EMS Documentation Services                      
   
 Environmental Management Manuals
  Communicating Your System for Protecting the Environment
      ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
        

        EMS Documentation Services - your solution partner
   
          
        What is an Environmental Management System?  
        
          
          
In its simplest of terms, an Environmental Management System (EMS) is an approach to identifying the ways in which the
        environment is impacted by our work activities. An Environmental Management System helps to set priorities for action,
        and it challenges each and every employee to continually look for ways to lessen those impacts, and to protect the 
        environment. 

        An EMS is defined as a self-correcting and continual improvement system that seeks to reduce environmental impacts
        associated with a facility's activities while helping to ensure compliance with environmental regulations. It provides a 
        structured method for incorporation of environmental considerations into day to day operations while promoting continual
        improvement of the environment and therefore, human health. 
                                                                                           
        Environmental management systems do not require a pre-defined minimum
        level of performance. For example, they do not prescribe that you recycle  
        all your waste chemicals, take at least 90% of your travel by public transit,
        or purchase all your products from sustainable resources. Of course, if you
        want to commit to these objectives, then they can form part of your EMS,
        but it is up to you. 
               
          
        What an EMS requires is that you look at your company and identify what
        your significant environmental impacts are, and what your legal requirements
        are. This establishes where you are now. Once identified, y
ou then can write
        an environmental policy that describes your commitment to legal compliance
        and continuous environmental improvement as a minimum. The rest of the
        management system involves setting objectives and targets to progressively improve your environmental performance.
        The EMS ensures that the objectives, targets and legal requirements are delivered. EMS Documentation Services
        
provides you with assistance in accomplishing each of the above steps, and with an EMS Manual that will describe in
        detail your system to be used for improving the environment.                  
    
                  
                                                                                                  
        Advantages of an Environmental Management System

        To meet the needs of the vast majority of organizations, EMS Documentation Services offers both a custom written
        EMS Manual, and the internationally recognized ISO14001: 2004 EMS Manual. Each manual provides the essential
        elements for an effective environmental management system, enabling your organization to communicate a clear policy
        and reasonable objectives to positively influence the environment.
          
          
        Additionally, organizations that pro-actively implement an environmental management system realize cost savings 
        and preferred supplier status. 
Through your Environmental Management System you can show your community that 
        you are a leader in protecting the environment.
         
        About the Standard

        ISO 14001 is an international standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) through
        dedicated technical committees representing approximately 160 countries around the world. Its purpose is to enable an
        organization of any type or size to develop and implement a policy committing it to the prevention of pollution. The
        ISO14001 standard is designed to provide a tool to allow a site to control the environmental impact of activities, products
        or services and to continually improve its environmental performance. The ISO14001: 2004 system is intended to provide
        a framework for continuous improvement. These processes are based on the Plan-DO-Check-Act cycle.
        Click on ISO14001 to see a list of each of the elements found in the ISO14001:2004 EMS Standard
.
          
        Sustainability
       
        Sustainability practices fall into three areas of performance: 1.) compliance with rules such as state and federal 
        emission controls, and OSHA requirements; 2.) reducing environmental harm in our daily practices; and 3.) reversing 
        environmental impact altogether by offsetting the carbon impact of day-to-day operations with offsets such as planting
        trees, purchasing carbon offsets, and wind generated electrical power.

        Corporate Citizen

        Being a good corporate citizen starts at "home" with a comprehensive review of the environmental impact of your 
        company's practices, From paper, water and energy conservation to waste management, recycling and commuting - the
        opportunities for doing business without needless harm to the environment are plentiful. What's more, solutions exist that
        save money and resources. 

     

 

      Environmental Project Categories

        EMS projects generally fall into 
       one of four categories:
           

        1. energy conservation       

        2. producing energy from renewable  
            resources
 
such as water, geothermal, wind,
            solar, or 
biomass 

        3. using recycled materials to create new 
            products 

        4. promoting alternative fuels. 

 




            



  Project Examples:     

  • desk side recycling
  • lighting improvements
  • weatherization
  • alternative work schedule
  • solar and geothermal heating
  • wind and solar electric systems
  • motors and motor controls
  • building management and control systems
  • district heating
  • HVAC systems
  • methane gas recovery
  • central steam plants
  • cogeneration and hydroelectricity
  • water heating improvements
  • irrigation system improvements
  • alternative fuels for transportation