ISO 14001 Rookie - Paramedic as Acting EHS Coordinator needing help.

[JMireles]

Re: ISO 14001 Rookie needing help.

And we are required by our customer to have ISO certification.

We make stamped frame parts for 1 automobile manufacturer. If we lose certification, it's not like we could turn around and sell our parts elsewhere.

 

[harry]

Re: ISO 14001 Rookie needing help.

I fight lost causes on a daily basis. Like anything thing else, I am trying to look at this as an improvise-adapt-overcome situation.

Besides, I am stubborn and don't want to give up yet.

Welcome. I think you are really fighting wild fires.

After the introduction and warm-ups, perhaps it's time to let us know how this forum can assist you!

 

[JMireles]

Basically I need to start from scratch and Idon't think I am searching in the right places.

I need to find a K.I.S.S. EMS I can implement that would actually work for us.

EMS for Dummies is what I need, if there is something like that out there.

 

[harry]

It's Saturday morning over here and Friday night in US. You may not get much response over the week-end but check back and we'll see what we can dig up for you. Expect more response when the crowd comes in on Monday (US time).

Meanwhile, be positive!

 

[BradM]

Well, first, do you have a copy of the standard?

Second, even if you think your existing plan is that awful, do you not think there is enough to start working with?

 

[harry]

This is a useful site: http://www.epa.gov/ems/resources/guides.htm

This particular document should be useful:An Implementation Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Organizations

 

[Randy]

Welcome to the Cove

You defintely have the tiger by the tail and I do not envy you a bit. Without having seen any of your system documentation but having read and re-read what you've said I think you have more of a people than a system issue here, so don't pull it's plug yet.

The task at hand is not impossible, but highly improbable and based upon your own statement the odds of your success are not in your favor.

I'd bet a dollar to a doughnut that the only reason your organization got the certification to begin with was as you say "customer requirement" as as such there was nothing expected to be gained other than maintaining the status-quo and it has resulted in a picture perfect example of "what comes out is equal to what goes in"

My friend until you can figure out some way to effect a change in attitude on behalf of decision makers you could have the best designed and documented system there could possibly be and you'de still wind up in the boat you're in today.

If you really want to try though then you need to start at the very beginning of the information contained in the ISO 14001 Forum here in the Cove and really study it (you'll need to seperate the wheat from the chaff). Listen to the advise the good folks here give. Don't waste money buying those self-help books on the subject because all they say is already in here and it's free. I think someone has already suggested that you get a copy of ISO 14001 and read it (if I had said that the admonishments would have flowed like water down the Nile). I would also recommend that you get a copy of ISO 14004:2004 because it contains very good, relevant information that you might find useful.

All the above aside will be useless unless you get your organization on board and that's what you yourself have to do. A good way is to find some environmental objective or goal that when finished can result in a bankable return on the investment of time and resources. You're going to have to come up with something real and tangible that say's "Hey, it wouldn't have happened if we had not used our EMS."

Good luck...Oh yeah, trust your DNV auditor. I see some of the work those guys and that company does and it's top of the line.

 

[bgwiehle]

Re: ISO 14001 Rookie needing help.

And we are required by our customer to have ISO certification.

We make stamped frame parts for 1 automobile manufacturer. If we lose certification, it's not like we could turn around and sell our parts elsewhere.

You have my respect for trying to work through this situation!

You didn't include your location in either your profile or posts: there probably are companies in your vicinity with environmental management systems. If you have sister plants, find out who their EMRs are.

I know that when we were first starting our implementation process for (then) QS9000, there were networking groups for ISO9000 that were invaluable to us. (We were the lead plant for registration in our company, so everyone else followed our lead). When we were starting ISO14000, working with our sister plants was extremely helpful, as we were dealing with similar environmental processes and legal & corporate requirements. We were able to piggyback a number of processes like document control and training on the existing quality management system.

Talk to your plant's Quality Management Rep. He may be able to give you an overview on how your systems already mesh. Since ISO14001 is a customer requirement, maintaining that registration is partially his responsibility too.

Is there a department (corporate or internal) that is responsible for the legal requirements (EPA, etc.)? They should be involved in your EMS and may also provide some support.

B.G. Wiehle
EMR

 

[SteelMaiden]

Welcome to the Cove! One thing that has not been mentioned here yet...if your quality management system is working well try to piggyback as much as you can on the current system(s) in place. i.e. delivery methods of documentation and document control, management review methods, etc. Work with your QMR as well as any environmental engineers on-site or corporate.

 

[JMireles]

I talked with Quality and my managers about integrating the 2 systems. That was actually one of the suggestions from the auditor. They don't want to do that. They want to keep things seperate.