So you know the advice is coming from a reliable
source: I am a RABQSA-certified lead EMS assessor, with more than 15
years of compliance and EMS auditing experience. I have conducted
hundreds of ISO 14K EMS certification audits and have implemented EMS programs
at major private and public entities that have been successfully registered.
Unfortunately, there is A LOT of bad information out there: A good indicator is
anyone that tells you they can give you specific EMS examples without knowing what
you do. No one way is endorsed by registrars (no matter how many
companies do it that way). This is because few methods work for different
companies in the same way and there is no perfect way. The only way to
implement EMS correctly is to make sure it fits your organization.
The best advice I can give you is to use common sense.
Beware of things that don’t make sense or that are ritualistic (audit all
elements in a year, have 10 or less significant aspects). Also, don’t get
too attached to anything you start with – the ultimate goal is not compliance,
but improvement: it is never perfect and can always be done more effectively or
efficiently. Be open to new ideas and different ways of doing things, but
never let “I used it and got registered” be the selling point or the reason
that you stick with it, especially when it doesn’t work for you. Your
understanding of the standard and the maturity of the system will develop over
a long period of time - registrars don't expect perfection, just a willingness
to improve.
I have summarized some do's and don’ts below to get you
started:
DOs
- Get a
copy of the guidance to the
standard (ISO 14004) – it has good information on how to
implement.
- For understanding on what the standard writers meant when they made the requirements, check out the TC 207 Clarifications of Intent (in Q & A format) at: http://standardsgroup.asq.org/environmental-management/
- If you are planning to register, be sure to look at ANABs accreditation rules (advisories) at: http://www.anab.org/
- Get
EMS implementation training from a reputable trainer ASAP (Stat-A-Matrix,
your registrar).
- Make
sure consultants/trainers are certified to conduct audits to the ISO 14001
standard, not just any ISO standard (this guarantees a high level of
competency and understanding of EMS - GIGO applies!).
- Use
the KISS principle - if you are a US company, you are already doing lots
of environmental management because the laws require it; the system should
reflect this and incorporate work already being done.
- Get as
many people involved as possible from the start (especially supervisors
and managers) so that you are not solely responsible for everything environmental.
DON’Ts
- Buy a
one-size-fits-all computer program/database to "manage your
system."
- Create
a red-tape nightmare (the few documents required by the standard are in
4.4.4. The standard does not require a manual and only one type of
documented procedure - see 4.4.6)
- Assume
that because something is already controlled that it should be excluded
from consideration as significant (it still has the potential to have a
significant impact – think of the New Orleans levees).
- Use a
numerical ranking system to limit the number of significant aspects.
- Make
an objective and target for each significant aspect.
- Make
objectives to "maintain" compliance or anything else (objectives
are for demonstrating improvement).
- Have
more than a few (1-3) objectives active at any one time.
- Implement
the program by yourself.
- Be
afraid to issue or receive nonconformities - these are not
"dings" - they help you to improve.
Good luck in your endeavors! I hope this was helpful...
Feel free to contact me at the email below.
Molly
mollylong@aweconsulting.biz