4.5. Once we plan and implement the EMS, the next step is to CHECK if what we have done is right and is yielding desired results. There are Five sub-sections under Checking, viz.,
4.5.1 - Monitoring and Measurement,
4.5.2 - Evaluating Compliance (4.5.2.1 - Evaluation of Legal Compliance and 4.5.2.2 - Evaluation of other compliance),
4.5.3 - Non-conformity, corrective action and preventive action, 4.5.4 - Control of Records and
4.5.5 - Internal Audits
4.5.1 All environmental management programmes have to be monitored; where required measurements have to be made to provide identified performance indicators. Monitoring also includes monitoring of various operational control parameters and various performance indicators (including regulatory requirements). Equipment used for such measurements have to be calibrated and the calibration records have to be maintained.
4.5.2 - Procedures have to be established and implemented to periodically evaluate compliance with legal requirements (4.5.2.1) as well as with other requirements (4.5.2.2) to which the organization subscribes. The results of these evaluation have to be documented. In case of non-conformance, corrective and preventive actions have to be in place.
4.5.3 - Once a non-conformance to any element of the system requirements is noticed, corrective and preventive actions have to be taken to eliminate or avoid the recurrence of the non-conformance. A corrective action is the removal of the cause of non-conformance identified so that the non-conformance does not recur. The preventive actions is the change effected to the system to avoid the potential non-conformance. Preventive action is, therefore, a proactive action.
4.5.4 - In order to provide evidence that the system is working the orgnization should maintain records like the training record, record of audits and minutes of the Management Review etc. The organization decides as to which of the records are required to demonstrate the working of the environmental management system.
4.5.5 - Internal audits are carried out to evaluate the working of the EMS. Internal audits may be carried out by competent persons from within the orgnization or by those working outside the organization. An EMS audit is a systematic process of objectively collecting audit evidence against audit criteria, evaluate the audit evidence, to conclude if there is sufficient evidence to show if the EMS audit criteria are met and to report to the client the conclusion of the findings. EMS internal audits have to be carried out according to ISO-19011: Guidelines for Quality and/or Environmental Management System Auditing.
4.6 Once the elements of Checking have been established and implemented, the next step to go for the Management Review. The management review addresses issues like a) results of internal audits and evaluations of compliance with legal requirements and with other requirements to which the organization subscribes, b) communication(s) from external interested parties, including complaints, c) the environmental performance of the organization, d) the extent to which objectives and targets have been met, e) status of corrective and preventive actions, f) follow-up actions from previous management reviews, g) changing circumstances, including developments in legal and other requirements related to its environmental aspects, and
h) recommendations for improvement.
The output of the management review includes, decisions and actions related to the possible changes to environmental policy, objectives, targets and other elements of the environmental management system, consistent with the commitment to continual improvement. The discussions and decisions taken at the Management Review are minuted.
Thus the Management Review completes one PDCA cycle of the EMS and triggers off the next PDCA Cycle for improving the organization's environmental performance.
An established ISO-14001 Environmental Management System, which has gone through at least one PDCA cycle, is ready for certification by external certification agencies.
The other management systems like OHSAS 18001 and SA 8000 can be understood if you understand how ISO-14001 Environmental Management system works
The standard OHSAS 18001 (2007) was issued first in 1999 and revised in 2007. The revision is mostly to emphasise the "Health" aspect of OH & S and align with ISO-14001. The standard, again, is based on PDCA. The standard helps the organization to improve its Occupational Health & Safety performance in a systematic way.
Occupational Health and Safety issues can arise from various causes like: (a) moving (e.g. circular, linear or angular) machine parts, (b) use of transportation mechanisms like lifts, tackles etc., (c) use of electricity, (d) use of chemical substances (e.g. toxic, inflammable, corrosives, explosives etc), (e) plant layout, (f) Light levels, (g) sound levels, (h) ergonomics, (j) falling objects, (k) working at heights, (l) radiation (e.g. ultraviolet, nuclear), (m) working in hot areas, (n) working with compressed gases etc.
Legal requirements related to OH & S are available in (a) Factories Act (and the Maharashtra Factories Rules, (b) Petroleum Act (and Petroleum Rules), (c) Explosives Act (and Explosives Rules), (d) Gas Cylinders Rules, (e) Static and Mobile Pressure Vessel Rules etc.
Once significant hazards and legal requirements are identified programmes, procedures, training etc., can be initiated to improve the OH & S performance. Checking and Acting Phases are similar to ISO-14001.
The OHSAS 18001 Management System established by an organization can be certified by external certification agencies (similar to ISO-9001 and ISO-14001)
SA 8000 focusses on (a) Child Labour (Child Labour is defined in India as those whose age is less than 14 years) (b) Forced Labour, (c) Collective Bargaining, (d) Occupational Health and Safety, (e) working hours and holidays, (f) wages etc.
Organizations can establish a SA 8000 management system and get it certified by external certification agencies.
In the second part of the lecture we summarized the learning from the paper: Competitive Advantage of Corporate Philanthropy. This paper describes as to "where" to spend the money available for philanthropy and "how" to select and enhance the effectiveness of NGOs who are intermediates between the donors and donees.
Legal requirements related to OH & S are available in (a) Factories Act (and the Maharashtra Factories Rules, (b) Petroleum Act (and Petroleum Rules), (c) Explosives Act (and Explosives Rules), (d) Gas Cylinders Rules, (e) Static and Mobile Pressure Vessel Rules etc.
Once significant hazards and legal requirements are identified programmes, procedures, training etc., can be initiated to improve the OH & S performance. Checking and Acting Phases are similar to ISO-14001.
The OHSAS 18001 Management System established by an organization can be certified by external certification agencies (similar to ISO-9001 and ISO-14001)
SA 8000 focusses on (a) Child Labour (Child Labour is defined in India as those whose age is less than 14 years) (b) Forced Labour, (c) Collective Bargaining, (d) Occupational Health and Safety, (e) working hours and holidays, (f) wages etc.
Organizations can establish a SA 8000 management system and get it certified by external certification agencies.
In the second part of the lecture we summarized the learning from the paper: Competitive Advantage of Corporate Philanthropy. This paper describes as to "where" to spend the money available for philanthropy and "how" to select and enhance the effectiveness of NGOs who are intermediates between the donors and donees.
