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Environmental Management Systems: an Implementation Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Organizations

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Environmental Management Systems: an Implementation Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Organizations Environmental Management Systems: An Implementation Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Organizations StartStart Management Environmental Review Policy Continual Improvement! Checking / Corrective Action Planning Implementation NSF International Ann Arbor, Michigan November 1996 Environmental Management Systems: An Implementation Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Organizations Written by: Philip J. Stapleton, Principal Glover-Stapleton Associates, Inc. Anita M. Cooney, Project Manager NSF International William M. Hix Jr., Intern NSF International Acknowledgments This document was prepared with funding through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Wastewater Management and Office of Compliance. NSF International gratefully acknowledges the following Steering Committee Members for their invaluable contributions to the design and content of this Guide: Jeffrey R. Adrian, The John Roberts Company Lemuel D. Amen, Washtenaw County Department of Environment & Infrastructure Services Stephen P. Ashkin, Rochester Midland Christine A. Branson, Industrial Technology Institute Ken Burzelius, Midwest Assistance Programs, LeSueur County Marci Carter, Iowa Waste Reduction Center, University of Northern Iowa John Dombrowski, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency - Office of Compliance David Fiedler, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality - Environmental Assistance Div. Jim Horne, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency - Office of Wastewater Management Wendy Miller, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency - Office of Compliance Charles Tellas, Milan Screw Products Bryant Winterholer, K. J. Quinn & Co., Inc. The authors of this Guide would like to thank Douglas Baggett of Hach Company, and Charles Tellas of Milan Screw Products, Inc., for sharing their experience and insight via case studies of their respective companies. The authors of this Guide would also like to thank Craig Diamond and Tom Ambrose of NSF International for their significant contributions to the development of this Guide. Your suggestions and assistance were greatly appreciated. Environmental Management Systems: An Implementation Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Organizations CONTENTS Introduction ........................................................................................................ 1 Section 1: Why Your Organization Should Have an EMS ............................. 3 Section 2: Key EMS Concepts .......................................................................... 6 Section 3: Step-by-Step Action Plan ................................................................ 8 Section 4: Key Elements of an EMS ............................................................... 11 Section 5: The Registration Process ............................................................. 56 Section 6: Sources of Assistance .................................................................. 63 Appendices Appendix A - Case Studies Milan Screw Products .......................................................................................... 65 Hach Company ................................................................................................... 70 Appendix B - Background on ISO 14000 and Other EMS Standards ........... 75 Appendix C - Sources of Information and Other Contacts ........................... 80 Glossary of Acronyms ...................................................................................... 89 Bibliography ...................................................................................................... 90 Appendix D - Tool Kit Sample Environmental Policies ........................................................................... 92 Sample Process Flow Chart ............................................................................... 96 CONTENTS (cont’d.) Descriptions of Environmental Aspect Identification Techniques........................98 Sample Procedure: Environmental Aspects Identification ................................100 Resources for Tracking Environmental Laws and Regulations ........................104 Sample Procedure: Tracking Environmental Laws and Regulations ................106 Worksheet: Setting Objectives and Targets......................................................109 Sample Procedure: Setting Objectives and Targets .........................................113 Sample Tool: Environmental Management Program ........................................116 Sample Schedule for EMS Action Plan ............................................................118 Responsibility Matrix.........................................................................................120 Environmental Training Log..............................................................................123 Sample Procedure: Internal Communications ..................................................125 Sample Procedure: Communications with External Parties..............................128 Sample Document Index...................................................................................131 Outline of Sample EMS Manual, Other Documents .........................................133 Sample Procedure: Document Control .............................................................135 Sample Procedure: Corrective Action (Includes Tracking Log) ........................139 Environmental Records Organizer....................................................................144 Sample Procedure: EMS Audits .......................................................................148 Sample Procedure: Management Review ........................................................154 Introduction This Guide is intended to support and facilitate the development of environmental management systems (EMS) among small and medium-sized organizations. The Guide explains how you can develop and implement an effective EMS and how it can support your organization’s mission and goals. Development of an EMS is a voluntary approach to improving your organization’s environmental performance. The Guide is designed primarily for use by EMS implementers — the people within a small or medium-sized organization that will lead the EMS development effort. The heart of the Guide is found in Section 4, “Key Elements of an EMS.” For each of the recommended EMS elements, this section discusses the importance of the element, how you can get started, and some key suggestions for implementation. In addition, examples of how other organizations have addressed various EMS elements are provided in Section 4. The Guide uses the ISO 14001 Standard as a model for an EMS. The ISO 14001 Standard is the widely accepted official international standard for environmental management systems. This Guide is not intended for use by registrars (or others) for registration purposes, nor is it intended to provide specific interpretation of the ISO 14001 Standard. How this Guide is Organized Section 1 Describes the many benefits of an EMS and how it can help your organization to compete and prosper in today’s global marketplace. Section 2 Summarizes the overall management systems concepts. This section explains what a management system is and how it can support your organization’s mission. Section 3 Describes the overall process for building an EMS and provides recommendations for planning the overall EMS development effort. Section 4 Provides detailed guidance on how your EMS should be designed and implemented. This section discusses each of the key elements of an EMS and how you can put them in place. Section 5 Describes the process for registering an EMS and selecting a registrar. Section 6 Discusses other sources of assistance your organization can use to build and sustain its EMS. Appendices Provide case studies, sample environmental policies, other sources of information, and information on EMS standards. In addition, the Tool Kit provides sample EMS procedures and other tools that your organization can tailor to fit its EMS needs. The sample procedures are adapted from 1 actual EMS procedures used by other companies that have implemented an EMS. Introduction (cont’d.) Use of Icons A variety of icons are used in this Guide to highlight key concepts and suggestions for the reader. A few of these icons include: The light bulb is used to highlight EMS examples and experiences from small and medium- sized organizations. It is also used to indicate that additional help is provided in the Tool Kit or available from other sources. ☞ The hand is used to point out key hints for implementing EMS elements. The speech balloon is used to indicate quotes from representatives of organizations that have implemented an EMS (as well as definitions from the ISO 14001 Standard). 2 Section 1: Why Your Organization Should Have an EMS This section explains why an EMS can help your organization to compete and prosper in today’s global market. A systematic approach to meeting your • Is your organization required to comply with environmental and environmental laws and regulations? business goals · Are you looking at ways to improve your overall environmental performance? • Is the state of your organization’s environmental affairs a significant liability? Key EMS Benefits • Does a lack of time or resources prevent your - improved environmental organization from taking charge of its environmental performance obligations? - reduced liability • Does your organization know how its environmental - competitive advantage objectives relate to its business objectives? - improved compliance - reduced costs
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