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AFOES CONSULTANTS
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Frequently Asked Questions: ISO 14001 : 2004 Back to FAQ |
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1. What is ISO 14000? |
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ISO stands for the
International Standards Organization, located in ISO 14000 refers to a family
of voluntary standards and guidance documents to help organizations address
environmental issues. Included in the family are standards for Environmental
Management Systems, environmental and In September 1996, the
International Organization of Standardization published the first edition of ISO
14001, the Environmental Management Systems standard. This is an
international voluntary standard describing specific requirements for an |
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2. How are these
standards developed? |
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All the ISO standards are
developed through a voluntary, consensus-based approach. ISO has different
member countries across the globe. Each member country develops its position
on the standards and these positions are then negotiated with other member
countries. Draft versions of the standards are sent out for formal written
comment and each country casts its official vote on the drafts at the
appropriate stage of the process. Within each country, various types of
organizations can and do participate in the process. These organizations
include industry, government (federal and state), and other interested
parties, like various non-government organizations. |
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3. What are the
Seventeen Elements of 14001? |
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Environmental Policy -
develop a statement of the organization’s commitment to the environment
Environmental Aspects and
Impacts - identify environmental attributes of products,
activities and services and their effects on the environment Legal and Other Requirements -
identify and ensure access to relevant laws and regulations Objectives and Targets and
Environmental Management Program - set environmental goals
for the organization and plan actions to achieve objectives and targets Structure and Responsibility -
establish roles and responsibilities within the organization Training, Awareness and
Competence - ensure that employees are aware and
capable of their environmental responsibilities Communication -
develop processes for internal and external communication on environmental
management issues EMS Documentation -
maintain information about the Document Control -
ensure effective management of procedures and other documents Operational Control -
identify, plan and manage the organization’s operations and activities in
line with the policy, objectives and targets, and significant aspects Emergency Preparedness and
Response - develop procedures for preventing and responding to
potential emergencies Monitoring and Measuring -
monitor key activities and track performance including periodic compliance
evaluation Evaluation of Compliance -
develop procedure to periodically evaluate compliance with legal and other
requirements Non-conformance and
Corrective and Preventive Action - identify and correct
problems and prevent recurrences Records -
keep adequate records of EMS Audit -
periodically verify that the Management Review -
review the |
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4.
What is the definition of Environmental Management System? |
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Serves
as a tool to improve environmental performance Provides
a systematic way of managing an organization’s environmental affairs Is
the aspect of the organization’s overall management structure that addresses
immediate and long-term impacts of its products, services and processes on
the environment Gives
order and consistency for organizations to address environmental concerns
through the allocation of resources, assignment of responsibility and ongoing
evaluation of practices, procedures and processes Focuses
on continual improvement of the system |