I try to vary the typical interview questions that I ask during an ISO 14001 3rd party audit. My current list of questions is attached.

Can any Covers add to / modify this list? I'd like to change up my questions to keep the interviews fresh and would welcome suggested changes / variations on the list.

Thanks :thanx:

Please don't be offended, but sh-tcan that list. You're not auditing, you're asking questions that in the end tells you nothing related to system performance.

If you want to audit, start with a procedure or instruction, identify the inputs, outputs, how it is to be performed, any monitoring and measuring involved, and see if what is supposed to be happening is actually happening. Follow a process through from beginning to end.

What you are doing isn't auditing. All you are doing is spinning your wheels, wasting time and not adding value.

Want to vary your questions? Then ask something of substance other than "What is the policy 14 different ways"

I knew when I wrote the post late last night that there would be an interesting reply from Randy in the morning - you did not disappoint :applause:

I did not explain the purpose of the questions well enough and you misintepreted. These questions are NOT how I audit an EMS or an environmental process. These are the questions I use when interviewing a shop floor worker, a machine operator, a material handler, etc. They are meant to test the awareness of the EMS, the effectiveness of training, communication and awareness of waste management/recycling, emergency procedures and objectives/programs, etc. I also throw in questions regarding specific work instructions/procedures, for workers that have key EMS roles - for example a waste water treatment operator.

Your comment to pick a process and follow it through, inputs/ouputs/monitoring/etc. is right on the mark. That is the approach I use when auditing an EMS process or production area. One component of an EMS audit is worker interviews - what questions do you ask a stamping press operator or an injection mold machine operator?

BTW - I'm not surprised you could answer the attached questions - you are a highly trained EMS expert! I even bet you could answer the questions with one hand tied behind your back, nekkid in the middle of the DFW airport main terminal, as you are fond of saying. But the questions are a bit more difficult for a machine operator who maybe finished grade 9 and has previous work experience flippin burgers at MickyDees (or working at Tim Horton's - had to throw in the Canadian content).

I eagerly await your response and no offence taken.:biglaugh:

Alrighty....I love someone with a sense of humor and a grasp on reality.

I'd tend to focus on the employee and his or her specific relationship to the EMS. What are the expectations of them and what are their individual expectations?

The awareness of EMS issues can sometimes come from asking about thier individual tasks; how what they do can help to achieve the committments made in the policy; how the committments effect them in their tasks; about possible improvements that could help meet policy committments, O&T's and the like; where they may see system weakness or failing and so on.

I guess if you use the questions you've shared with us as an approach method to getting to the "meat" then your reasoning is a sound one and I'd say "Full Steam Ahead". On the other hand, many time all that is ever asked is something along the line of "Do you know the policy?" and "Do you have a procedure?"

See where I'm coming from?

Yep. Chrystal clear and I agree.

Your last comment is particulaly on the mark, I have run across many auditors that spend a lot of time on policy questions.

Thanks for the input - lets see if anone else has something to add.

You betcha. Have a nice weekend.

:topic: Where are you at in the Maple Leaf Country?

These three questions are ones I like asking no matter what the focus of the audit is...however, the responses can depend greatly on the length of time the employee has been with the company...

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, where would you rate your <insert audit scope/management system here>? Why?
Over the past 2 or 3 years, has the <insert audit scope/management system here> improved, become worse or remained the same?
If you could change just one thing to improve the <insert audit scope/management system here>, what would it be?


The answers are usually pretty enlightening...especially to management. When you tally up the answers with a breakdown from departments and/or positions levels, sometimes the results are astounding. When there is consistency, you know that there is real support of the system (assuming the answers were all on the good side) or no support whatsoever (assuming the answers were on the bad side).

But that last question - my "Miss Universe" question - usually digs up the best answers. We're introducing possible improvement projects from the trenches...oftentimes, practical ideas. Okay, there is the occasional "what is he smoking?!?!...and why isn't he sharing?!?!" statement....;)