ISO 14001 Clause 4.5

ISO 14001 clause 4.5 has five sub-clauses as follows:

4.5.1 Monitoring and measurement
4.5.2 Evaluation of compliance
4.5.3 Nonconformity, corrective action and preventive action
4.5.4 Control of records
4.5.5 Internal Audit

Here's what each of the sub-clauses of ISO 14001 clause 4.5 briefly covers:

4.5.1 Monitoring and measurement

The operations within a company will have a variety of characteristics. For example, wastewater discharge might include biological, chemical oxygen, temperature and acidity that need to be monitored.

The data collected from monitoring and measuring can be analyzed to identify patterns and obtain information for potential impacts. Preventive action can then be instituted before the actual impact occurs.

4.5.2 Evaluation of compliance

The company needs to show that it has a method for evaluating its compliance to all requirements, whether legal or others that they have agreed to comply with. This can be done in way the company chooses including subscriptions to environmental publications and regulations, use of environmental consultants or environmental legal firms.

4.5.3 Nonconformity, corrective action and preventive action

The use of established procedures for handling nonconformities can help minimize the amount of formal planning needed to handle the situation. Or, it may be necessary to take more complex and long-term activity. The documentation kept needs to be appropriate to the level of action required to correct the nonconformity.

4.5.4 Control of records

The company needs to have records that shows it is complying with the standard. The records have to be kept safe, legible, accessible and retrievable.

Many of these records will be considered confidential and proprietary and the necessary precautions need to be taken. Records are not the sole source of evidence to demonstrate compliance to the standard.

4.5.5 Internal Audit

The scope of the audit program needs to include the entire EMS. However, not all the operations of the EMS need to be audited at once and the audit process can take place over a period of time.

The internal audits can be performed by employees of the company or by persons from outside the company that are working on its behalf (consultant/auditor). In either case, the auditors need to be competent and in a position to be impartial and objective. In smaller companies, auditor impartiality and objectivity can be shown by the auditor being free of responsibility from the activity being audited.

If a company wishes to combine audits of the EMS with environmental compliance audits, the intent and scope of each audit must be clearly defined. Environmental compliance audits are not covered by the standard. Refer to ISO 19011 for additional guidance on auditing.

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