Overview of ISO 14001:2015 –
ISO 14001:2015 is the new version of the Environment Management System that provides requirements for an organization to prevent pollution, and environmental concerns, to manage risk on environmental risk and identify opportunities to manage the risk, Appropriate use of resources, waste management, degradation of the ecosystem and biodiversity. The Overall concern is to achieve a balance between the environment, society, and economy.
ISO 14001 EMS (Environment Management System) helps an organization achieve the intended outcomes that provide value for the environment, the organization itself, and interested parties.
Organizations willing to have ISO 14001 Certification need to implement their management system as per standard requirements.
The Standard requires the organization to identify the internal and external issues relevant to the environmental management system, To address the needs and expectations of interested parties, here interested parties are those who can affect or perceive to be affected by a decision or activity of the organization e.g. Customers, communities, suppliers, regulators, non-governmental organizations, investors and employees, etc.
The Standard also requires the organization to identify the Environmental Aspects associated with it and the Impact of those aspects on the Environment and Operational Planning to control the impact on the environment.
While Enhancing the Environmental Performance of the organization, it needs to develop documented information on the Environment Management System that includes Policy and Procedures, Objectives, Obligatory compliance, life cycle perceptive of the product or services from raw material utilization to final disposal, Aspect Impact Analysis, Emergency Preparedness, and Response
The organization needs to address roles and responsibilities, authority is communicated, determine the competence of the personnel, and shall provide training and awareness at all levels to build up confidence in managing the system.
The organization needs to monitor the environmental performance of the organization periodically which can be done through internal audits, management reviews, Correction and corrective action on nonconformities
The requirement of Clause – 7.0 Resources
Requirement of ISO 14001 Clause 7.1 – Resources – The requirement of the clause is for Top Management to ensure the internal resources for effective functioning and improvement of the environmental management system. Resources that can be included as Man, Machine, Money, Material, Infrastructure – Building and associated utility of the organization, Water and Land, and drainage system.
Documentation Requirements of Clause 7.1 of EMS – To implement the clause following documents are required.
- List of competent persons along with Skill Matrix
- List of Machines with Preventive / Breakdown Maintenance Schedule / Checklist
- Training Plan
- Training needs identification
- List of Process / Procedures / Products / Services
- Process Flow Charts
- Work Instruction
- Building / Work Place and Associated Utilities
How to implement clause # 7.1 of ISO 14001 – To implement the clause organization needs to provide appropriate resources to achieve the goal of the environment and its conservation
- Providing an appropriate workplace and associated utilities
- Availability of Machinery and Spares, Tools and Tackles, Land, Water, Electricity, Ample space for storage of raw material / finished goods – Ref. Doc. List of Machines, Tools & Tackles, Monitoring records of Usage
- Preventive / Breakdown maintenance plan/schedule of machinery, workplace – Ref. doc. Maintenance Plan, Schedule
- Competent manpower with desired skills – Ref Doc. List of employees, Skill Matrix
- Training plan to enhance the skills – Ref. Doc. Training Plans with desired topics
- Mechanism / Monitoring of personnel to identify the training need and its effective delivery and purpose – Training Need identification form, Training Feedback Form, Training Evaluation
- Following 5S principles
- Displaying work safety / Hazards and precautionary measures – Ref. Doc. Work Instruction, Displays, Do’s & Dont’s
- Implementing Process flow charts, Do’s & Don’ts – Process flow chart
- Documentation and record-keeping with identification and traceability for ease of access – Ref. Doc. Master List of Documents / Records
Benefits of Implementation of ISO 14001 clause # (7.1) – By implementing clause 7.1 an organization have
- better access and control over its process/product,
- Availability of sufficient information on the environmental management system
- Enhanced performance toward environmental goals/Conservation
- Enhanced skills of workers
- Prompt utilization of resources
- Minimization in process lapses
- Opportunities to improve further
- Well-established controls on environmental aspects and its impact on the environment
- Awareness regarding the Environmental Management System
- Ability to perform against emergency situations / adverse conditions
- Prompt Communication
- Minimizing impact on the environment
Clause 7.2 of Environmental Management System (EMS ) – Competence – Requirement states the organization has to determine the competency requirements of persons working under the organization’s control who affect its environmental performance including persons – whose work has the potential to cause significant environmental impact and authorities determining and evaluating environmental impacts or compliance obligations, contributing to achieving environmental objectives, respond to an emergency situation, performing internal audits and performing compliance evaluation
Documentation Requirements – To implement the clause following documents required
- Skill Matrix
- Personal information on available skills and knowledge, ability to perform, knowledge/performance delivery
- Competence Evaluation
- Training Plan
- Training needs identification
- Training Feedback Form
- Training Evaluation
- Human resource identification
How to implement this clause # 7.2 of Environmental Management System (EMS) –
- Monitoring and Evaluating Personnel Performance
- Identifying resources to gain the Knowledge
- Identifying the personnel skills required and available skills
- Providing periodic awareness and Training
- Building competence and confidence within the organization to promote the skills and Knowledge
- Periodic Evaluation
- Making available resources on demand.
Benefits of Implementation of ISO 14001 Clause (7.2) – By implementing clause 7.2 an organization have
- Enhanced skills of workers
- Prompt utilization of resources
- Minimization in process lapses
- Opportunities to improve further
- Well-established controls on environmental aspects and their impact on the environment
- Awareness regarding the Environmental Management System
- Ability to perform against emergency situations / adverse conditions
- Prompt Communication
- Minimizing impact on the environment
Requirements of ISO 14001 Clause 7.3 – Awareness – requirement states only having documented information on the environment and its policy statement, the personnel within the organization should be aware of how to achieve to continually improve the environmental performance of the organization for this organization needs to provide periodic awareness on its environmental management system.
Documentation Requirements of ISO 14001 Clause # 7.3– To implement the clause following documents required
- Training Plan
- Training needs identification
- Training Feedback Form
- Training Evaluation
- Human resource identification
How to implement ISO 14001 clause # 7.3–
- Monitoring and Evaluating Personnel Performance
- Identifying resources to gain the Knowledge
- Identifying the personnel skills required and available skills
- Providing periodic awareness and Training
- Building competence and confidence within the organization to promote the skills and Knowledge
- Periodic Evaluation
- Making available resources on demand.
Benefits of Implementation of ISO 14001 Clause (7.3) – By implementing clause 7.3 an organization have
- Enhanced skills of workers
- Prompt utilization of resources
- Minimization in process lapses
- Opportunities to improve further
- Well-established controls on environmental aspects and their impact on the environment
- Awareness regarding the Environmental Management System
- Ability to perform against emergency situations / adverse conditions
- Prompt Communication
- Minimizing impact on the environment
Requirements of ISO 14001 Clause 7.4 – Communication – requirement states organizations have to develop the internal and external communication process on the environmental concern while communicating, it should be transparent, appropriate, factual and truthful, be understandable to interested parties.
Documentation Requirements EMS Clause # 7.4– To implement the clause following documents required
- Communication Procedure
- Job Description
- Allotting Responsibility, Authority, and Accountability
- Interested Party feedback/complaints record
- Correction and corrective action report
- Obligatory compliance document
- internal notes, circulars, Inter-office memos, letters, notice boards, E-mail, Suggestions, daily meetings / on-the-job discussions, and personal communication
- Video Conferencing
- Advertising, Seminars, Camps, Community Meetings
- External visit reports, email response
How to implement ISO 14001 clause # 7.4 –
- Implementing a communication procedure
- Setting up criteria for internal and external communication
- Allotting Responsibility, Authority, and Accountability
- Monitoring and Evaluating Personnel Performance
- Identifying resources to gain the Knowledge
- Identifying the personnel skills required and available skills
- Providing periodic awareness and Training
- Building competence and confidence within the organization to promote the skills and Knowledge
- Periodic Evaluation
- Making available resources on demand.
- Compliance Obligations
Benefits of Implementation of Environmental Management System /EMS Clause (7.4) – By implementing clause 7.4 an organization have
- Prompt response to interested parties
- Prompt utilization of resources
- Minimization in process lapses
- Opportunities to improve further
- Well-established controls on environmental aspects and their impact on the environment
- Awareness regarding the Environmental Management System
- Ability to perform against emergency situations / adverse conditions
- Prompt Communication
- Minimizing impact on the environment
- Minimized miscommunication and its effects.
For ISO 14001 Certification, the above-explained ISO 14001 requirements are much more helpful for the organization. Must look into these requirements before planning for ISO 14001 Certification.