Feedback on an Environmental Aspects and Impacts Register

I

IMS Manager

Hi Folks,

I know there is a number of threads relating to this topic but....... I just want to start one to do with the Register I am establishing to assist in satisfying clause 4.3.1 Environmental Aspects of AS/NZS ISO 14001:2004.

I'm predominently Safety and Quality so my environmental knowledge needs to be brought up a bit...

I would like some feed back on the Template I am proposing to use for the company I work for.

We work in the construction industry and do Design, project management and fitout.

Please see attached.

Thanks in advance.

IMS Manager
 

Attachments

  • VAL-REG-00X Environmental Aspects and Impacts Register.docx
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Last edited by a moderator:
Re: Environmental Aspects and Impacts Register

Hi

There appears to be something missing in your post. You mention about Legal Register (4.3.2) and have attached a template for "Aspects and Impacts" (4.3.1), (Page 3). If your question is about 4.3.1, please fill at least a few lines and columns (in page 3 of the attachment) so that we can understand what you have in mind. That will help us to help you better. If you need help on 4.3.2, please review your post and make the necessary changes so that we can assist you.

Kind regards,

Ramakrishnan
 
Last edited:

Raffy

Quite Involved in Discussions
Hi Everyone,
Happy New Year! :bigwave:
I am a Newbie in ISO14001 Requirements and have started reading the related threads here since last year.

My background is more on the Quality Management System, and had a little level up on Safety (but I still need to study more on the requirements) and now the company I work with hoping to be certified in ISO14001 this year.

We have a template (that needs some feedback) too.
Please advice.

Thank you very much in advance.
Best regards,
Raffy :cool:
 

Attachments

  • EIA_Template.xls
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Hi

I have gone through your template for capturing Aspects and Impacts. The following are my observations:

a) The table appears to be a modified HIRA (OH&S) table; columns B, E and I indicate this.
b) Under ISO - 14001 it is expected that not only the aspects/impacts for activities, but also for products and services have to be identified and evaluated. Your table does not capture Products and Services
c) If you want to have a good system for identification and assessment of aspects and impacts, please consider the whole life-cycle of the product, under normal and abnormal conditions, accidental conditions, start up and close down etc.
d) Please see that the "cause" and "effect" relationship between Aspect and Impact is maintained; hence to just mention "Direct" impact or "Indirect" impact does not help. Explicitly identify the potential impact (s); for every aspect there can be more than one impact under different conditions. For example, for hazardous waste, there are various stages of activities, such as generation, collection, storage, handling, transportation and disposal etc. For each of these activities, you may have to identify potential impacts, under normal and abnormal conditions, accidental conditions etc., and then to evaluate their significance. For example, a hazardous waste stored in a closed container and stored in a secured storage is a normal condition; if there is a leak in the container, it may be considered as ab-normal condition.

Hope the above help. Please do not hesitate to ask any question to get clarification on the above.

Best regards,

Ramakrishnan
 

Raffy

Quite Involved in Discussions
Hi Ramakrishnan, :bigwave:
Good Day! And Thank you for your immediate reply to my querries. :thanx:
It was indeed a modified HIRA (OH&S) table. :frust:
The information you have provided enlightens my mind, however I have several concerns below.
We belong to a Health Care Industry, can we apply the life cycle of the product as (service), on start-up and close down (is this referring to on how to admit patients) and close-down(can be referred to a patient who has been admitted and is now going home because he/she is okay). Of does it applies to machine (such as generator) on start-up? Please advice.
Thank you very much in advance.
Best regards,
Raffy:cool:
 
Hi

I understand that you are from a "Medical Equipment" manufacturing industry; if that is right the following is relevant;

1. ISO 14001 applies to those aspects on which the organization has control and can have influence. This clearly indicates that your (environmental) concern should be about your Machine and its operation throughout the life cycle

2. Identify what happens when the machine is not operating under Standard Operating Condition. Does it consume more energy than normal ? Can you evaluate if that can cause significant impacts ? Similar exercises can be carried out for starting the machine and shutting down the machine.

3. Life cycle starts from the Design: Is your product EcoDesigned ? Have you eliminated the use of banned substances in your machine (e.g. cadmium) ? Are you using any environmentally significant substance in your process ? (e.g. CFCs, Trichloroethylene, I would not be surprised if some laboratories still use Carbon Tetra Chloride to clean the Printed Circuit Boards !). Has your product been designed for "dis-assembly" so that at the end of the life most of its components are "reused, recycled, re-manufactured" etc. In other words have you introduced "Cradle to Cradle" principle rather than "Cradle to Cradle" principle in designing your product?

There are many such points that need to be captured under "aspects and impacts" of a product.

4. You don't have any control over the patients using your machine...hence such "aspects" "such as" patient going home", are not covered under your ISO 14001. But aspects related to issues given in points 2 and 3 (not exhaustive) above need to be covered under your ISO 14001.

Hope the above helps

Regards,

Ramakrishnan
 
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