SEA DELIVERS THE POWER OF ISO 14001 REGISTRATION FOR YOUR COMPANY
Comprehensive assistance for companies in managing ISO 14001 registration requirements and creating comprehensive environmental management systems.
The International Organization for Standardization, more commonly referred to as the ISO, establishes standards for a wide range of industrial processes and products and for corporate activities. These standards provide valuable conformity for consumer products and offer guidance for companies in implementing new policies and procedures.
The ISO 14001 standard focuses on environmental management systems in the workplace environment and offers valuable advice for companies in creating and implementing policies related to environmental performance and control.
The SEA Implementation Program offered by SEA Inc., can provide comprehensive assistance for companies in managing ISO 14001 registration requirements and creating comprehensive environmental management systems for the corporate workspace.
Increasing demand for ISO 14001 compliance
According to the ISO, registrations for ISO 14001 standards increased by six percent between 2010 and 2011. This increasing level of registration may be due in part to a higher degree of consumer and corporate environmental awareness; green-friendly companies are more likely to achieve positive customer service ratings and added business in the modern marketplace. Reducing the environmental impact of corporate activities is an important goal for many shareholders; as a result, ISO 14001 registration can be a valuable tool in establishing green-friendly credentials and in reducing energy costs for modern businesses.
An overview of ISO 14001
Although ISO does not dictate specific requirements for ISO 14001 registrations, it does outline the steps most companies must complete to create and implement an environmental management policy for their workplaces. In general, these ISO guidelines fall into four primary categories:
Compliance with applicable laws and regulations Proactive efforts to prevent pollution and to reduce the use of energy within the workplace environment Ongoing efforts to adjust, improve and increase the efficiency of the policy in decreasing the company’s environmental impact Independent third-party analysis and auditing of the policy to ensure its effectiveness
The SEA Implementation Program can provide expert help for companies throughout the planning and implementation process for ISO 14001 compliance.
The SEA Implementation Program process
SEA Inc., provides an innovative new way to approach ISO 14001 registration. By streamlining the planning and implementation process, the SEA Implementation Program provides companies with continual feedback on their progress toward registration and the effectiveness of their environmental management plan. The SEA Implementation Program includes the following stages and steps:
> A comprehensive ISO 14001 baseline audit that identifies the strong points in environmental management as well as any areas where improvements can be achieved
> Consulting services that provide an objective view on the policy’s successes and shortcomings and that identify possible solutions for various issues and technical difficulties
> Expert auditing services before the registration to ensure the most positive results possible
> Post-registration auditing services designed to promote continuing compliance< /li>
ISO 14001 registration assessments must be performed by a qualified third-party auditing firm. These independent auditors will evaluate the environmental management plan and assess its effectiveness within the workplace using the same criteria employed by the SEA Environmental team. This increases the likelihood of successful registration and ensures the most productive use of corporate resources in achieving this valuable professional credential.
The added visibility and credibility of ISO 14001 registration can boost your corporate reputation in the competitive marketplace. Additionally, the cost savings of reduced energy consumption and lower waste management expenses can add up to greater profitability. Contact SEA today to put the power of this valuable corporate credential to work for your company.
A Quick Guide for Industrial and Manufacturing Facilities By Keina Jennings, CEO/CFO, SEA
By Don Harkness, East Coast Regional Manager, SEA Ladder Inspection Safety At-A-Glance Ladders of all types are useful in the workplace. They are tools that allow workers to safely reach another level. Working at elevated levels poses plenty of risks, ones that have been covered in many regulatory training courses you have attended. Walking, Working Surfaces and Fall protection all focus heavily on the different hazards, of which SEA would be honored to share with you, but today, I want to focus on what needs to happen prior to using the ladder. The Right Tool for the Job And make no mistake, ladders are tools, and only perform as well as we, the operators, allow them to. So, what do we need to consider when picking the right ladder for our job? Several key factors include, but aren’t limited to: What are we doing? What style do you need? Step Ladders, extension ladders, and platform ladders all serve different purposes! What is the weight limit of my ladder? Note that the weight limit includes you and all the tools/equipment you are wearing, including fall protection! What height do I need my ladder to be? Ladders come in all shapes and sizes, so ensure you pick one that allows you to not put yourself at risk, even if it takes a little extra time to go and get it! What material should my ladder be made of? Most ladders are fiberglass but also come in several other materials. Make sure you plan for the task and don’t pick a metal ladder when working with electricity, for example The Most Important Step After choosing the ladder for our task, we need to perform an all-around inspection of the ladder. How often do we need to perform this inspection? Does it need to be documented? Ladders must be inspected before every use to ensure that no damage has occurred. As far as documentation goes, it is required that a documented inspection occur once a year, but your company policy can dictate more frequent documented inspections.
By Alison Jennings, VP Operations, SEA Sometimes it takes a real-life moment to remind us how quickly routine tasks can turn into injuries. Recently, I had a reminder of just how quickly something simple can turn into an injury. I was hanging a picture frame at home. Nothing complicated—just one of those quick projects you knock out in a few minutes. I picked the frame up by the sides to move it into position. As I lifted it, the bottom of the frame suddenly gave out. The glass dropped straight down and landed directly on the top of my bare foot. Within seconds, what started as a simple task turned into a trip to urgent care. The cut was deep enough that I ended up needing eight stitches. Looking back, there were a few things I didn’t think about in that moment. I was barefoot. I didn’t consider the possibility that the frame might break. I didn’t think about what could happen if the glass slipped or fell. It really wasn’t a dangerous job. I wasn’t using power tools or heavy equipment. I was just hanging a picture. But that’s the reality of many injuries—they don’t happen during obviously dangerous activities. They happen during everyday tasks when we assume nothing will go wrong.