GB/T 24001-1996 Environmental Management System Specification and User Guide
Some standard content:
GB/T24001--1996
With the rapid economic growth, environmental issues have been urgently put before us. It seriously threatens the healthy survival and sustainable development of human society and is increasingly receiving widespread attention from the whole society. The needs of international competition, the requirements of national policies, and the expectations of the public have made all types of organizations pay more and more attention to their own environmental performance (behavior) and environmental image, and hope to standardize their environmental management activities with a set of systematic methods to meet the requirements of the law and their own environmental policies, so as to survive and develop. In the early 1990s, some countries, inspired by the successful experience of quality management standardization, took the lead in carrying out environmental management standardization activities. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) also started to engage in this work under the promotion of some member countries, and established the Environmental Management Standardization Technical Committee ISO/TC207 in June 1993, officially putting environmental management work into the track of international standardization. The ISO14000 environmental management series of standards came into being under this situation. ISO/TC207 released five international standards, ISO14001, ISO14004, ISO14010, ISO14011 and ISO 14012, on September 1 and October 1, 1996, respectively. Other standards in this series are also being developed and proposed. This standard is equivalent to the international standard ISO14001:1996 "Environmental Management System-Specifications and Use Guidelines", which specifies the requirements of the Environmental Management System (EMS). Organizations that adopt this standard should meet all the requirements. Appendix A, Appendix B and Appendix C of this standard are all suggestive appendices. This standard was proposed by the Standardization Department of the State Administration of Technical Supervision and is under the jurisdiction of the National Environmental Management Standardization Technical Committee. The drafting units of this standard are: China Institute of Standardization and Information Classification and Coding, Department of Environmental Engineering of Tsinghua University, Institute of Environmental Standards of Chinese Academy of Environmental Sciences, and State Environmental Protection Administration. The main drafters of this standard are: Fan Yuhua, Hao Jiming, Zou Shoumin, Feng Bo, Wei Kuitong, and Huang Jin. Note: EMS is the abbreviation of environmental management system. 244
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Former ISO
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a worldwide federation composed of national standardization bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of formulating international standards is usually completed by ISO's technical committees. Member bodies interested in the work of a technical committee have the right to participate in the technical committee. Other international organizations, whether official or unofficial, can also participate in its work through contact with ISO. In the field of electrotechnical standardization, ISO maintains a close cooperative relationship with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The draft international standard formally adopted by the technical committee is submitted to the member bodies for voting. The international standard must be approved by at least 75% of the member bodies participating in the voting. The international standard ISO14001 was formulated by the Environmental Management System Technical Committee (SC1) of ISO/TC207 Environmental Management Technical Committee.
Appendix A, Appendix B, and Appendix C of this standard are for reference only. 245
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Today, organizations of all types are paying more and more attention to achieving and verifying good environmental performance (behavior) by controlling the impact of their activities, products or services on the environment in accordance with environmental policies and objectives. This is due to the fact that relevant legislation has become more stringent, economic policies and other measures to promote environmental protection have been introduced one after another, and stakeholders' attention to environmental issues, including sustainable development, has also generally increased. Many organizations have implemented environmental "reviews" or "audits" to assess their own environmental performance (behavior). : However, such "reviews" and "audits" alone may not be enough to provide an organization with assurance that its environmental performance (behavior) not only meets the requirements of the law and policy now, but will continue to meet them. For reviews or audits to be effective, they must be implemented within a structured management system and integrated into all management activities.
International environmental management standards are designed to provide organizations with effective environmental management system elements that can be combined with other management requirements to help organizations achieve environmental and economic goals. Like other international standards, these standards are not intended to create non-tariff trade barriers, nor do they increase or change the legal responsibilities of an organization. This standard specifies requirements for an environmental management system that is intended to be applicable to organizations of any type and size and to various geographical, cultural and social conditions. Its operating model is shown in Figure 1. The successful implementation of the system depends on the commitment of all levels and functions, especially the top management. Such a system allows organizations to establish a set of procedures to set environmental policies and objectives, achieve compliance with them, and demonstrate such compliance to the outside world; at the same time, this system can also be used to assess the effectiveness of the procedures. The overall purpose of this standard is to support environmental protection and pollution prevention, and coordinate them with social and economic needs. It should be noted that many of the requirements can be involved simultaneously or repeatedly.
This specification proposes requirements for certification/registration and/or self-declaration of an organization's environmental management system, which is significantly different from non-certification guidelines used to provide general assistance to organizations in implementing or improving environmental management systems. Environmental management encompasses a full range of connotations, some of which have strategic and competitive implications. An organization can convince relevant parties that it has established a sound environmental management system by demonstrating successful implementation of this standard. bZxz.net
Guidelines on environmental management support technologies are provided in other standards. This standard contains only those requirements that can be objectively audited for certification, registration and/or self-declaration purposes. Organizations that need more comprehensive guidance on many issues in the environmental management system can refer to GB/T24004-1996 (General Guidelines for Environmental Management System Principles, Systems and Support Technologies).
GB/T24001—1996
Management review
Inspection and corrective measures
Continuous improvement
Environmental policy
Planning
Implementation and operation
Figure 1 Environmental management system (EMS) model of this standard It should be noted that this standard does not put forward absolute requirements for environmental performance (behavior) except for requiring commitment to comply with relevant laws and regulations and make continuous improvements in the policy. Therefore, two organizations engaged in similar activities but with different environmental performance (behavior) may comply with the requirements of this standard.
Systematic adoption and implementation of a series of environmental management measures will help to obtain the optimal results for all stakeholders. However, the adoption of this standard itself does not guarantee the optimal environmental results. In order to achieve environmental goals, the environmental management system should promote the organization to consider the use of the best available technology as needed when economic conditions permit. At the same time, the cost-effectiveness of adopting the technology should be fully considered. This standard does not intend to involve factors in occupational safety and health management, and therefore does not contain requirements related to it, but it does not deliberately restrict an organization from incorporating these elements into the entire management system, although its certification/registration process only applies to environmental management system content. This standard follows the common management system principles with the GB/T19000 series of quality system standards. An organization can select an existing management system that complies with the GB/T19000 series as the basis for its environmental management system. However, it should be noted that the application of each element of the management system will vary for different purposes and different stakeholders. The quality management system is aimed at customer needs, while the environmental management system is aimed at the evolving needs of many stakeholders and society for environmental protection. The management system requirements specified in this standard do not have to be independent of the existing management system elements. In some cases, the existing management system elements can be modified to suit the requirements of this standard. 217
1 Scope
National Standard of the People's Republic of China
Specification and guidance for use
Environmental management systems
Environmental management systems-Specification with guidance for useGB/T 24001—1996
idt IS0 14001:1996
This standard specifies the requirements for an environmental management system, enabling an organization to develop environmental policies and objectives based on legal requirements and information on significant environmental impacts. It applies to environmental factors that can be controlled by the organization and that the organization may wish to influence. However, it does not itself propose specific environmental performance (behavior) criteria. This standard applies to any organization that wishes to: a) implement, maintain and improve an environmental management system; b) convince itself that it can comply with the declared environmental policy; c) demonstrate compliance to the outside world;
d) seek certification/registration of its environmental management system by an external organization; e) self-identify and self-declare compliance with this standard All requirements in this standard apply to any environmental management system. The extent of its application depends on factors such as the organization's environmental policy, the nature of its activities, and operating conditions. This standard also provides suggestive guidance on how to use this specification in Appendix A. For any application of this standard, its scope should be clearly defined. Note: For ease of use, the items in the "normative" part and Appendix A are numbered in a corresponding order. For example, the contents of 4.3.3 and A3.3 are both about the discussion of environmental objectives and indicators, and the contents of 4.5.4 and A5.4 are both about environmental management system audits. 2 Reference standards
There are currently no reference standards.
3 Definitions
The following definitions apply to this standard:
3.1 Continuous improvement The process of strengthening the environmental management system, with the goal of achieving improvements in overall environmental performance (behavior) in accordance with the organization's environmental policy. Note: This process does not necessarily occur in all aspects of the activity at the same time. 3.2 Environmentenvironment
The external existence of the organization's operating activities, including air, water, land, natural resources, plants, animals, people, and the relationship between them.
Note: In this sense, the external existence extends from the organization to the global system. 3.3 Environmental aspectsenvironmental aspects of an organization's activities, products or services that can interact with the environment. Note: Significant environmental factors refer to those that have or can have a significant environmental impact. 3.4 Environmental impact environmental impact Approved by the State Administration of Technical Supervision on December 20, 1996 218
Implemented on April 1, 1997
GB/T 24001—1996
Any harmful or beneficial changes to the environment caused in whole or in part by the activities, products or services of an organization. 3.5 Environmental management system environmental management system An integral part of the overall management system, including the organizational structure, planned activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and resources required to develop, implement, achieve, review and maintain the environmental policy. 3.6 Environmental management system audit environmental management system audit A systematic verification process supported by documents to objectively obtain audit evidence and evaluate it to determine whether the organization's environmental management system complies with the specified environmental management system audit criteria, including reporting the results of this process to management. 3.7 Environmental objective The overall environmental purpose that an organization sets out in its environmental policy. If feasible, it should be quantified. 3.8 Environmental performance The measurable results of the environmental management system achieved by an organization in controlling its environmental aspects based on its environmental policy, objectives and targets.
3.9 Environmental policy The statement of the organization's intentions and principles for its overall environmental performance (behavior). It provides a framework for the organization's behavior and the establishment of environmental objectives and targets.
3.10 Environmental target
Specific environmental performance (behavior) requirements that are directly derived from the environmental objective or that need to be specified and met to achieve the environmental objective. They may apply to the organization or its parts. If feasible, they should be quantified. 3.11 Interested party Individuals or groups that are concerned about the environmental performance (behavior) of an organization or that are affected by its environmental performance (behavior). 3.12 Organization organization
A company, group of companies, firm, enterprise, government agency or association with its own functions and administration, or part or combination of the above units, whether or not it is a corporate body, public or private. Note: For an organization with more than one operating unit, one operating unit can be regarded as one organization. 3.13 Pollution prevention prevention of pollution The adoption of various processes, practices, materials or products to avoid, reduce or control pollution, which may include recycling, treatment, process changes, control mechanisms, efficient use of resources and material substitution. Note: The potential benefits of pollution prevention include reducing harmful environmental impacts, improving efficiency and reducing costs. 4 Environmental management system requirements
4.1 General requirements
The organization shall establish and maintain an environmental management system. This chapter describes the requirements for the environmental management system. 4.2 Environmental policy
Top management shall establish the organization's environmental policy and ensure that it: a) is appropriate to the nature, scale and environmental impact of the organization's activities, products or services; b) includes a commitment to continual improvement and pollution prevention; c) includes a commitment to comply with relevant environmental laws, regulations and other requirements that the organization should comply with; d) provides a framework for establishing and reviewing environmental objectives and targets; e) is documented, implemented, maintained and communicated to all employees; f) is available to the public.
4.3 Planning
4.3.1 Environmental factors
The organization shall establish and maintain one or more procedures to determine the environmental factors in its activities, products or services that it can control or is expected to have an impact on them, and determine those factors that have a significant impact on the environment or are likely to have a significant impact. The organization shall ensure that factors related to these significant impacts are considered when establishing environmental objectives. The organization shall keep this information up to date. 4.3.2 Legal and other requirements
The organization shall establish and maintain procedures to determine the laws and other requirements applicable to the environmental aspects of its activities, products or services, and to establish access to these laws and requirements. 4.3.3 Objectives and targets
The organization shall establish and maintain environmental objectives and targets for each relevant function and level within the organization. Environmental objectives and targets shall be documented.
When establishing and reviewing environmental objectives, the organization shall consider legal and other requirements, its own significant environmental aspects, technical options, financial, operational and business requirements, and the views of all interested parties. Objectives and targets shall be consistent with the environmental policy and include a commitment to pollution prevention. 4.3.4 Environmental management program
The organization shall establish and maintain one or more environmental management programs designed to achieve environmental objectives and targets, which shall include: a) the responsibilities for achieving environmental objectives and targets for each relevant function and level of the organization, and b) the methods and timetable for achieving the objectives and targets. If a project involves new development and new or modified activities, products or services, the relevant plans should be revised to ensure that environmental management is appropriate for the project.
4.4 Implementation and operation
4.4.1 Organizational structure and responsibilities
In order to facilitate the effective implementation of environmental management work, roles, responsibilities and authorities should be clearly defined, documented and communicated. Managers should provide the necessary resources for the implementation and control of the environmental management system, including human resources and special skills, technology and financial resources.
The top management of the organization should designate a dedicated management representative. Regardless of whether he (they) have other responsibilities, their roles, responsibilities and authorities should be clearly defined in order to:
a) Ensure that the requirements of the environmental management system are established, implemented and maintained in accordance with the provisions of this standard; b) Report the operation of the environmental management system to the top management for review and provide a basis for the improvement of the environmental management system. 4.4.2 Training, awareness and competence
The organization shall determine the need for training. All personnel whose work may have a significant impact on the environment shall be required to receive appropriate training. A set of procedures shall be established and maintained to make personnel at each relevant function and level aware of: a) the importance of complying with the environmental policy and procedures and complying with the requirements of the environmental management system; b) the actual or potential significant environmental impacts of their work activities and the environmental benefits of improving their personal work; c) their roles and responsibilities in implementing the environmental policy and procedures and meeting the requirements of the environmental management system, including emergency preparedness and response requirements;
d) the potential consequences of deviations from the prescribed operating procedures. Personnel engaged in work that may have a significant impact on the environment shall have appropriate education, training and/or work experience to be competent for the work they undertake;
4.4.3 Information Exchange
The organization shall establish and maintain a set of procedures for a) internal information exchange between various levels and functions within the organization; b) the receipt, documentation and response of external interested parties regarding its environmental aspects and the environmental management system. The organization shall consider the handling of external contacts involving significant environmental aspects and record its decisions. 4.4.4 Environmental management system documents
GB/T 24001-1996
The organization shall establish and maintain the following information in written or electronic form: a) Description of the core elements of the management system and their interactions; b) Access to relevant documents.
4.4.5 Document control
The organization shall establish and maintain a set of procedures to control all documents required by this standard to ensure: a) Documents are easy to find;
b) Documents are reviewed regularly, revised when necessary, and their suitability is confirmed by authorized personnel; c) All positions that play a key role in the effective operation of the environmental management system have access to the current version of the relevant documents; d) Invalid documents are promptly withdrawn from all places of issuance and use, or other measures are taken to prevent misuse; e) Invalid documents retained for legal and (or information retention needs are marked. All documents must be legible, dated (including revision date), clearly marked, properly kept, and retained for the specified period. Procedures and responsibilities for establishing and modifying various types of documents should be defined and maintained. 4.4.6 Operation Control
The organization shall determine the operations and activities related to the identified important environmental aspects in accordance with its policies, objectives and indicators. Plans should be made for these activities (including maintenance work) to ensure that they are carried out under the conditions specified in the procedures. The establishment of procedures should meet the following requirements a) For operations that may deviate from the environmental policy, objectives and indicators due to the lack of procedural guidance, a set of documented procedures should be established and maintained;
b) Operation standards should be specified in the procedures; c) For the important environmental aspects that can be identified in the products and services used by the organization, a set of management procedures should be established and maintained, and the relevant procedures and requirements should be communicated to suppliers and contractors. 4.4.7 Emergency Preparedness and Response
The organization shall establish and maintain a set of procedures to identify potential accidents or emergencies, respond, and prevent or reduce the possible environmental impacts.
When necessary, especially after an accident or emergency, the organization shall review and revise its emergency preparedness and response procedures. Where practicable, the organization shall also test these procedures periodically. 4.5 Inspection and Corrective Action
4.5.1 Monitoring and Measurement
The organization shall establish and maintain a documented procedure for routine monitoring and measurement of key characteristics of operations and activities that may have significant environmental impacts. This shall include records of environmental performance, relevant operational controls, and tracking of compliance with the organization's environmental objectives and targets.
Monitoring equipment shall be calibrated and properly maintained, and calibration and maintenance records shall be maintained in accordance with the organization's procedures. The organization shall establish and maintain a documented procedure for regular evaluation of compliance with relevant environmental laws and regulations. 4.5.2 Nonconformity, Corrective and Preventive Action
The organization shall establish and maintain a procedure to define relevant responsibilities and authorities, handle and investigate nonconformities, take measures to reduce the resulting effects, and take and complete corrective and preventive actions. Any corrective or preventive action aimed at eliminating the cause of existing and potential nonconformities shall be commensurate with the severity of the problem and the associated environmental impact.
For any changes to the procedure documents caused by corrective and preventive actions, the organization shall implement and record them accordingly. 4.5.3 Records
The organization shall establish and maintain a procedure for identifying, preserving and disposing of records related to environmental management. These records shall also include training records and audit and review results.
Environmental records shall be clearly traceable, clearly identified, and provide traceability to related activities, products or services. The preservation and management of environmental records shall make them easy to access and avoid damage, deterioration or loss. The retention period shall be specified and recorded. 251
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The organization shall keep records and use them to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of this standard when appropriate for its system and itself. 4.5.4 Environmental Management System Audits
The organization shall establish and maintain one or more programs and procedures for conducting regular environmental management system audits. The purpose of the audits is to:
a) determine whether the environmental management system:
1) complies with the predetermined arrangements for environmental management work and the requirements of this standard; 2) is correctly implemented and maintained. b) Report the audit results to management.
The organization's audit program (including schedule) should be based on the environmental significance of the activities involved and the results of previous audits. For the sake of comprehensiveness, the audit procedures should include the scope, frequency and methods of the audits, as well as the responsibilities and requirements for conducting the audits and reporting the results. 4.6 Management review
The top management of the organization shall review the environmental management system at intervals specified by the organization to ensure the continued suitability, adequacy and effectiveness of the system. The management review process shall ensure that the necessary information is collected for management to conduct evaluations. The review work shall be documented.
The management review shall indicate the possible need to revise the policy, objectives and other elements of the environmental management system based on the results of the environmental management system audit, the changing objective environment and the commitment to continuous improvement. 252
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Appendix A
(Indicative Appendix)
Guide to the use of the specification
This appendix further explains the "Requirements" to prevent erroneous interpretation of the "Specifications". This appendix only covers the content of the "Requirements" described in Chapter 4.
A1 General requirements
The purpose of implementing the environmental management system specified in the "Specifications" is to improve environmental performance (behavior). The "norm" is based on the basic concept that the organization will regularly review and evaluate its environmental management system to seek and implement the possibility of improving it. The improvement of the environmental management system is to achieve further improvement in environmental performance (behavior). The environmental management system provides a structured process for the realization of continuous improvement, and the degree and scope of improvement are determined by the organization based on its economic situation and other objective conditions. Although it is expected that some improvements in environmental performance (behavior) can be achieved through the adoption of a systematic approach, it should be recognized that the environmental management system is only a tool after all, and its role is to help the organization to achieve and systematically control the environmental performance (behavior) level it sets. The establishment and operation of the environmental management system does not necessarily lead to the immediate reduction of harmful environmental impacts.
Whether to implement this standard throughout the organization or only in some specific work departments or activities is up to the organization to decide. If it is implemented only in specific work departments or activities, the policies and procedures already established in other parts of the organization can be adopted to meet the requirements of this standard as long as they are applicable to these specific departments or activities that will adopt this standard. The level of detail and complexity of the environmental management system, the level of documentation provided, and the resources to support the operation of the system all depend on the size of the organization and the nature of its activities, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Integrating environmental affairs into the entire management system will contribute to the effective implementation of the environmental management system, while also helping to improve efficiency and clarify responsibilities.
The management system requirements specified in this standard are based on a dynamic cycle consisting of "planning (planning), implementation, inspection, and review" links.
The system should enable the organization to:
a) formulate an appropriate environmental policy,
b) determine the environmental factors in its past, current or planned activities, products or services to determine the significant environmental impacts; c) determine the relevant legal and regulatory requirements; d) determine priorities and establish appropriate environmental objectives and indicators; e) establish an organizational structure and develop plans to implement the environmental policy and achieve environmental objectives and indicators f) smoothly carry out planning (planning), control, monitoring, corrective measures, auditing and review activities to ensure compliance with the environmental policy and the continued suitability of the environmental management system;
g) make revisions according to changing objective conditions. A2 Environmental Policy
The environmental policy is the driving force for the implementation and improvement of the organization's environmental management system, and has the function of maintaining and potentially improving environmental performance (behavior). Therefore, the environmental policy must reflect the top management's commitment to comply with relevant laws and ensure continuous improvement. The environmental policy is the basis for the organization to establish objectives and indicators. The provisions of the policy should be clear in meaning so that both internal and external stakeholders can understand it easily. The policy should be reviewed and revised regularly to reflect changing conditions and information. The scope of application of the policy should be clearly defined. The top management of the organization should define and document the environmental policy. If it is part of a larger organization, its environmental policy should also be consistent with the latter's policy and be recognized by the latter. Note: The top management can be an individual or a group with executive responsibility for the organization. 253
A3 Planning
A3.1 Environmental factors
GB/T 24001—1996
4.3.1 provides a process by which an organization can determine which important environmental factors should be the priority of its environmental management system. The process should take into account the cost and time of the analysis work and the availability of reliable data. Existing information obtained for regulatory or other purposes can be used. Organizations can also take into account the actual degree of control they have over the environmental factors of concern. The organization should consider its current and, where relevant, the inputs and outputs associated with past activities, products and (or) services to determine its own environmental factors. If an organization has not yet established an environmental management system, it should first determine its own environmental status through an assessment. The purpose of this is to take into account all environmental factors of the organization as the basis for establishing an environmental management system. Organizations that have implemented an environmental management system may not conduct this review. The scope of the review should cover the following four key aspects: a) Legal and regulatory requirements; b) Determination of important environmental factors; c) Review of all current environmental management activities and procedures; d) Evaluation of feedback from previous incident investigations. In all cases, normal and abnormal operating conditions within the organization, as well as possible emergencies, should be taken into account. Appropriate practices for the review may include the use of questionnaires, interviews, direct inspections and measurements, and the use of the results of previous audits or other reviews, depending on the nature of the activity.
Consideration should be given to the identification of significant environmental aspects associated with the activities of the work unit involving the following factors: a) emissions to the atmosphere;
b) emissions to water bodies;
c) waste management;
d) land contamination;
e) use of raw materials and natural resources;
f) other local environmental and community issues. This process should consider the potential significant environmental impacts associated with normal operating conditions, shutdown and start-up conditions, and reasonably foreseeable situations or emergencies.
The purpose of this process is to determine the significant environmental impacts associated with an activity, product or service without requiring a specific life cycle assessment. The organization does not need to evaluate each of its products, components and raw material inputs. They can select certain categories from activities, products or services and identify those factors that are most likely to have significant environmental impacts. The control and influence of product environmental aspects will vary greatly depending on the market conditions faced by the organization. Relatively speaking, the control of the organization's contractors or suppliers is relatively weak, and because the organization is responsible for the design of the product, it can significantly change the environmental factors through this process, such as by replacing certain input materials. Considering that the organization has limited control over the use and disposal of their products, they should consider establishing appropriate storage and disposal mechanisms when feasible. However, this provision does not mean changing or increasing the legal liability of the organization. A3.2 Legal and other requirements
Examples of other requirements that the organization should comply with:
a) Industry specifications;
b) Agreements with relevant agencies,:
c) Non-regulatory guidelines.
A3.3 Objectives and indicators
Where feasible, objectives should be specific, indicators should be measurable, and preventive measures should be taken into account when necessary. For the choice of technology, you can consider the selection of high-efficiency and low-cost technologies based on your own economic conditions. The best available technology for the application. The mention of financial requirements for organizations in the text does not mean that the organization must adopt environmental cost accounting. 254
A3.4 Environmental Management Plan
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Developing and implementing one or more plans is a key element in the successful implementation of an environmental management system. The plan should describe how the organization's environmental objectives and targets will be achieved, including timelines and the personnel responsible for implementing the organization's environmental policy. The plan can be detailed to the basic elements of the organization's operations. The plan should include an environmental review of new activities. Where appropriate and feasible, the plan may include considerations of planning, design, production, marketing and disposal for both existing and new activities, products or services. For products, considerations may be made from aspects such as design, materials, processing, use and final disposal. For installation work or major changes in processes, considerations may be made from aspects such as planning, design, construction, commissioning, operation, and closure at an appropriate time determined by the organization.
A4 Implementation and Operation
A4.1 Organizational structure and responsibilities
The successful implementation of an environmental management system requires the commitment of all employees within the organization. Therefore, it cannot be assumed that environmental responsibilities are limited to the environmental function. In fact, other departments within the organization, such as operations management, personnel, etc., may also have responsibilities in this regard. This commitment begins with top management, who should formulate the organization's environmental policy and ensure the implementation of the environmental management system. As part of the above commitment, a dedicated management representative is appointed to define his or her responsibilities and authority for the implementation of the environmental management system. For large or complex organizations, there may be more than one management representative. For small and medium-sized enterprises, these responsibilities may be assumed by one person. Top management should also ensure that appropriate resources are provided for the implementation and maintenance of the environmental management system. Another important issue is to properly define the key responsibilities of the environmental management system and implement them to the relevant personnel.
A4.2 Training, awareness and competence
The organization should establish and maintain a procedure for determining training needs. At the same time, it should also require contractors working on its behalf to confirm that their employees have received the necessary training.
The management shall determine the level of experience, ability and training required to ensure the competence of personnel, especially those exercising environmental management functions.
A4.3 Information Exchange
The organization shall implement procedures for receiving, archiving and responding to relevant information and requests from interested parties. The procedures may include dialogue with interested parties and consideration of their concerns. In some cases, responses to interested parties' concerns may include information on the environmental impacts caused by the organization's operations. These procedures should also include liaison with official agencies on emergency plans and other issues. A4.4 Environmental Management System Documentation
The content of the documents should be detailed enough to fully describe the core elements of the environmental management system and the interactions between them. At the same time, it should also indicate the way to obtain more detailed information about specific operational parts of the environmental management system. Environmental documents can be included in other system documents implemented by the organization. It is not mandatory to prepare a special manual. The relevant documents should include:
a) process information,
b) organizational chart,
c) internal standards and operating procedures;
d) on-site emergency plan.
A4.5 Document control
4.4.5 aims to ensure that the organization's establishment and maintenance of documents can fully meet the needs of implementing the environmental management system. However, the organization should focus on the effective implementation of the environmental management system and its environmental performance (behavior), and should not excessively pursue a complicated document control system.
A4.6 Operational control
This aspect may be added in future revisions. A4.7 Emergency preparedness and response
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