by collecting and evaluating physical evidence.

REQUIREMENTS OF ISO 14001

REQUIREMENTS OF ISO 14001
In order to effectively implement and benefit from an ISO 14001 EMS, it is important to
have an understanding of the standard’s requirements. A quick review of the standard
shows that it is structured following the Plan, Do, Check, Improve philosophy of the
Total Quality Management movement, as follows:

PLAN
4.2 Policy
4.3 Planning

DO
4.4 Implementation and Operation

CHECK
4.5 Checking and Corrective Action

IMPROVE
4.6 Management Review

Within these five elements are 17 sub-elements stating the various requirements.

4.2 Policy

4.3 Planning
4.3.1 Environmental Aspects
4.3.2 Legal and Other Requirements
4.3.3 Objectives and Targets
4.4.4 Environmental Management Programs

4.4 Implementation and Operation
4.4.1 Structure and Responsibility
4.4.2 Training Awareness and Competence
4.4.3 Communications
4.4.4 EMS Documentation
4.4.5 Document Control
4.4.6 Operation Control
4.4.7 Emergency Planning and Response

4.5 Checking and Corrective Action
4.5.1 Monitoring and Measurement
4.5.2 Nonconformance, Corrective, and Preventive Action
4.5.3 Records
4.5.4 EMS Audit

4.6 Management Review

Within these 17 sub-elements are all of the requirements, or “shalls”, necessary to
conform to ISO 14001. There is no substitute for reading the standard in terms of
recognizing the requirements. As a matter of fact, no auditor should embark on an audit
without having easily available the criteria to which they are doing the audit. However,
below we briefly summarize the key points of the sub-elements. This summary is not
intended to be a replacement for ISO 14001, and should not be used exclusively as such
during an audit.

Detailed Section by Section Summary

4.2 Policy
ISO 14001 requires that the organization have a policy statement to drive the EMS.
These tend to be short, one page or less documents, and simply affirm the commitments.
There is no expectation that specific details be noted in the policy. For example, the
commitment to pollution prevention can simply be stated saying, “we are committed to
prevention of pollution”. The policy must be clearly endorsed by top management and
be available to the public and employees. Although the availability to the public can be
rather passive; i.e. “is here if they want it”, there is an expectation that the employee
awareness is more proactive. Section 4.2 of ISO 14001 lists the other requirements of the
policy.

4.3.1 Environmental Aspects
This element requires a procedure that not only identifies the aspects and impacts, but
also provides for determination of significance, and keeping the information up to date.
ISO 14001 does not prescribe what aspects should be significant, or even how to
determine significance. However, it is expected the organization will develop a
consistent and verifiable process to do so.

4.3.2 Legal and Other Requirements
This is a requirement for a procedure that explains how the organization obtains
information regarding its legal and other requirements, and makes that information
known to key functions. This is not the assessment or compliance audit requirement, but
rather a more up front determination of requirements.

4.3.3 Objectives and Targets
There is no requirement for a procedure in this element, only that objectives and targets
be documented. It does require that certain items be considered in developing the
objectives, such as legal requirements and prevention of pollution. It is sometimes
easiest to develop a procedure anyway for this element to be able to verify these
considerations were made.

4.3.4 Environmental Management Programs (EMP)
EMPs are the detailed plans and programs explaining how the objectives and targets will
be accomplished. These EMPs usually note responsible personnel, milestones and dates,
and measurements of success. Noting monitoring and measurement parameters directly
in the EMP facilitates conforming to 4.5.1 on Monitoring and Measurement discussed
below.

4.4.1 Structure and Responsibility
ISO 14001 requires that the relevant management and accountability structure be defined
in this element. This usually takes the form of an organizational chart. Also, the
organization must denote the Management Representative who is responsible to oversee
the EMS and report to management on its operation.

4.4.2 Training Awareness and Competence
The key point in this element is that personnel must receive applicable training regarding
the EMS. Specific requirements are itemized in ISO 14001, and include general,
company-wide items such as knowing the policy, to more function-specific training on
aspects and emergency response. An organization usually responds to this element with a
training matrix, cross-referencing to training materials and records.

4.4.3 Communications
Procedures are required for both internal and external communications. Note that ISO
14001 only requires procedures, and allows the organization to decide for itself the
degree of openness and disclosure of information. Whatever the decision in terms of
disclosure, that decision process must be recorded.

4.4.4 EMS Documentation
This requirement is simply that the organization has documented the system in either
electronic or paper form such that it addresses the elements of the standard and provides
direction to related documentation. Not all ISO 14001-required procedures need to be
documented, as long as the system requirements can be verified.

4.4.5 Document Control.
Procedures are required to control documents, such as system procedures and work
instructions, and to ensure that current versions are distributed and obsolete versions are
removed from the system.

4.4.6 Operational Control
This element is the one which connects the EMS with the organization as a whole. Here,
the critical functions related to significant aspects and objectives and targets are identified
and procedures and work instructions created to ensure proper execution of activities.
Requirements for communicating applicable system requirements to contractors are also
addressed.

4.4.7 Emergency Planning and Response
Although typically addressed through conventional emergency response plans, this
element also requires that a process exist for identifying the potential emergencies, in
addition to planning and mitigating them. A linkage to the aspects analysis, where
impacts are assessed, is appropriate. Emergency incidents include those that may not be
regulated, but may still cause significant impact as defined by the organization.

4.5.1 Monitoring and Measurement
Procedures are required describing how the organization will monitor and measure key
parameters of operations. These parameters relate to the significant aspects, objectives
and targets and legal and regulatory compliance. In order to properly manage the system,
measurements must be taken of its performance to provide data for action. Responses to
this element usually cross reference to many other specific procedures and work
instructions describing measurement and equipment calibration. It is in this element that
we find the requirement for what is commonly referred to as a compliance audit.

4.5.2 Nonconformance, Corrective, and Preventive Action
This element requires procedures for acting on Non-conformances identified in the system,
including corrective and preventive action. Non-conformances may be identified through
audits, monitoring and measurement, and communications. The intent is to correct the
system flaws. Typically, Corrective Action Report (CAR) forms are the norm, noting the
nonconformance, the suggested fix, and closure of the action when completed. Note that
this requirement does not imply in any way that the party identifying the nonconformance
must be the one to suggest the fix. Instead, it is expected that the system provide for the
information to be routed to the most appropriate party to address the concern.

4.5.3 Records
Records are expected to exist to serve as verification of the system operating. For
example, records include audit reports and training records. Unlike controlled
documents, records are “once and done” documents, resulting from the execution of some
process or procedure. Procedures in this element are required for the maintenance of
records.

4.5.4 EMS Audits
ISO 14001 requires that the system provide for internal audits. This procedures(s) will
include methodologies, schedules, and processes to conduct the audits. Interestingly, the
EMS audit will in essence, audit the audit process itself!

4.6 Management Review
This element requires that periodically, top management will review the EMS to ensure it
is operating as planned. If not, resources must be provided for corrective action. For
areas where there are no problems, the expectation is that with time, management will
provide for improvement programs. Usually there is no detailed procedure for this
element, although records of agendas, attendance, and agreed upon action items are
maintained as verification.

ISO 14001 Standard & Environmental Issues

ISO 14001 Standard & Environmental Issues

ISO 14001 is a systematic tool that enables an organization in any market sector to focus on their situation, identify the relevant environmental issues and to lessen their impact to their benefit and the environment. It is part of a global response to the recognition that we are damaging the environment in which we all live. The cause and effect of the foremost world environmental issues, which are all due to mankind, are generally too vast and too intangible for us to grasp and so the slightly cliché expression ‘think global, act local’ is very relevant. Once the EMS is implemented and to become registered to ISO 14001, the external auditor will assess your EMS in two separate stages, on site. The first stage to understand your business activities and determine formal readiness for assessment and the second to check practical compliance with ISO 14001. After registration he will return at regular intervals every year to verify continual improvement and regulatory compliance, against your set objectives and your EMS. The external auditor should be seen as a wise friend, not a policeman. He should certainly explain his findings and assist the company to find ISO 14001 registration is not a cure for all environmental problems but I hope I’ve demonstrated that it is a worthwhile, if not essential business initiative that could enable your management to better manage your business, gain commercial advantage and minimize its environmental impact.

Elements Of ISO 14001 Environmental Management System

Elements Of ISO 14001 Environmental Management System

ISO/DIS 14001 is one of a series of emerging international environmental management standards aimed at promoting
continual improvement in company environmental performance through the adoption and implementation of an environmental management system. The (draft) standard specifies the core elements of an EMS, but contains only those elements that may be objectively audited for certification or self-declaration purposes. A companion guidance standard, ISO/DIS 14004 includes examples, descrïptions and options that aid in the implementation of an EMS and in integrating the EMS into overall management practices. It is not intended for use by certification/registration bodies.

ISO/DIS 14001 defines an overall environmental management system , closely modeled on the ISO 9000 quality systems standard , and covers the following key elements:

· Establishment of an appropriate environmental policy that is documented and communicated to employees and made available to the public, and which includes a commitment to continual improvement and pollution prevention, regulatory compliance and a framework for setting objectives;
· A planning phase that covers the identification of the environmental aspects of the organization’s activities, identification and access to legal requirements, establishment and documentation of objectives and targets consistent with the policy, and establishment of a program for achieving said targets and objectives (including the designation of responsible individuals, necessary means and timeframes);
· Implementation and operation of the EMS including the definition, documentation and communication of roles and responsibilities, provision of appropriate training, assurance of adequate internal and external communication, written management system documentation as well as appropriate document control procedures, documented procedures for operational controls, and documented and communicated emergency response procedures;
· Checking and corrective action procedures, including procedures for regular monitoring and measurement of key characteristics of the operations and activities, procedures for dealing with situations of non-conformity, specific record maintenance procedures and procedures for auditing the performance of the EMS;
· Periodic management reviews of the overall EMS to ensure its suitability, adequacy and effectiveness in light of changing circumstances.

The EMS as outlined in ISO 14001 provides a structured process for the achievement of continual improvement, the rate and extent of which is determined by the organization in light of economic and other circumstances. Although some improvement in environmental performance can be expected due to the adoption of a systematic approach, it should be understood that the EMS is a tool which enables the organization to achieve and systematically control the level of environmental performance that it sets itself. The establishment of an EMS will not, in itself, necessarily result in an immediate reduction of adverse environmental impact. Indeed, care needs to be taken that the mere establishment of an EMS does not lull the organization into a false sense of security. But effectively used, an EMS should enable an organization to improve its environmental performance and avoid or reduce adverse environmental impacts over time.

The Challenge Of ISO 14001 Standards

The Challenge Of ISO 14001 Standards

The building blocks of an environmental management system is an understanding of aspects and impacts.

Implementing ISO 14001 begins with identifying how an organisation’s business activities impact on the

environment.

Many organisations believe they are already aware of the significant aspects and impacts of their operations.

The process of implementing ISO 14001 may uncover significant impacts not previously identified and allows

for a consistent approach to analysis.

Generally this analysis is done department by department or centre by centre.

It is best if it is a team approach that involves the employees who do the activity. An employee’s

familiarity with a task is essential for both the identification of the environmental impacts of business

activities and the determination or implementation of control measures.

An aspect is any element of an organisation’s activities, products or services that can interact with the

environment.

An impact is the change caused to the environment.

Impacts may occur during normal and abnormal operating conditions, such as accidents and emergencies.

Aspects can often be isolated by analysing the inputs and outputs of an activity.

EVALUATION OF IMPACTS

Once the impacts have been determined they have to be evaluated.

Criteria for evaluation include environmental concerns such as the severity of the impact, and business

concerns such as potential regulatory and legal exposure, the probability of the impact occurring, the

cost of changing the impact and effect on public image.

This type of evaluation highlights the significant impacts. These, in turn, determine the significant

aspects. Once the significant aspects have been determined, targets and objectives can be set.

ISO 14001 Standards

ISO 14001 Standards

ISO 14001 is in fact a series of international standards on environmental management. It provides a framework for the development of an environmental management system[/url] and the supporting audit programme.
The ISO 14001 series emerged primarily as a result of the Uruguay round of the GATT negotiations and the Rio Summit on the Environment held in 1992. While GATT concentrates on the need to reduce non-tariff barriers to trade, the Rio Summit generated a commitment to protection of the environment across the world.

After the rapid acceptance of ISO 9000, and the increase of environmental standards around the world, the International Standards Organisation (ISO) assessed the need for international environmental management standards. They formed the Strategic Advisory Group on the Environment (SAGE) in 1991, to consider whether such standards could serve to:

Promote a common approach to environmental management similar to quality management;
Enhance organizations ability to attain and measure improvements in environmental performance; and
Facilitate trade and remove trade barriers.
In 1992, SAGEs recommendations created a new committee, TC 207, for international environmental management standards. This committee and its sub-committees included representatives from industry, standards organizations, government and environmental organizations from many countries. What developed was a series of ISO14000 standards designed to cover:

-environmental management systems
-environmental auditing
-environmental performance evaluation
-environmental labelling
-life-cycle assessment
-environmental aspects in product standards

ISO 14001 was first published as a standard in 1996 and it specifies the actual requirements for an environmental management system. It applies to those environmental aspects over which an organization has control and where it can be expected to have an influence.

ISO 14001 is often seen as the corner-stone standard of the ISO 14000 series. It specifies a framework of control for an Environmental Management System and is the only ISO 14000 standard against which it is currently possible to be certified by an external certification body. However, it does not in itself state specific environmental performance criteria.

What is ISO 14000 Standards?

What Is ISO 14001 Standards?

ISO 14001 is primarily concerned with Environmental Management. In plain language, this means what the organization does to minimize harmful effects on the environment caused by its activities.

Improving the environmental performance of corporations is one way of limiting environmental damage. Environmental management systems (EMSs), such as ISO 14001, provide a framework for organizations that wish to effectively manage their environmental affairs. Implementing an EMS that conforms to the ISO 14001 standard may help businesses integrate environmental values into their operations.

An EMS can be described as a program of continuous environmental improvement that follows a defined sequence of steps drawn from established project management practice and routinely applied in business management. In simple terms these steps are as follows:
• Review the environmental consequences of the operations.
• Define a set of policies and objectives for environmental performance.
• Establish an action plan to achieve the objectives.
• Monitor performance against these objectives.
• Report the results appropriately.
• Review the system and the outcomes and strive for continuous improvement.
Not every system will present these steps in exactly the same way, but the basic principles are clear and easily understandable.

The ISO 14001 series is a series of standards for different aspects of environmental management. A number of these standards relating to environmental management systems have been adopted formally by the members of the ISO, while others are in different stages of preparation.

ISO 14001 Standards – Emergency Preparedness and Response Plans

ISO 14001 Section 4.4.7, Emergency Preparedness and Response, requires that organizations establish and maintain procedure(s) to:

1. Identify potential accidents and emergencies

2. Respond to accidents and emergencies

3. Prevent and mitigate the environmental impacts that may be associated with accidents and emergencies.

Section 4.4.7 also requires that organizations review and revise, when necessary, their emergency preparedness

and response procedure(s), especially after an accident or emergency situation. Organizations must also periodically test such procedures where practicable.

Most organizations have already developed and implemented emergency response plans to comply with various federal and state regulations that require such plans. Examples of federal regulations that require such plans include:

• Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Contingency Plans

• Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasures (SPCC) Plans

• Facility Oil Response Plans under the Oil Pollution Prevention Act of 1990

• Employee Emergency and Fire Prevention Plans under Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Some states have regulations that require similar emergency response plans. For instance, the state of Pennsylvania requires certain facilities to develop and implement a Preparedness, Prevention, and Contingency (PPC) Plan in addition to federal requirements.

The ISO 14001 requirements are similar to the requirements of most regulatory emergency plans. Whether your facility has emergency response plans or not, you should review the following sections to ensure you meet the ISO 14001 emergency response requirements.

ISO 14001 Section 4.4.7, Emergency Preparedness and Response, requires that organizations establish and maintain procedure(s) to:

1. Identify potential accidents and emergencies

2. Respond to accidents and emergencies

3. Prevent and mitigate the environmental impacts that may be associated with accidents and emergencies.

Section 4.4.7 also requires that organizations review and revise, when necessary, their emergency preparedness

and response procedure(s), especially after an accident or emergency situation. Organizations must also periodically test such procedures where practicable.

Most organizations have already developed and implemented emergency response plans to comply with various federal and state regulations that require such plans. Examples of federal regulations that require such plans include:

• Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Contingency Plans

• Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasures (SPCC) Plans

• Facility Oil Response Plans under the Oil Pollution Prevention Act of 1990

• Employee Emergency and Fire Prevention Plans under Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Some states have regulations that require similar emergency response plans. For instance, the state of Pennsylvania requires certain facilities to develop and implement a Preparedness, Prevention, and Contingency (PPC) Plan in addition to federal requirements.

The ISO 14001 requirements are similar to the requirements of most regulatory emergency plans. Whether your facility has emergency response plans or not, you should review the following sections to ensure you meet the ISO 14001 emergency response requirements.

ISO 14001 Standards – Nonconformance, Corrective and Preventive Action

ISO 14001 Standards - Nonconformance, Corrective and Preventive Action

ISO 14001:2004 Section 4.5.2, Nonconformance And Corrective Andrequires that organizations establish and maintain procedures that:

Preventive Action,

• Define responsibility and authority for handling and investigating nonconformance

• Take action to mitigate any impacts caused by nonconformance

• Initiate and complete the appropriate corrective and preventive action.

ISO 14001:2004 Section 4.5.2 also states that “…any corrective or preventive action taken to eliminate the causes of actual and potential nonconformances must be appropriate to the magnitude of problems and commensurate with the

environmental impact encountered.”

If any changes in the documented procedures result from any corrective and preventive action, you must implement and record these changes.

Nonconformance refers to any issues that do not meet or comply with the requirements established in the EMS or the ISO 14001 standard. Procedures developed under ISO Section 4.5.2 will provide the mechanism to handle

non-conformances and to ensure steps be taken to prevent a recurrence.

The procedures should include the following key steps:

1. Identify the problem

2. Determine the cause

3. Establish the solution

4. Document the solution

5. Implement the solution

6. Record the documentation and implementation of the solution

7. Communicate the solution.

Role of Governments in ISO 14001 Standards

Although ISO 14001 is a set of voluntary standards that individual companies may or may not choose to adopt, governments can clearly have a role in providing information, establishing the necessary framework and infrastructure, and, in some cases, helping companies to develop thebasic capabilities to adopt ISO 14001. There are wo particular areas in which government action would be useful:(a) providing information on he sectors and markets where ISO 14001 certification s a significant issue and assisting sector rganizations to develop appropriate responses, and(b) helping to establish a certification framework, ased on strengthening national standards organizations and encouraging competitive private sector provision of auditing and certificationservices. At present, the World Bank is having discussions with a number of countries about how assistance could be provided with these issues.
Governments should see EMS approaches as part of a broad environmental strategy that includes regulatory systems, appropriate financial incentives, and encouragement of improved industrial performance. Such encouragement can really only be effective where there is cooperation at the government level between the relevant departments, including industry and trade, as well as environment. There is a growing interest in integrating environmental management issues into productivity or competitiveness centers designed to promote SME performance, but little information exists on experience to date.

Business benefits of ISO 14000

Business Benefits Of ISO 14001
Any manager will try to avoid pollution that could cost the company a fine for infringing environmental legislation. But better managers will agree that doing only just enough to keep the company out of trouble with government inspectors is a rather weak and reactive approach to business in today’s increasingly environment-conscious world.
There is a better way. The ISO 14000 way. The ISO 14000 standards are practical tools for the manager who is not satisfied with mere compliance with legislation – which may be perceived as a cost of doing business. They’re for the proactive manager with the breadth of vision to understand that implementing a strategic approach can bring return on investment in environmentrelated measures. Implementing an ISO 14000-basedenvironmental management system, and using other tools from the ISO 14000 family, will give you far more than just confidence that you are complying with legislation.
The ISO 14000 approach forces you to take a hard look at all areas where your business has an environmental impact. And this systematic approach can lead to benefits like the following:
a. Reduced cost of waste managementb. Savings in consumption of energy and materialsc. Lower distribution costsd. Improved corporate image among regulators, customers and the publice. Framework for continuous improvement of your environmental performance.
The manager who is “too busy managing the business” to listen to good senseabout environmental management could actually be costing the business plenty. Just think, for example, of the lost opportunities for achieving benefits like those above.
The ISO 14000 standards are management tools that will help your businessachieve environmental goals that go way beyond acquiring a mere “green sheen”.

Document and Data Control in ISO 9000 & ISO 14001

The organization shall establish and maintain procedures for controlling all documents and data required by ISO 9000 & ISO 14001
a) they can be located;
b) they are periodically reviewed, revised as necessary, and approved for adequacy by authorized personnel;
c) current versions of relevant documents and data are available at all locations where operations essential to the effective functioning of the OH&S system are performed;
d) obsolete documents and data are promptly removed from all points of issue and points of use, or otherwise assured against unintended use;
e) archival documents and data retained for legal or knowledge preservation purposes, are suitably identified.
Accidents, incidents, non-conformances and corrective and preventive action
The organization shall implement and record any changes in the documented procedures resulting from corrective and preventive action.
Documents required by the ISO 9000 & ISO 14001 shall be controlled. Records are a special type of document and shall be controlled in accordance with the requirements.
The organization shall establish, implement and maintain procedure[s] to:
a) approve documents for adequacy prior to use;
b) review and update as necessary and re-approve documents;
c) ensure that changes and the current revisions status of documents are identified;
d.) ensure that relevant versions of applicable documents are available at points of use;
e.) ensure that documents remain legible and readily identifiable;
f.) ensure that documents of external origin determined by the organization to be necessary for the planning and operation of the ISO 9000 & ISO 14001 management system are identified and their distribution controlled, and
g.) prevent the unintended use of obsolete documents and apply suitable identification to them if they are retained for any purpose.

Emergency Preparedness and Response In ISO 14001

Emergency Preparedness and Response In ISO 14001
Under the Emergency Preparedness and Response requirement of ISO 14001:2004 (§4.4.7), the organization is required to establish procedures for identifying the potential for and responding to emergency situations and accidents that can have an impact on the environment.
Identification of Potential Emergency and Accident Situations – Experience indicates that organizations infrequently have a preexisting procedure for identifying potential emergency and accident situations.The norm is to establish emergency and accident responses for a variety of emergency and accident situations irrespective of the potential for their occurrence. But ISO 14001 is specific about requiring a procedure to identify the potential for emergency situations and accidents. Adhering to the requirement of the procedure is a valuable exercise that helps organizations identify weaknesses in their own emergency planning and to plan for that which is most likely to occur.Because many environmental impacts of an emergency or accident situation are secondary in nature, it appears that all potential emergency or accident situations need to be identified before a determination of environmental impacts can be made. An organization that attempts to identify potential emergency or accident situations based on a review of its environmental aspects would likely miss the environmental impact potential of, say, an automobile accident.
There are five steps implied by the emergency preparedness and response requirement:
1) Identify the potential for emergency situations and accidents of all kinds;2) Paying particular attention to the potential environmental impacts of accidents and emergency situations, identify how the organization can prevent and mitigate associated adverse environmental impacts;3) Determine how the organization and its employees should respond to emergency situations and accidents;4) Periodically simulate emergency situations to test response capabilities; and,5) Review and revise procedures based on experience derived from actual and simulated emergency situations and accidents.
Accident and Emergency Situation Identification – In order to identify potential for and responding to emergency situations and accidents, the organization should develop a procedure for systematically identifying accident and emergency situations, evaluating their probability of occurrence, their likely consequences, and their severity.Organizations often engage risk management specialists to assist in the identification of potential emergency or accident situations that could lead to human injury, environmental damage, or economic loss. While many checklists are available to facilitate this kind of evaluation, there is virtually no substitute for physical evaluation of facilities by knowledgeable personnel, whether employees or outside professionals.
Emergency Response Procedures – The organization is required to develop procedures for responding to emergency situations and accidents when they occur. Typically, response procedures include identifying public emergency response agencies and their capabilities, identifying individuals within the organization who are trained and able to provide assistance in emergencies, establishing an emergency communications network, and providing emergency lighting, signage, and equipment. Because Emergency Response Procedures are based on identified potential emergency situations and accidents specific to the organization, the emergency response plan will be unique for each organization.
Periodic Testing – The value of conducting emergency response exercises lies not only with simulating situations that could occur but also in identifying flaws in the response plan. Practice drills can be the most effective test of the system to give employees, emergency response personnel, and management the opportunity to walk through the plan and gain familiarity with its procedures. While a full-dress response exercise is valuable, testing of procedures can be effectively done on much smaller scales and still provide the benefits of testing. Above all, the organization should not let the impracticality of a full-dress exercise keep it from testing sub elements of the emergency response plan.
Review and Revise – ISO 14001 calls for continual improvement of the EMS. Periodically reviewing and revising emergency response plans based on the experience gained from the occurrence of emergency situations or accidents or in testing response plans is an example of continual improvement.
Written Response Plans – Many written emergency response plans are too cumbersome to be of value in an emergency situation – their value depends entirely upon previous training of persons who will be called upon to execute them. Yet, many organizations fail to provide the emergency response training necessary to make the plans functional.Keeping in mind that even the simplest, most direct emergency response plan requires training for effective implementation, an alternative for organizations to consider is establishment of abbreviated, readily available Immediate Response Directions established for each kind of potential emergency situation or accident. Such an emergency response plan might consist of a laminated card prepared for each potential emergency situation or accident and providing specific responsibilities and associated actions for employees and visitors, supervisors, emergency coordinators, and emergency directors.

The ISO 14000 Challenge

The building blocks of an environmental management system is an understanding of aspects and impacts.
Implementing ISO 14001 begins with identifying how an organisation’s business activities impact on the
environment.
Many organisations believe they are already aware of the significant aspects and impacts of their operations.
The process of implementing ISO 14001 may uncover significant impacts not previously identified and allows
for a consistent approach to analysis.
Generally this analysis is done department by department or centre by centre.
It is best if it is a team approach that involves the employees who do the activity. An employee’s
familiarity with a task is essential for both the identification of the environmental impacts of business
activities and the determination or implementation of control measures.
An aspect is any element of an organisation’s activities, products or services that can interact with the
environment.
An impact is the change caused to the environment.
Impacts may occur during normal and abnormal operating conditions, such as accidents and
emergencies.
Aspects can often be isolated by analysing the inputs and outputs of an activity.
EVALUATION OF IMPACTS
Once the impacts have been determined they have to be evaluated.
Criteria for evaluation include environmental concerns such as the severity of the impact, and business
concerns such as potential regulatory and legal exposure, the probability of the impact occurring, the
cost of changing the impact and effect on public image.
This type of evaluation highlights the significant impacts. These, in turn, determine the significant
aspects. Once the significant aspects have been determined, targets and objectives can be set.