4.4    Implementation and Operation

4.4.1  Structure and Responsibility

Roles, responsibility and authorities shall be defined, documented and communicated in order to facilitate effective environmental management.

Management shall provide resources essential to the implementation and control of the environmental management system. Resources include human resources and specialized skills, technology and financial resources. 

The organization’s top management shall appoint (a) specific management representative(s) who, irrespective of other responsibilities, shall have defined roles, responsibilities and authority for

a)   ensuring that environmental management system requirements are established, implemented and maintained in accordance with this International Standard; 

b)   

reporting on the performance of the environmental management system to top management for review and as a basis for improvement of the environmental management system.

4.4.2    Training, Awareness and Competence

the organization shall identify training needs. It shall require that all personnel whose work may create a significant impact upon the environment, have received appropriate training.

It shall establish and maintain procedures to make its employees or members at each relevant function and level aware of

a)   the importance of conformance with the environmental policy and procedures and with the requirements of the environmental management system;

b)  the significant environmental impacts, actual or potential, of their work activities and the environmental benefits of improved personal performance;

Personnel performing the tasks, which can cause significant environmental impacts, shall be competent on the basis of appropriate education, training and/or experience.

4.4.3    Communication

with regard to its environmental aspects and environmental management system, the organization  shall   establish  and maintain procedures for

 a)   internal communication between the various levels and functions of the organization;

 b)   receiving, documenting and responding to relevant communication from external interested parties.

The   organization   shall   consider    processes   for  external  communication  on  its  significant  environmental aspects and record its decision. 

4.4.4   Environmental Management System Documentation

the organization shall establish and maintain information, in paper or electronic form, to

a)   describe the core elements of the management system and their interaction; 

b)   provide direction to related documentation.

4.4.5    Document Control

the organization shall establish and maintain procedures for controlling all documents required by this International Standard to ensure that

a)   they can be located;

b)   they are periodically reviewed, revised as necessary and approved for adequacy by authorized personnel; 

c)   the current versions of relevant documents are available at all locations where operations essential to the
effective functioning of the environmental management system are performed;

d)   obsolete documents are promptly removed from all points of issue and points of use, or otherwise assured against unintended use;

e)   any obsolete documents retained for legal and/or knowledge preservation purposes are suitably identified. 

Documentation shall be legible, dated (with dates of revision) and readily identifiable, maintained in an orderly manner and retained for a specified period. Procedures and responsibilities shall be established and maintained concerning the creation and modification of the various types of document

4.4.6    Operational Control

the organization shall identify those operations and activities that are associated with the identified significant environmental aspects in line with its policy, objectives and targets. The organization shall plan these activities, including maintenance, in order to ensure that they are carried out under specified conditions by

a)   establishing and maintaining documented procedures to cover situations where their absence could lead to deviations from the environmental policy and the objectives and targets;

b)   stipulating operating criteria in the procedures;

c)   establishing and maintaining procedures related to the identifiable significant environmental aspects of goods and services used by the organization and communicating relevant procedures and requirements to suppliers and contractors.

4.4.7    Emergency Preparedness and Response

The organization shall establish and maintain procedures to identify potential for and respond to accidents and emergency situations, and for preventing and mitigating the environmental impacts that may be associated with them.

the organization shall review and revise, where necessary, its emergency preparedness and response procedures, in particular, after the occurrence of accidents or emergency situations.

the organization shall also periodically test such procedures where practicable.

4.5    Checking and Corrective Action

4.5.1   Monitoring and Measurement

The organization shall establish and maintain documented procedures to monitor and measure, on a regular basis, the key characteristics of its operations and activities that can have a significant impact on the environment. This shall include the recording of to track performance, relevant operational controls and conformance with the organization’s environmental objectives and targets.

Monitoring equipment shall be calibrated and maintained and records of this process shall be retained according to the organization’s procedures.

The organization shall establish and maintain a documented procedure for periodically evaluating compliance with relevant environmental legislation and regulations.

4.5.2    Nonconformance and Corrective and Preventive Action

The organization shall establish and maintain procedures for defining responsibility and authority for handling and investigating nonconformance, taking action to mitigate any impacts caused and for initiating and completing corrective and preventive action.

Any corrective or preventive action taken to eliminate the causes of actual and potential nonconformance shall be appropriate to the magnitude of problems and commensurate with the environmental impact encountered.

The organization shall implement and record any changes in the documented procedures resulting from corrective and preventive action.

4.5.3    Records

The organization shall establish and maintain procedures for the identification, maintenance and disposition of environmental records. These records shall include training records and the results of audits and reviews.

Environmental records shall be legible, identifiable and traceable to the activity, product or service involved. Environmental records shall be stored and maintained in such a way that they are readily retrievable and protected against damage, deterioration or loss. Their retention times shall be established and recorded. 

Records shall be maintained, as appropriate to the system and to the organization, to demonstrate conformance to the requirements of this International Standard.

4.5.4    Environmental Management System Audit

The organization shall establish and maintain (a) program(s) and procedures for periodic environmental management system audits to be carried out, in order to

a)   determine whether or not the environmental management system

1)   conforms to planned arrangements for environmental management including the requirements of this International Standard; and

2)   has been properly implemented and maintained; and

b)   provide information on the results of audits to management.

the organization’s audit program, including any schedule, shall be based on the environmental importance of the activity concerned and the results of previous audits. In order to be comprehensive, the audit procedures shall cover the audit scope, frequency and methodologies, as well as the responsibilities and requirements for conducting audits and reporting results.

4.6    Management Review

The organization’s top management shall, at intervals that it determines, review the environmental management system, to ensure its continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness. The management review process shall ensure that the necessary information is collected to allow management to carry out this evaluation. This review shall be documented.

The management review shall address the possible need for changes to policy, objectives and other elements of the environmental management system, in the light of environmental management system audit results, changing circumstances and the commitment to continual improvement.

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