ISO 14001 provides a logical, common-sense approach for businesses to adopt. To start it is recommended to carry out an environmental review of the business and the Annex to the Standard provides guidance on the approach required. The Standard then requires a management system to be developed that addresses the key environmental issues that were identified by the review as being relevant to the business, through a rational programme of control and continual improvement.
There are five key steps to ISO 14001 EMS implementation, and subsequent operation which are clearly laid out in just three pages of text.
The five key steps are:
1. Environmental Policy
2. Planning
3. Implementation and Operation
4. Checking and Corrective Action
5. Management Review
Step 1. Environmental Policy
The company or organisation must write an environmental policy statement which is relevant to the business activities and approved by top management. Their full commitment is essential if environmental management is to work. The ISO 14001 Standard clearly sets out what to cover in the policy. Often a one page document is sufficient.
Produce a first issue and expect to amend it several times before assessment and registration as knowledge grows in the company.
Step 2. Planning
Plan what the EMS is to address.
Environmental aspects First make lists of the environmental aspects (issues) that are relevant
to the business. The environmental review mentioned earlier should provide most of this information and the Annex to ISO 14001 provides guidance on the format for doing this.
Consider the inputs, outputs and processes/activities of the business in relation to;
a) emissions to air
b) releases to water
c) waste management
d) contamination of land
e) use of raw materials and natural resources
f) other local environmental and community issues
Consider both site (direct) and offsite (ie. indirect) aspects that you control or have influence over (such as suppliers) and in relation to normal operations, shut-down and start-up conditions and reasonably foreseeable and emergencies situations.
A simple written procedure is then required to determine which of the aspects identified are really or probably significant (important) and training needs, outline the key stages of the project and dates that will lead to the target achievement).
Gradually apply environmental management programme thinking to such things as the introduction of new products, new or improved processes and other key activities of the business. In particular, ensure existing projects become environmental management projects
where there is a significant environmental impact involved, so that the EMS becomes company wide. This is a frequent oversight found during ISO 14001 assessments. The EMS must cover the whole business – like a net thrown over the whole business and for example including such things as engineering and maintenance
Step 3. Implementation and Operation
Structure and responsibility
Appoint one or more people, depending on the size of the business, to have authority and responsibility for implementing and maintaining the EMS and provide sufficient resources. (It’s worth monitoring costs carefully and benchmarking these against key consumption figures so
that improvements delivered by the EMS become apparent).
Training, awareness and competence
Implement a procedure to provide environmental training appropriate to identified needs for management, the general workforce, project teams and key plant operators. This can have far reaching benefits on employee motivation. The workforce is usually very supportive of moves to achieve genuine environmental improvement. Every company has its share of cynics but even some of these can be won over with time. Training will vary from a general briefing for the
workforce to detailed environmental auditor training.
Communication
Implement procedures to establish a system of internal and external communication to receive environmental information and respond to it and to circulate new information to people that need to know. This will include: new legislation, information from suppliers, customers and
neighbours and communications both with employees and for employees about progress with the EMS. This process can often generate worthwhile ideas from employees themselves for future
environmental improvements.
Environmental management system documentation The EMS itself needs to be documented with a manual, procedures and work instructions but keep it brief and simple. The Standard
clearly states where procedures are required. Eleven system procedures are required to maintain the EMS, plus operating work instructions but if you already have ISO 9000, this will cover most of six of the procedures required and a quality system can certainly be expanded to cover ISO 14001 as well. Cross reference the EMS manual to other environmental and quality documents to link the EMS and to integrate it with existing business practices.
Operational control
Implement additional operating procedures (work instructions) to control the identified significant (important) aspects of production processes and other activities. Some of these will already exist but may need a ‘bit of polish’. Don’t forget significant aspects that relate to goods and services from suppliers and contractors.
Emergency preparedness and response
Implement procedures to address reasonably foreseeable emergencies and to minimise their impact should they occur. (eg. Fire, major spillages of hazardous materials, explosion risks etc.)
Step 4. Checking and Corrective Action
Monitoring and measurement
Implement procedures to monitor and measure the progress of projects against the targets which have been set, the performance of processes against the written criteria using calibrated equipment (verify monitoring records) and regularly check (audit) the company’s compliance with legislation that has been identified as relevant to your business. The most effective way of doing this is through regular progress meetings.
Nonconformance and corrective and preventive action
Implement procedures to enable appropriate corrective and subsequent preventive action to be taken where breaches of the EMS occur (eg. process control problems, delays in project process, noncompliance with legislation, incidents etc.).
Records
Implement procedures to keep records generated by the environmental management system. The Annex to the Standard suggests those that are likely to be required.
Environmental management system audit
Implement a procedure to carry out audits of each part of the EMS and company activities and operations to verify both compliance with the EMS and with ISO 14001. Audit results must be reported to top management . A typical audit cycle is one year but more critical activities will require auditing more frequently.
Step 5. Management Review
At regular intervals (typically annual), top management must conduct through meetings and record minutes of a review of the EMS, to determine that it is still appropriate and effective or to make changes where necessary. Top management will need to consider audit results, project progress, changing circumstances and the requirement of ISO 14001 for continual improvement, through setting and achieving further environmental targets.
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