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Environmental Health And Safety Audits » (8th Edition)

Book cover image of Environmental Health And Safety Audits by Lawrence B. Cahill

Authors: Lawrence B. Cahill
ISBN-13: 9780865878259, ISBN-10: 0865878250
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Government Institutes
Date Published: January 2001
Edition: 8th Edition

Author Biography: Lawrence B. Cahill

Book Synopsis

This expanded edition of Environmental Health and Safety Audits brings you up-to-date on changes in EPA and OSHA auditing policies, issues currently confronting auditing programs, and state-of-the-art strategies for managing and conducting audits. The author discusses new developments in information generation and availability, including new chapters on meeting ISO 14000 auditing guidelines, auditing dilemmas, and auditing tips, and new tools for building a successful audit program, including seven model program stages.

	List of Figures and Exhibits	xx
	Preface	xxiii
	About the Editor and Principal Author	xxv
	Contributing Authors	xxvii
	Acknowledgments	xxxi
Part I	Managing a Program
Chapter 1	Perspectives in EH&S Auditing	3
	Why Audit?	3
	Impact on the Regulated Community	11
	Evolution of Environmental Auditing	16
	EH&S Auditing Organizations	17
	Defining Environmental Audits	18
	Advantages and Disadvantages	20
	Trends in EH&S Auditing	21
Chapter 2	Government Perspective	25
	Introduction	25
	U.S. EPA Policy Encourages Use of Environmental Auditing	27
	U.S. EPA's 1986 Auditing Policy and Elements of Effective Audit Programs	28
	U.S. EPA's Audit Policy	30
	Conclusions	44
	OSHA's 2000 Self-Audit Policy	44
Chapter 3	Legal Considerations	47
	Introduction	47
	Function of Environmental Assessments	48
	Role of Environmental Assessments	49
	Federal Policies Encouraging Environmental Assessments	50
	Protection Of The Confidentiality Of Environmental Assessments Under Existing Law	55
	State Environmental Audit Legislation and Policy	60
	Practical Considerations and Recommendations For Performing Self-assessments	61
Chapter 4	Elements of a Successful Program	65
	Principles of an Audit Program	65
	Planning the Program	66
	A Key Program Issue: Corporate Standards and Guidelines	84
	Additional Sampling	87
	Continuous Review	87
	Evaluating the Results and Implementing the Solutions	88
Chapter 5	Impact of International Standards on EH&S Audit Programs	89
	The Key Initiatives	91
	Corporate Responses	102
	Conclusion	108
Chapter 6	The Challenges of Meeting ISO 14000 Auditing Guidelines: Audit Program Gaps	109
	A Process to Evaluate the Adequacy of Resources	110
	A Process to Evaluate Auditee Cooperation	111
	A List of Auditees in the Audit Report	112
	Identification of "Obstacles Encountered" in the Audit Report	113
	Documentation of "Findings of Conformity"	115
	An Appropriate Code of Ethics	115
	A Non-Disclosure or Records Retention Policy	116
	A Formal Audit Plan	117
	Auditor Independence	118
	Sufficient Program Guidance Documentation	118
Chapter 7	A Review of Some Typical Programs	119
	Program Overview and Scope	120
	Program Methodology	123
	Program Operations	126
	Conclusion	127
Chapter 8	Benchmarking EH&S Audit Programs: Best Practices and Biggest Challenges	129
	Overview of Benchmarking	130
	Best Practices	133
	Biggest Challenges	139
Chapter 9	Environmental Auditor Qualifications: Great Expectations	143
	Core Skills	144
	Observations in the Field	146
	Making Good Things Happen	148
	Conclusion	148
Chapter 10	Training EH&S Auditors	149
	The Need	149
	Selecting the Trainers	150
	Selecting the Trainees	151
	Selecting the Setting	151
	Selecting the Techniques	152
Chapter 11	EH&S Audit Training in the Asia Pacific	155
	First Stop: Singapore	156
	The Transition: Singapore to Japan	159
	Second Stop: Japan	159
Chapter 12	Information Management	163
	Regulatory Databases	164
	Automated Checklists	165
	Evaluating Auditing Software Systems	168
Chapter 13	Using Groupware to Manage the EH&S Audit Program Documentation Process	171
	Importance of Sound Information Management	171
	Traditional Responses to Audit Document Management	172
	The Groupware Solution	174
	Conclusion	177
Chapter 14	Managing and Critiquing an Audit Program	179
	Beginning a Program	179
	Managing a Program	184
	Conclusion	189
Part II	Conducting the Audit
Chapter 15	Conducting the EH&S Audit	193
	Introduction	193
	Pre-audit Activities	194
	On-Site Activities	205
Chapter 16	Typical Compliance Problems Found During Audits	223
	EH&S Audits: What Can Go Wrong?	223
	Common Compliance Problems	224
	Typical Inspection Areas	231
	Auditor's Reminder Checklist	262
Chapter 17	Conducting Effective Opening and Closing Conferences	267
	Opening Conferences	268
	Closing Conferences	272
Chapter 18	Auditing Dilemmas	279
	The Management Systems Defense	279
	The De Minimis Issue	280
	Virtual Compliance	281
	Unobtainable Verification	281
	Non-Specific Corporate Standards	281
	Conflicts Between Country Regulations and Corporate Standards	282
	Repeat Findings	283
	Just-in-Time Compliance	283
	Regulatory Intent	284
	Vague Regulatory Definitions	284
Chapter 19	Preparing Quality EH&S Audit Reports	287
	Field Preparation	288
	Report Preparation	290
	Report Follow-Up	301
Chapter 20	Environmental Auditing: A Modern Fable	305
	The Company	305
	The Audit	306
	The Beginning	307
	The First Meeting	307
	The Field Work	308
	That Night	309
	The Next Day	310
	Finishing	311
	The Briefing	311
	The Report	313
	Epilogue	317
Chapter 21	Achieving Quality Environmental Audits: Twenty Tips For Success	319
	Do Not Ignore or Underestimate the Need to Prepare for and Plan the Audit and Its Logistics	319
	Develop and Maintain a "Living" Agenda throughout the Audit	320
	You Will Never Finish So Manage Your Time Wisely	320
	Keep a Balance between Records Review, Interviews, and Observation	321
	"Things" Will Happen on the Audit. Be Flexible	322
	Always Be On Time Even When the Site Staff Are Not	322
	Remember Site Staff Will Always Consider Audits a Performance Evaluation	323
	In Spite of the Existence of Governmental Regulations and Company Standards, Considerable Judgment Is Still Required	323
	Every Country, State, or Region Is Different	323
	Learn and Apply the Audit Protocols, but Don't Forget to Use Your Common Sense and Natural Curiosity	324
	Try to Observe Things as They Happen	324
	Observe Ancillary Operations	325
	Observe, Articulate, and Write, in That Order	326
	True and Complete Root-Cause Analysis Can Be Complex, Difficult, and Time Consuming	326
	Writing Is the Hardest Part; Developing "Bullet-Proof" Findings Is an Elusive Goal	327
	Write the Findings as You Go	327
	Prepare Well for the Opening and Closing Conferences	328
	Make Sure the Site Hears the Real Story in the Closing Conference	328
	Plan to Be Done When You Depart	328
	Enjoy Yourself!!!	328
Part III	Special Auditing Topics
Chapter 22	Property Transfer Assessments	331
	Introduction	331
	Approach Overview	334
	Scope and the ASTM Standard	334
	Assessment Team	334
	External Contacts	335
	The Three Phases	336
Phase I337
Phase II344
Phase III344
	Assessment Issues	345
	Conclusion	353
Chapter 23	Top Ten Reasons Why Phase I Environmental Assessment Reports Miss the Mark	355
	Failure To Maintain Independence and Objectivity	357
	Failure To Define The Exact Scope of Work	358
	Use of Conjecture in Report Findings	359
	Use of Imprecise Language	359
	Failure to Distinguish "Compliance" Findings From "Liability" Findings	360
	Documented Sources	361
	Failure to State Assumptions Regarding Cost Estimates in Assessment Reports	362
	Lack of Editing and a Quality Assurance Review	363
	Disputes Over Disclaimers	364
	Failure to Write the Report as a Business-Decision Tool	365
Chapter 24	Waste Contractor Audits	367
	Objective and Scope of a TSD Facility Audit Program	369
	Internal Programs vs. External Programs	370
	Conducting the TSD Facility Audit	372
	Pre-Audit Preparation	372
	Special Pre-Audit Considerations	375
	Selecting the Audit Team	378
	The On-Site Audit	379
	The TSD Facility Audit Report	383
	Conclusion	385
Chapter 25	Waste Minimization or Pollution Prevention Audits	387
	Why a Pollution Prevention Focus?	387
	The General Approaches	388
	Limitations and Constraints	389
	Methodology	389
	Examples of the Presence of a Waste Minimization Effort	393
Chapter 26	Evaluating Management Systems on EH&S Audits	395
	Why Evaluate Management Systems?	395
	What is a Management System?	396
	How Do You Do It?	398
	Practical Tips	400
	Why is It So Hard?	401
	Conclusion	402
Chapter 27	International EH&S Audits	403
	Role of Corporate Management	405
	Design of International Audit Programs	406
	Conducting International Audits	410
	Summary of Key Challenges in International Audits	413
	Appendices
Appendix A	References	419
Appendix B	Federal Register Notes	423
Appendix C	Sample EPCRA Audit Protocol	455
Appendix D	Problem Solving Exercises	477
Appendix E	Summary of Audit Programs	555
Appendix F	Model EH&S Audit Program Manual	581
Appendix G	Model Pre-Audit Questionnaires for EH&S Audits	615
Appendix H	Model EH&S Audit Opening Conference Presentation	645
Appendix I	Model Environmental Audit Report	653
Appendix J	Model Environmental Audit Appraisal Questionnaire	671
Appendix K	Model Management Presentation	675
Appendix L	Sample Site Assessment Report	683

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Category Books

Environmental Health And Safety Audits » (8th Edition)

Author Biography: Lawrence B. Cahill

Book Synopsis

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