Environmental Management and Audit

Some critics claim that BS 7750 is not powerful enough, in the sense that it does not sufficiently stress the surveillance of sub-supplier probity. Nevertheless, it is a popular system which is often used as a first step towards registration tmder The European Community Environmental Management and Auditing Scheme (EMAS). It is also one of the few existing standards on environmental management that can be adapted to the ISO 14000 Series on environmental issues within industry with only small modifications. 

Since 1991, the Council of the European Communities has been developing the Council Regulation Nr 1836/93 [13], called the EEC Environmental Management and Auditing Scheme (EMAS). It came into effect in 1995 with the objective of promoting continuous improvement in the environmental periormance oi businesses throughout the European Union. 

Safety, health, and environmental management and audit systems (e.g., ANSI/AIHA ZIO, ISO 14000 series, OHSAS18000 series, ISO 19011, U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration Voluntary Protection Programs)... 

The Environmental Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) has been standardised for the follow-up of environmental strategies, and as a tool in a company s commitment to continous improvement of the achieved environmental status by using Best Available Technologies (BAT). 

International Organization for Standardization (ISO), (2002), Guidelines for quality and/or environmental management systems auditing, ISO 19011 2002, ISO, Geneva. 

Environmental management systems (EMS), and also ISO 14001, are becoming household names in many organizations. But what about EMAS Almost unknown in the United States, EMAS is the acronym for the European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme, a voluntary system based on European Union (EU) regulations and... 

International Organization for Standardization, Guidelines for Quality and/or Environmental Management Systems Auditing (ISO 19011 .2002(E)), International Organization for Standardization, Geneva, Switzerland, 2002. 

The Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) was launched in April 1995 by the European Commission under Regulation 1836/93, and is only available to European sites. It encourages industrial companies to manage their environmental effects and to publicly report on their environmental performance. 

EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) Belgium Requirements for the Environmental Statement (1998 revision)... 

While most chemicals companies buy in to the Responsible Care programme, what is being looked for here is the employment of, and a particular intention to work to, a recognised environmental management system such as ISO 14001, the European Eco-Management and Audit System (EMAS) or a management verification system such as that run by the US Chemical Manufacturer s Association. While it is expected that the company will have a significant proportion (>25%) of its production sites certified, a yes score may be achieved with a lower proportion if there is evidence that the company shows a continuous upward trend. 

The COS started with a focus on Gulf of Mexico SEMS (Safety and Environmental Management System) audits. Longer-term goals are to add activities such as determining the leading causes of incidents. 

Within the European Union, many organisations have decided on a voluntary basis to implement environmental management systems based on EN ISO 14001 1996 or the EU Eco-management and audit scheme EMAS. EMAS includes the management system requirements of EN ISO 14001, but places additional emphasis on legal compliance, environmental performance and employee involvement it also requires external verification of the management system and validation of a public environmental statement (in EN ISO 14001 self-declaration is an alternative to external verification). There are also many organisations that have decided to put in place non-standardised EMSs. 

There are some considerations that are supra to the individual elements in safety management systems. 1 have concluded that most safety, health, and environmental management system audits, intended to measure the quahty of hazards management in place, are deficient in purpose and content. 1 include in that observation the guidehnes used for the audits 1 drafted for individual client needs, the many audit reports 1 reviewed, and a study of several audit systems. 

To begin with, I suggest that safety professionals agree on a definition of a safety, health, and environmental management system audit. Several writers have provided definitions and addressed what information the audit should provide. Their views differ. 

Eco-management and Audit is approximately one year behind BS 7750 in terms of implementation. Its future relevance and very existence has recently been brought into question from direct pressure by the International Standards Organisation. The development of an international environmental management system would appear to be based on 7750. 

Guidelines on Quality and/or Environmental Management Systems - Auditing describes the auditing process for a quality management system. Further information about the use of these standards might be obtained from the e-brochure selection and use of the ISO 9000 2000 standard family developed by the ISO Technical Committee 176 (www.iso.org). 

Guidelines on Quality and/or Environmental Management Systems - Auditing... 

Increasingly, European countries follow the target set by EU directives and adapt their time scales accordingly rather than go-it-alone with national policies. The EU also introduced the Eco-management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) to encourage companies to improve their environmental performances. 

Environmental management systems (such as ISO 14001 and the EC s Eco-management and Audit Scheme) have been implemented by organisations to demonstrate their commitment to good environmental management practices in minimising environmental impacts leading in turn to an overall improvement in environmental performance. 

Regulatory agencies should not attempt to prescribe the precise form and structure of regulated entities environmental management or auditing programs. 

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