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2004 Global Forecast

10.  Management systems

Introduction

2002 regulatory review

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Chemicals restrictions

Climate change

 Safety at work

 Waste minimisation

 Emergency planning and response

Air quality

Use of water resources

Noise at work

Transparency

Management systems

Management systems

>> Introduction

>> Regulatory developments

>> Web links

Full report (Pdf 155 KB)

Introduction

Environmental management systems continued, through 2002 and into 2003, to get a big push from major multinational companies, particularly in the automotive and high technology sectors, as they increasingly require suppliers to implement such systems in order to continue doing business with them.  Occupational safety and health management systems are also enjoying extensive popularity worldwide because of the bottom-line benefits they are seen to bring the companies that implement them.

EMS Implementation Continues Expansion at Rapid Pace

During 2002 the number of ISO 14001 certified facilities has kept on booming, reaching 46.836 certifications by the end of December 2002.  This is a 27% increase compared to 12 months earlier.

Increasingly, around the world, with the uptake of ISO 14001 (and EMAS in Europe), companies are expected to police themselves and report honestly on their performance against publicly stated criteria and objectives.  Stakeholders expect companies to identify, assess and manage risks wherever they may arise, be they financial, environmental, safety or health-related or major accident-related in nature.

Growing numbers of countries are offering greater regulatory relief to companies and industrial installations that implement recognized and certified environmental management systems (EMS), while certain countries are making specific elements of EMSs mandatory, or are expanding the requirements for companies to qualify for certification/registration under recognized EMS schemes.  The Netherlands, for example, has long led the way in providing regulatory relief to companies that voluntarily adopt measures to improve environmental performance.  In December 2002 the Dutch government amended its rules to tighten up on environmental performance investments eligible for subsidies [ID 5654].  Germany also passed an Ordinance in June 2002 to provide regulatory relief to companies registered under the EU’s eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS), while Norway has reduced the control fees due from companies that are either EMAS registered or ISO 14001 certified [ID 5007, 4959].  In other cases, governments (for example in Italy, India and Canada) are taking more proactive steps to increase awareness in industry of the benefits of implementing an EMS [ID 5398, 5814, 5019].  Germany has also taken steps in August 2002 to extend EMAS participation to a broader range of facilities, including especially commercial, administrative and other non-industrial installations [ID 47].

In the USA, EPA has proposed that companies that are members of the Agency’s National Environmental Performance Track program should receive a break on their Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act reporting requirements as well as some permit relief from solid waste regulations.  The Agency also proposes carrying out expedited reviews for Performance Track facilities that submit premanufacturing notifications under the Toxic Substances Control Act for substances. The National Performance Track program was launched in June 2000 as a way to recognize companies considered to be top environmental performers. About 280 companies are members and established themselves as such by meeting a series of requirements demonstrating they have gone beyond what is required under the law. They are required to implement an environmental management system, demonstrate specific environmental performances and show continuous improvement, commit to public outreach, and have a record of sustained compliance with environmental regulations [ID 5456].

In some cases, such as in Brazil, the government is making mandatory certain aspects of environmental management systems.  CONAMA adopted a resolution in July 2002 requiring independent environmental audits in the petrochemical industry in Brazil [ID 4701].  Thailand has stipulated the minimum qualifications that a facility pollution prevention system supervisor must possess [ID 5478], while the Australian state of Victoria has issued specific guidelines for the preparation of Environmental Improvement Plans, which are considered a necessary tool to guide a company’s EMS to continuous improvement [ID 5274].

Of particular interest is the expansion of the use of certain elements of the EU’s EMAS requirements outside of Europe.  Japan announced in April 2003 its aim to implement independent third-party verification of company environmental claims under its Eco-Action 21 certification system [ID 5860].

Uptake of Health and Safety Management Systems on the Rise

Occupational health and safety management systems will also see continuing expansion around the globe, both as a result of national legislation and via voluntary measures such as the OHSAS 18000 series of international standards.

Italy’s National Institute for insurance against occupational accidents and illnesses (INAIL), for example, published in September 2002 a guidance document aimed at promoting broader implementation in industry of voluntary OSH management systems based on the OHSAS 18001 and BS 8800 standards [ID 5118].  Mexico is also trying to promote the uptake of OHSAS 18001 and BS 8800 in industry through a March 2002 Agreement to reduce labour insurance fees on companies that have or develop OSH management systems based on these standards.  Guidance was also issued by the government in June 2002 to help companies to assess their OSH management systems. [ID 5168].

Denmark rewards facilities and companies that voluntarily adopt health and safety management systems.  In October 2001, the Danish government implemented a statutory order on the certification of good working environment for company occupational management systems.  The certificate is issued by a notified body when a company meets the requirements.  Certification is voluntary, but certified companies receive a subsidy and are exempted from inspections for which a fee is charged [ID 4846].

Hong Kong, on the other hand, requires, under its Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Safety Management) Regulation, that certain industrial undertakings develop and implement a health and safety management systems.  The government issued guidance in April 2002 on how to develop the appropriate management system. [ID 5150].   The Canadian province of Manitoba issued guidance at the end of 2002 on workplace safety and health programs to assist employers in complying with their obligations under the Workplace Health and Safety Act [ID 5586].

The OHSAS 18000 Series of International Standards for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems is a relatively new International specification for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems, published in 1999 and corresponding to BS 8800. In structure and approach, it has been developed to be compatible with both the ISO9001 and ISO14001 management system standards.  Conformity with this standard is also becoming an important priority for industrial operators worldwide, since the management system is viewed as making a major contribution to the reduction of workplace accidents, injuries and illnesses.  This then is seen as leading to a reduction in costs associated with occupational injuries and illnesses, including workers’ compensation costs, lost work-time accidents, and possibly, future liability claims from workers that might otherwise suffer long-term illnesses or disabilities associated with their work.

OHSAS 18001 specifications require businesses to demonstrate that their systems for managing Health and Safety pro-actively seek to eliminate or minimise risks to employees, that they comply with all national & international legal requirements and continuously strives to improve their performance in the areas of Health & Safety. As with ISO 9000 and ISO 14000, company systems are subject to regular external review by an independent Accreditation Body.

Whilst BS 8800 provided guidelines for an effective Occupational Health System, OHSAS 18001 provides an assessment specification compatible with established standards for quality and environmental management systems. Organisations may progress from one standard to the next, each being assessed and certified independently. In this way an Integrated Management System (IMS) is achieved by introducing defined standards of excellence in each area and a Performance Management System (PMS) which measures and monitors total performance improvement.

OHSAS 18001 is very similar to the ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems (EMS) standard - even the section numbering is nearly the same. The primary difference is the "risk assessment" section (which replaces the environmental aspects section of ISO 14001) and the substitution of "health & safety" for "environmental".

ILO OSHMS Guidelines

The International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Guidelines on Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems (ILO/OSH 2001) were the result of extended international consultations held over the course of 2000-2001. They were examined and adopted at a Meeting of Experts held in Geneva from 19 to 27 April 2001. The Governing Body of the ILO approved the text of the Guidelines for publication at its 281st Session (June 2001). 

The Guidelines were prepared on the basis of a broad-based approach involving the ILO and its tripartite constituents and other stakeholders. They have also been shaped by internationally agreed occupational safety and health principles as defined in relevant international labour standards. Consequently, they provide a unique and powerful instrument for the development of a sustainable safety culture within enterprises and beyond. They are intended to benefit workers, employers, organisations, safety and health systems and the environment.

Malaysia announced in June 2002 that the ILO’s Occupational Safety and Health Management System (ILO-OSH-MS) will become mandatory for so-called “high risk” industries, including chemicals and construction [ID 5404].  Colombia will also require a mandatory OSH-MS in the form of an annual health and safety working plan [ID 5203].  Singapore also issued a number of health and safety guidelines at the beginning of 2003 for a variety of industries, including hotels, biomedical sciences and waste treatment that aim at the identification of workplace hazards and measures for their prevention.  Singapore is also requiring the implementation of a safety management system in factories under a March 2003 amendment to the Twelfth Schedule of the Factories Act [ID 5737, 5738, 5739, 3104].

China issued its “Guidelines for Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems" and a related Audit Standard in December 2001, also in an effort to promote the voluntary implementation of the ILO’s OSH-MS in Chinese industry [ID 3237].

Germany is also aiming to promote the voluntary uptake in industry of the ILO’s OSH management system, by the publication in June 2002 of a National Manual on Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems, which is based primarily on the ILO’s guidance [ID 5519]. In addition, the Occupational Insurance Associations (Berufsgenossenschaften) will reduce by half the number of Accident Prevention Rules (BGV) by the end of 2003 in an effort to reduce bureaucratic burdens on industry whilst maintaining the same high level of worker protection [ID 3168]

2002-2003 Regulatory Developments

The following is a list of regulatory developments related to environmental and occupational safety and health management systems that occurred in 2002 and the first half of 2003 in addition to those cited above.  The overview is taken from the EPC-Update.  The ID-number after each reference refers to the corresponding database record of the EPC-Update.  For more details on any of these developments one can subscribe to the “EPC-Update” which provides an abstract of each development.  A more detailed two-page summary and analysis of each initiative is also available via this service.

Country • 2002-3 Regulatory/Policy initiative  •  EPC-Update Record ID

Netherlands : Adopted amending Subsidy Rule for Sustainable Industrial Sites [5654]

Germany : EMAS- privilege Ordinance published [5007]

Germany: Amendment to Eco-Audit Act published [47]

Germany: National Manual on Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems [5519]

Germany: BGs plan to reduce health and safety requirements [3168]

Norway: Reduced government fees for EMAS and ISO 14001 certified companies [4959]

Denmark: Statutory Order on Certificate for working environment management systems [4846]

Italy: The Industry Federation [Confindustria] and the Ministry of Environment sign a voluntary agreement on the improved use of environmental certifications [5398]

Italy: Adopted new guidelines on the implementation of a health and safety management system [5118]

India: Charter on Corporate Responsibility for Environmental Protection signed [5814]

Canada, Ontario: Renewed Memorandum of Understanding on environmental improvements in chemical industry [5019]

Canada, Manitoba: Guidance documents regarding Workplace Safety and Health Programs issued [5586]

United States: Proposed: Easing of reporting requirements for 'Performance Track' companies [5456]

Brazil: CONAMA Resolution on environmental audits in the petroleum industry [4701]

Thailand: Adopted Notification on the qualifications for a pollution prevention system supervisor [5478]

Australia, Victoria: Guidelines for preparation of environment improvement plans [5274]

Japan: Third party verification for voluntary corporate environmental reporting and Eco-Action 21 certification system elaborated [5860]

Mexico: Fiscal incentives for companies provided with, or developing, a health and safety management system [5168]

Hong Kong: Code of Practice on Safety Management issued [5150]

Malaysia: OSH Management System to become mandatory for high-risk industries [5404]

Colombia: Requirements regarding health and safety management systems and annual H&S working plans [5203]

Singapore: H&S Guidelines for the hotel industry issued [5737]

Singapore: Proposed H&S guidelines for the biomedical sciences industry [5738]

Singapore: Draft OSH Guidelines on toxic industrial waste treatment [5739]

Singapore: Amendment to Factories Act adopted [3104]

China: Guideline and standards for occupational health and safety management systems [3237]

Web links

The quantity of interesting information that is being made available on internet is growing every day. For the EHS Professional internet has become an important tool for finding more information on the issues of concern. The following overview of interesting websites is not intended to be exhaustive. It is however intended to point at some of the more interesting websites on environmental and occupational safety and health management systems.

ISO 14001 Global Overview

http://www.ecology.or.jp/isoworld/english/analy14k.htm

This site provides the most up to date overview of sites certified against ISO 14.001 and sites registered under EMAS.  In October 2001, Japan topped the list with 10,952 ISO 14.001 certified sites, followed by Germany with 3,700, Spain with 3,228, the UK with 2,917, Sweden with 2,730 and the USA with 2,400.  The site provides a diagram with the number of sites per country.  The Figure provides an overview of how the diagram looked at the end of 2002.  The figure also shows the number of EMAS registered sites at the end of 2002, but contains certain errors, since it shows sites in non-European countries where official registration is not yet offered.

BSi – British Standards Institute

http://emea.bsi-global.com/OHS/Standards/index.xalter

This site provides free downloads of OHSAS 18001 and 18002 amendments as well as a basic guide to implementing an occupational safety and health management system.  Copies of the relevant standards (OHSAS 18001:1999, OHSAS 18002:2000, and BS 8800:1996 can be purchased online at this site.

NSAI-National Standards Authority of Ireland

http://www.nsaicert.com/ohas.html

The NSAI is Ireland's Standards body. NSAI facilitates the development of voluntary standard documents which manufacturers or service providers may use as an aid to meeting safety or customer requirements.  This site provides background information on the OHSAS 18001:1999 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems – Specification.

ILO – International Labour Organisation

http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/managmnt/guide.htm

The ILO Guidelines on Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems (ISO/OSH 2001) can be downloaded in pdf format from this site.

EU EMAS Site

http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/emas/index.htm

European Commission web-site on EMAS, including the regulatory texts and background information, guidance documents, overview of benefits for EMAS registered sites, list of over 3500 registered organizations, list of verifiers, list of contact bodies in Member States, etc.

Austrian Environmental Management Site

http://www.umweltmanagement.at/

Austrian web-site on Environmental Management with a detailed list of Austrian EMAS, ISO 14001 and OKO-Profit sites.  A one page description and contact details is provided for each site.  Some EMAS site-reports are also provided on-line.

UK EMAS site

http://www.emas.org.uk/

UK web-site on Environmental Management with a detailed list of all UK EMAS sites and a database of ISO 14001 sites, list of verifiers and certification bodies, benefits of registration, text of the Regulation, etc.

French Orée Site

http://www.oree.org/

Site of Orée, a French Association to promote private and public partnerships, encourage environmental management systems, etc. Contains amongst others 50 French corporate environmental reports, reference documents and tools for EMS, etc (in French)

International Network for Environmental Management (INEM)

http://www.inem.org/ 

The INEM website contains a wealth of nteresting documents and hyperlinks to other websites of interest.  Amongst the interesting tools provided is the ISO 14001 speedometer, a tool to assess a country’s ranking in ISO 14.001 certifications based on its number of certifications, its population size and Gross Domestic Product.

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