Environmental

The way in which an organisation manages its interaction with the Environment can have a significant impact on its profits, success and reputation. Additionally, as a result of the wealth of environmental legislation and regulations, there is a need for ISO 14001 training to ensure companies can demonstrate legal compliance. We are all becoming increasingly aware of climate change and pressures from stakeholders to be more environmentally aware. All of which can result in the need to implement a recognised environmental management system as an essential business need.

As an additional incentive, closer control over waste management could also identify potential cost savings and revenue streams. Consideration of how you ensure that you maintain compliance with legislation and realise full benefit from business opportunities is now paramount for the progress of any organisation.

The answer for businesses is to develop a management system tool which can efficiently and effectively deal with these issues. This will ensure organisations are protected from prosecution and have the opportunity to demonstrate a more cost-effective approach. A template for this management system is available in the form of an internationally recognised standard ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems.

14 steps to ISO 14001 Certification

Step 1 - Prepare an Environmental Policy statement

We can provide guidance and give examples for this.

Step 2 - Conduct an Environmental review of the company, its activities and related environmental aspects

The review should cover:

• Defining the boundaries of the organisational scope.
• Identification of environmental aspects including Normal, Abnormal and Emergency situations.
• Define those that have a significant environmental impact.
• We have environmental experts on hand to guide you through this process.

Step 3 - Identify any Legislation or other requirements to which the organisation Subscribes.

We have the experts on hand to help you develop the necessary list of legislation required for your organisation and link them to your activities and significant aspects.

Step 4 - Establish 3 or 4 Environmental Objectives

These should be simple targets against which performance can be easily measured such as:

• Reduce waste to Landfill by 10%
• Reduce Utility usage by 20%
• Zero Spills
• Implement a Hose Management System to prevent leaks etc.

Step 5 - You will have to maintain or prepare processes to cover

• Identification of significant environmental aspects.
• Identification of applicable legal and other requirements
• Control of documented information to demonstrate conformity to the requirements of the environmental management system
• Communication of its environmental aspects and systems
• Document Information
• Operational Controls
• Emergency Preparedness
• Monitoring & Measurement
• Evaluation of Legal Compliance
• Internal Audit
• Control of nonconformity, correction and corrective action

We can help you develop these processes in addition to the above processes you may choose to develop processes for:
• Purchasing & Control of Sub-contractors
• Training and Competency
• Others you may consider useful

You may also wish to develop “task” instructions for unique tasks carried out in your organisation, e.g. Testing of the Drainage System and Interceptors, Signing of Waste Transfer Notes.

Step 6 - Prepare roles, responsibilities and authorities for personnel

We will advise on critical content with respect to defining environmental competencies.

Step 7 - Give awareness training to all employees on environmental policies

We will advise on induction training, on the job training, developing a competency matrix if required and conducting appraisals

Step 8 - Conduct Internal Audits

You will need to do these yourselves or, if required, we can conduct them for you. If you choose to do it yourselves, we can provide the necessary certified Internal Auditor Training.

Step 9 - Conduct an evaluation of Legal Compliance.

This can be a simple or an onerous task dependent on the size of company and the amount environmental aspects related to legislation. Records of all evaluations need to be detailed and maintained.

Step 10 - Establish a Corrective Action System

To enable you to demonstrate that you are acting on any problems identified through your audits or non-conformance to systems.

Step 11 - Test the company’s procedure for Emergency Preparedness.

Evaluate any previous incidents for determination of potential emergency situations. Train personnel in how to respond to actual emergency situations and carry out drills to reinforce positive responses.

Step 12 - Conduct Management Reviews

We can help establish a programme and list of inputs for review by management on a planned basis as well as the requisite outputs.

Step 13 - If required we can conduct a full “Mock Assessment”

To identify any weaknesses or gaps in your system before you undergo assessment by your chosen Certification Body.

Final Step - Assessment by your Certification Body and award of ISO 14001 certification!

ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems

This standard was reviewed and re-published in 2004 and again in 2015 and describes the essential contents of an Environmental Management System and is based on the established Plan/Do/Check/Act principle which is used for both the Quality ISO 9001.

Our team has extensive experience in developing management systems to meet with the requirements of ISO 14001.

If your organisation is certified to one or more of these management systems then it also provides the opportunity to integrate / merge the systems. 


ISO 14001 Training Packages

Our sister company QHSE Scotland also offers three ISO 14001 training courses in relation to this standard which complement the development of the 14001 standard, or for assisting in the management and maintenance of an existing system.

The first is the ISO 14001 Foundation course which explains the standard and how it relates to business. It’s an excellent introduction to the standard and allows the participants to determine the standards specific relevance to their own business and how they will apply the standard successfully.

The second is the ISO 14001 Internal Auditor training course for those organisations who are implementing the standard for their business. To achieve this aim there will be the requirement to set up and maintain their system and to undertake their own Internal Audits. This course will provide the knowledge and competence to conduct effective audit programmes.

Experience and Approval

Our auditors and trainers carrying out ISO 14001 training are registered with the International Register of Certificated Auditors (IRCA), which is administered by the Chartered Quality Institute. We have specialists in the Environmental field who have many years’ experience in the audit and assessment of environmental management systems across a broad spectrum of industry and commerce.

The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.

Robert Swan
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