Requirement 7.5 Documented Information in ISO 14001:2018
Interpreting requirement 7.5 Documented Information in ISO 14001:2018
ISO 14001:2018's Requirement 7.5 for Documented Information is similar to other standards. It outlines the need for organisations to create, maintain, and control documented information within their Environmental Management System (EMS). Documented information includes any information that requires control and maintenance, in the form of documents or records. The objective of documented information is to ensure the effectiveness of the EMS, which requires the establishment, implementation, and maintenance of necessary documented information while ensuring its availability, integrity, and accessibility. Examples of documented information for environmental management and EMS include environmental policies, standard operating procedures (SOPs), work instructions, action plans, environmental monitoring records, and evidence of legal compliance.
The relationship between legal compliance and EMS documentation
Documentation is crucial for maintaining operations and continuous improvement in any management system, such as quality, occupational health and safety, and information security. However, in environmental management, documentation also plays a vital role in ensuring legal compliance. Certain contexts have a higher potential for significant environmental impacts, resulting in increased governmental regulation. Violating these regulations can lead to fines, reputational damage, and other losses for companies. Therefore, it is crucial to identify and validate various documents and records, including environmental licenses and permits, compliance and monitoring reports, environmental management plans, environmental impact assessments, and other types of documented information. Each organisation has its unique needs and degree of environmental impact, so it is essential to establish, implement, and maintain specific documented information. This not only ensures legal compliance but also enhances the overall functioning of the company. answer again search web
Access to EMS documents must be ensured for those who need them while preserving their legibility and integrity and implementing effective version control. However, there are various pieces of information that may be more or less sensitive and may not be available to everyone.
Therefore, it is necessary to have a system that ensures the availability of information only to those who are authorised to access it. Additionally, the documents should be available in an appropriate location and in a readable format. Any employee who needs to access these documents should be able to find them easily and understand their content.
Similarly, it is important for all these documents to be traceable, ensuring greater transparency, security, and accuracy of the company’s documented information, as well as facilitating legal compliance. This is particularly important in facilitating the identification of evidence during internal and external audits, as it aids in understanding and locating information.
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