Implementation of an EMS based on ISO 14001
Implementation covers clause 7 support and clause 8 operation. The exam tests competence, awareness, communication, documented information, operational control, life cycle controls, contractor control, emergency preparedness, and management of change.
Core rules
- Provide resources and ensure persons whose work affects environmental performance are competent through education, training, or experience; retain evidence.
- Make workers aware of policy, significant aspects, their contribution, and consequences of nonconformity.
- Establish internal/external communication processes, including what, when, with whom, and how.
- Use a hierarchy of controls for significant aspects: eliminate, substitute, engineer, administer, then PPE.
- Apply life cycle perspective in design, procurement, delivery, use, and end-of-life where controllable or influencable.
- Control outsourced processes and contractors through requirements, verification, and communication.
- Prepare and test emergency preparedness and response, and review after incidents or tests.
- Manage planned changes and unintended changes that affect the EMS.
Worked example
A contractor paints equipment on site. The significant aspects include VOC emissions and spill risk. Controls include approved paints, containment, ventilation, trained contractor personnel, a permit-to-work, and spill response. The organization verifies contractor competence before work and inspects afterwards. Emergency plan includes evacuation and spill kit location. This is more than issuing a procedure: controls are implemented and checked.
Traps
Equating training records with competence; controlling only site employees; ignoring design and procurement stages; having emergency plans that are never tested; and treating documented information as the goal rather than evidence of effective operation.