Taking Your EMS Taking Your EMS to the Next Levelto the Next LevelTaking Your EMS Taking Your EMS to the Next Levelto the Next Level

Bet Zimmerman, CEP, EMS-APacific Northwest National Laboratory

National Environmental Partnership Summit May 9, 2006Atlanta GA

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Taking Your EMS to the Next LevelTaking Your EMS to the Next LevelTaking Your EMS to the Next LevelTaking Your EMS to the Next Level

You’ve put an EMS in place You’re registered to ISO 14001:1996

You upgraded to ISO 14001:2006

NOW WHAT?NOW WHAT? Maintain and sustain EMS, continually improve Ensure you don’t forget

Lessons Learned tend to fade

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STRATEGY FOR MAINTAINING AND STRATEGY FOR MAINTAINING AND SUSTAINING EMSSUSTAINING EMS

STRATEGY FOR MAINTAINING AND STRATEGY FOR MAINTAINING AND SUSTAINING EMSSUSTAINING EMS

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Road Map to Continual Improvement Road Map to Continual Improvement Road Map to Continual Improvement Road Map to Continual Improvement

1. Drive improvement with objectives, measure performance

2. Share resources3. Maintain strong internal auditing program4. Implement strong preventive and corrective action

program5. Look beyond

nonconformities and organizational boundaries

6. ISSA

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1. Improve Performance with 1. Improve Performance with Objectives and TargetsObjectives and Targets

1. Improve Performance with 1. Improve Performance with Objectives and TargetsObjectives and Targets

Flow corporate objectives down to organization and individual level (even offsite)Suggest generic goals with examples (pick list)

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Objectives and TargetsObjectives and TargetsObjectives and TargetsObjectives and Targets

“Touch” more people with EMSGoals that impact many staff ValuedValued rewards and recognition for those who

go above and beyondabove and beyond

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Emphasize ownership by line Emphasize ownership by line Emphasize ownership by line Emphasize ownership by line

Provide trained environmental staff to help line succeedMeet with line: conduct mini-review of aspects, issues, assessment results, performance, support Conduct annual corporate-level review (roll-up)Link performance to managers’ raises

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Measure Performance Measure Performance Measure Performance Measure Performance

Right set of measures to monitor: effectiveness of the EMS environmental performance whether you really are improving in key areas

Useful for management-decision making Reminds you why you have an EMS

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Objectives and TargetsObjectives and TargetsObjectives and TargetsObjectives and Targets

Clearly communicate performance and progress

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2. Share2. Share2. Share2. Share

Share Lessons Learned Provide corporate leadership, coordination BenchmarkMentor

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Share Auditing ResourcesShare Auditing ResourcesShare Auditing ResourcesShare Auditing Resources

BNLBNL

PN

NL

PN

NL

ORNLORNL

BS

TI

BS

TI

“We tend to walk into our own spaces day after day and not see hazards that a new set of eyes may notice.”

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3. Get the Most Out of Internal Audits3. Get the Most Out of Internal Audits3. Get the Most Out of Internal Audits3. Get the Most Out of Internal Audits

Plan wellAssemble competent teamEncourage cooperationTake objective, hard lookReport results in a meaningful wayUSE results to improve

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4. Corrective/Preventive Action 4. Corrective/Preventive Action ManagementManagement

4. Corrective/Preventive Action 4. Corrective/Preventive Action ManagementManagement

View mistakes and near misses as a learning experienceDetermine extent of conditionextent of condition and severityseverityIdentify REALREAL cause separate individual errors from system deficiencies to

focus preventive actions

Correct ANDAND prevent recurrenceAssign to REALREAL ownerTrack, Verify prior to closure with complete documentationProactively assess effectiveness of preventive actionsTrend issues

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Corrective/Preventive Action ManagementCorrective/Preventive Action Management Attributes of a “Best in Class” System Attributes of a “Best in Class” System

Corrective/Preventive Action ManagementCorrective/Preventive Action Management Attributes of a “Best in Class” System Attributes of a “Best in Class” System

Automated tracking and management system Easy to use, useful, widely used Integrate with assessment documentation system Anyone can access and report conditions to

communicate concerns Employees have stop work authority Management reviews conditions, classifies by

severity, quickly assigns to line owners Independent group reviews adequacy

of corrective action planning Hold staff accountable

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5. Look Beyond Nonconformities5. Look Beyond Nonconformities5. Look Beyond Nonconformities5. Look Beyond Nonconformities

Address select opportunities for improvement identified during internal assessmentsSelect and share organization-level noteworthy practices, and consider institutionalizing institutionalizing or standardizingstandardizing systems and tools

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Look for issues that cross organizational boundaries - address with corporate fixes more efficient, economies of scale more resources can be brought to bear prevents future problems elsewhere

Look Beyond OrganizationLook Beyond OrganizationLook Beyond OrganizationLook Beyond Organization

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Expand Your Sphere of InfluenceExpand Your Sphere of InfluenceExpand Your Sphere of InfluenceExpand Your Sphere of Influence

More attention to offsite work, contractors, and visitors. Help foreign nationals work within your system Provide experienced mentors (ideally from same

culture), use buddy system, on the job/hands on training, repetition, monitoring

Apply corporate programs to offsite activities Involve contractors, suppliers, tenants in EMS

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6. ISSA6. ISSA6. ISSA6. ISSA

Integrate, SSimplify, SStandardize and AAutomate (ISSAISSA)Try to take some work OUT of the system

Don’t overdo paperwork

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Take Home MessagesTake Home MessagesTake Home MessagesTake Home Messages

1. Drive improvement with objectives, measure performance

2. Share resources3. Maintain strong internal auditing program4. Implement strong preventive and corrective action

program5. Look beyond nonconformities and

organizational boundaries 6. Integrate, simplify, standardize and automateThese approaches work for “E” as well as “S&H”

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All done! All done! All done! All done!