ISO 14001:2004 Revision: Environmental Aspects; Legal & Other
Requirements; Objectives, Targets & Programs
by Capaccio Environmental Engineering, Inc.
This article will review
ISO 14001:2004 revision of sections 4.3.1 “Environmental Aspects”, 4.3.2
“Legal and Other Requirements”, and 4.3.3 “Objectives, Targets, and
Programs. The ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management System (EMS)
updated standard includes changes in the Environmental Aspects section,
which rearticulates the requirement for clearer meaning, with easier to
understand terminology. The update to the “Legal and Other Requirements”
section provides clarification to the requirements and splits the
requirement into sub-paragraphs, making it easier to understand. The
“Objectives and Targets” Section is updated with a change in the title by
adding “Programs” to the title and the addition of “Programs” brings
together the key activities of the system into one section of the
standard.
4.3.1 Environmental Aspects
The revision has
rearticulated the “Environmental Aspects” section adding
that a corporation needs to consider the aspects that a
company can influence and that are within the
corporation’s boundary (scope) of the EMS. The ISO
14001:2004 standard also requires an organization to
take “aspects” into account when developing,
implementing, and sustaining their EMS. In addition,
aspects are to be considered for planned or new
developments, changes (new or modifications) in
activities products and services.
4.3.2
Legal and Other Requirements
The revision provides
clarification to the requirements of the “Legal and
Other Requirements” section within the standard and
divides the requirement into sub-paragraphs, making it
easier to understand. The ISO 14001:2004 standard is
clear that a corporation will need to identify, have
access to, and keep track of applicable legal
requirements and other requirements relating to an
organization’s environmental aspects. The expectation
from the standard as described in ISO 14004:2004
Environmental Management System Implementation Guidance
document, is that an organization can manage legal and
other requirements that are applicable, through a
documented list or register that is kept up-to-date.
The ISO 14001:2004 revision also includes, the
requirement that an organization needs to ensure that
all persons working for or on behalf of the organization
(whose work is related to significant aspects) receive
appropriate training regarding applicable legal and
other requirements, including the consequences of not
meeting applicable legal and other requirements.
4.3.3 Objectives,
Targets and Programs
The “Objectives and
Targets” section of ISO 14001 is updated with a change
in title, by adding “Programs” to the title. The
change in title also represents a structural change in
the requirement, as the ISO 14001:1996 version sections
4.3.3 and 4.3.4 are now combined in the IS0 14001:2004
version.
In addition to the
merging of the sections, when establishing objectives
and targets the process now needs to include a
determination of “how” legal and other requirements
apply to a corporation’s aspects. This determination is
usually accomplished during the process of identifying
the legal and other requirements. The revision does not
require an organization to create a separate or
additional procedure in order to make this
determination, thus this can be accomplished through an
existing process document.
The
“Objectives, Targets, and Programs” section of the
revision also includes the following requirements: the
objectives and targets are to be measurable where
practicable, a commitment be made to continual
improvement, and that an organization ensures that the
applicable legal and other requirements are taken into
account when developing, implementing, and sustaining a
corporation’s EMS.
In Summary
We have reviewed the
Environmental Management System “Environmental Aspects” “Legal and Other
Requirements” and “Objectives, Targets, and Programs” sections of the ISO
14001:2004 standard revision. Our review identified minor wording
changes, expansion of requirements, and reorganization of information, for
ease of understanding and implementation. Companies that are registered
to the ISO 14001:1996 standard will need to upgrade their system and be
re-certified to the ISO 14001:2004 standard no later than May 15, 2006.
Thus the race continues, “Environmental Aspects”, “Legal and Other
Requirements” and Objectives, Targets, and Programs” represent additional
laps around the track or three more requirements within the standard. We
will work through understanding the remaining elements and continue our
drive towards the checkered flag of an ISO 14001:2004 compliant system in
future E-Blasts. Stay tuned!
If you
are interested in learning more about the IS014001:2004
revision or Capaccio Environmental Engineering, Inc.
ISO14001:2004 Revision Services, please contact Paula Esty
at 508-970-0033 ext. 128.
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