The global environmental management system (EMS) implementation plan standard, BS 8555, guides small rganisations to ISO 14001 certification in six phases.

BS 8555 was introduced in 2003 to help small organisations to achieve ISO 14001 environmental management system standard certification, by a phased management system implementation approach.

Review of the global safety management system standard, OHSAS 18001, in recent years, had aligned its structure more closely with ISO system standards. BS 855 is therefore a stepping stone to ISO standards certification, as well as OHSAS safety management system standard certification.

Below is a summary of a BS 8555 planning sheet offered free of charge and free of copyrights by Moody International Certification. The six phases are;

Phase 1 Commit and establish a baseline
Phase 2 Identify and comply with legal and voluntary requirements
Phase 3 Develop objectives, targets and programmes
Phase 4 Implement and operate an EMS
Phase 5 Check, audit and review
Phase 6a Prepare for ISO 14001 assessment
Phase 6b Prepare for EMAS verification and certification.

Phase 1: Seven Stage Profiles and outputs

Stage 1: Gain and Maintain Management Commitment
[ ] Evidence that top management commitment has been secured
[ ] Evidence that a draft outline of a health and safety (H&S) management structure and responsibilities has been developed

Stage 2: Baseline Risk Assessment
[ ] Information showing most likely significant business H&S risks
[ ] Information about key legal requirements
[ ] Information regarding organizational sites, activities, related H&S implications

Stage 3: Develop a draft H&S Policy
[ ] Appropriate to nature and scale of the organisation
[ ] Appropriate to H&S risks of activities, products or services
[ ] Includes commitment to continuous improvement and prevention of H&S
[ ] Includes commitment to meet relevant H&S legislation and other requirements to which the organisation subscribes
[ ] Provides a framework for setting and reviewing H&S objectives & targets
[ ] Documented
[ ] Dated and identified the issue status

Stage 4: Develop H&S Indicators
[ ] Evidence that data collection is being undertaken to address key H&S issues as appropriate to the organisation
[ ] Evidence that use of indicator information has been identified and planned

Stage 5: Develop an initial H&SMS implementation plan
[ ] Structured and realistic, detailing time scales, and responsibilities for achievement of stated H&SMS implementation goals

Stage 6: Training, Awareness, Competence and Initiation of Culture Change
[ ] Evidence of planned and initiated awareness raising and H&S training as appropriate

Stage 7: Initiate continual improvement
[ ] Evidence of some initial continual improvement actions planned or ongoing

Phase 2: Four Stage Profiles and outputs

Stage 1: Identify Relevant Legal Requirements
[ ] Identify relevant H&S legislation
[ ] Define a procedure for identifying and updating those applicable H&S legislation requirements

Stage 2: Identify Other Requirements
[ ] Identify other H&S requirements
[ ] Define a procedure for identifying and updating those other H&S requirements

Stage 3: Check Compliance with Legal & Other Requirements
[ ] Check the level of compliance with relevant legal and other requirements

Stage 4: Ensure Compliance
[ ] Document a procedure for periodically evaluating compliance with relevant H&S legislation and regulations
[ ] Develop an action plan for addressing issues identified in the review of compliance
[ ] Ensure that adequate operational controls, and emergency preparedness and response procedures (documented as necessary) exist to support compliance with legal and other requirements, as applicable
[ ] Ensure that any training and awareness raising activities identified to ensure legal compliance have been planned for key parties

Stage 5 Develop Compliance Indicators
[ ] Provide objective evidence that indicators have been established and that data is being collected
[ ] Ensure that such data supports the tracking and communication of performance against legal and other requirements
[ ] Ensure that a response mechanism is in place to address any potential or actual non-compliance issues

Phase 3: Seven Stage Profiles and outputs

Stage 1: Evaluate H&S risks
[ ] Identify hazards &.or risks on which H&S management attention will be focused
[ ] Define a methodology for assessing the significance of risks or that can be applied to existing or new hazards & risks
[ ] Develop a procedure for the identification of risks which could be influenced
Develop a plan for keeping information on the significance of hazards &/or risks up to date

Stage 2: Finalise H&S policy
[ ] Review the draft H&S Policy and produce one which meet all of the requirement as laid down in OHSAS18001, Clause 4.2.

Stage 3: Develop objectives and targets
[ ] Develop a range of objectives and targets which support the broad aims stated in the H&S policy, and the continual improvement in H&S performance linked to the most significant risks
[ ] Document objectives and targets, checking that they are appropriate the scale and nature of the operation(s), policy commitments and significant hazards & risks

Stage 4: Establish indicators for H&S performance evaluation (H&SPEs)
[ ] Develop a range of H&SPEs, which provide information on performance against objectives and targets establish to support the H&S policy
[ ] Show objective evidence that indicators exist and are in use for the tracking and communication of performance against stated objectives and targets, and other significant hazards and risks of operations
[ ] Develop documented procedures for the regular monitoring and measurement of key characteristics of operations that can have a significant impact on H&S
[ ] Maintain records to demonstrate that any relevant monitoring and measurement equipment is calibrated and maintained

Stage 5: Develop the H&S management programme
[ ] Develop a clear and detailed H&S management programme identifying the proposed means by which objectives and targets can be achieved

Stage 6: Develop operational control procedures
[ ] Develop operational control procedures that reduce the actual or potential for harm to H&S and/or maximise benefit

Stage 7: Launch the policy, objectives, targets and indicators
[ ] Communicate the H&S policy, objectives and targets, and proposed indicators, to all relevant parties in an effective way
[ ] Ensure that relevant parties are fully aware of their role within the H&SMP
[ ] Ensure that H&SPE indicators are implemented and operational

Phase 4: Six Stage Profiles and outputs

Stage 1: Finalise Management Structure and Responsibilities
[ ] Develop documented definition of management roles, responsibilities, and authorities under H&SMS
[ ] Appoint a management representative responsible for the H&SMS and reporting the effectiveness including H&S performance
[ ] Make resources available for the implementation and control of the H&SMS

Stage 2: Train, raise awareness and competence, plan and record
[ ] Develop procedures to raise awareness among employees of key elements of the H&SMS, significant hazards, risks, roles and responsibilities
[ ] Ensure that training needs among relevant personnel are assessed and that plans for delivery of appropriate training have been developed
[ ] Ensure that key personnel performing tasks which can cause significant H&S hazards & risks are competent to carry out such tasks
[ ] Develop records of training and awareness raising delivery carried out under the H&SMS and ensure that they can be maintained

Stage 3: Establish and Maintain Formal Communication
[ ] Ensure provision for communication information relating to the H&SMS and H&S performance between various levels and functions
[ ] Appropriate to nature and scale of the organisation, and the H&S hazards and risks of activities, products or services
[ ] Develop procedures for receiving, documenting and responding to H&S related communication from external parties
[ ] Document decision process about externally communicating significant H&S risks

Stage 4: Document and Record
[ ] Develop a description of core elements of the H&SMS, their interaction and direction to related documentation
[ ] Develop document control procedures
[ ] Develop procedures for dentification, maintenance, handling, storage, and disposal of H&S records

Stage 5: Review and Test Emergency Preparedness and Response
[ ] Develop procedures to identify potential accident and emergency situation and provide for effective response to any such occurrences with the purpose of preventing and minimising any H&S risks arising from these situations
[ ] Develop a mechanism for review of emergency procedures, particularly following an incident
[ ] Test the procedures where practicable

Stage 6: Measure Features of the H&SMS
[ ] Develop Management Performance Indicators (MPIs) for assessing performance of elements of H&SMS

Phase 5: Five Stage Profiles and outputs

Stage 1: Establish Audit Programmes
[ ] Develop procedures for the auditing of the H&SMS which meet OHSAS18001
[ ] Apply these procedures
[ ] Develop and audit programme for a comprehensive and period audit of the H&SMS
[ ] Implement this programme
[ ] Communicate audit results to management and other relevant parties

Stage 2: Correct Non-Conformance and Take Preventative Action
[ ] Define responsibilities and processes for dealing with non-conformances, undertake appropriate corrective and preventative action, and verify effectiveness of such actions

Stage 3: Management Review
[ ] Schedule a first Management Review of the H&SMS

Stage 4: Improve H&S Performance
[ ] Ensure that EPI actions are in lace, that responsibilities and realistic timescales are allocated, and that provision is made for  the verification of effective completion
[ ] Develop a method of evidencing management review

Stage 5: Improve H&SMS
[ ] Agree H&SMS improvement actions with responsibilities and realistic timescales allocated
[ ] Develop a method of evidencing management review

Phase 6: Six Stage Profiles and outputs

Stage 1: Prepare for external assessment of the H&SMS to OHSAS18001
[ ] Gather evidence of conformance to OHSAS18001
[ ] Ensure that the H&SMS is ready to be assessed
[ ] Source an accredited certification body
[ ] Agree on a plan for certification assessments
[ ] Participate in this assessment of the H&SMAS 

Stage 2: Review Baseline
[ ] Collate objective evidence that a review of the baseline which considers the requirements of H&SMS has taken place
[ ] Ensure that evidence that indirect aspects have been considered is available and retrievable

Stage 3: Review Implementation
[ ] Collate objective evidence that a review of the implementation and planning stage has taken place
[ ] Collate objective evidence of employee involvement; open dialogue with interested parties; communication with suppliers and sub-contractors; legal compliance

Stage 4: Develop Reportable Information
Collate objective evidence that;
[ ] data is chosen appropriately to represent the objectives and targets
[ ] processes for data collection, recording and storing have been developed
[ ] data gives an accurate picture of H&S performance

Stage 5: Audit System and Performance
Gather objective evidence that;
a gap analysis using checking and corrective action checklist has taken place
[ ] audit programme defines the audit cycle and frequency
[ ] data assesses the H&SPIs
[ ] spot check compliance during audit to test effectiveness of the H&SMS

Stage 6: Prepare for Verification and Certification
[ ] Draft an H&S statement
[ ] Test this H&S statement against your checklist
[ ] Finalise the H&S statement
[ ] Apply for verification of H&S statement and certification.

• The global environmental management system (EMS) implementation plan standard, BS 8555, guides novice organisations towards ISO 14001 certification, in six phases. The text summary above is from a BS 8555 planning sheet, offered free of charge and free of copyright by Moody International Certification.

PHOTO; An ISO 14001 certification logo on a flag, displayed by organisations that have developed an enviornmental mangement system and certified thieir system against the global enviornmental impact management standard.