1. Documentation and Document Control
EPA Regions 9 & 10
and
The Federal Network for Sustainability

2. Overview EMS Documentation Documents vs. records Document Control
Document Formats
Examples

3. EMS Documentation Describes core elements of EMS
Provides directions to related documents
Supports employee awareness
Facilitates evaluation of the system and environmental performance

4. Documents vs. Records Documents Records
Offer guidance or explain actions to be carried out
Can be changed
Records
Provide verification of things that have happened
Cannot be changed

5. Documents vs. Records
Documents are materials that provide management directions:
environmental policy
internal standards and operating procedures
process information
organization charts
emergency plans
Records include
training records
incident reports
product information
complaints and responses
audit results
management review meeting minutes

6. Core Elements of EMS Policy statement Aspects and impacts
Objectives and targets
Linkage from objectives to programs
Roles and responsibilities
Schedules
Action items

7. Document Control Documents can be located by people who need them
Current versions are available where appropriate
Periodically reviewed, revised, and approved
Obsolete versions are promptly removed
Obsolete versions are retained if necessary

8. Document Formats Legible Easily identifiable Current
Each revision dated
Author
Reviewer
Review date

9. Examples of Document Control Systems
Distribution to offices on as needed basis
Central file cabinet
Microsoft Outlook “Public Folders”
Use of software version control properties
Web site with Adobe Acrobat .pdf files
GIS
Proprietary software packages

10. Summary An EMS must have: documentation for core elements
document control for other documents related to significant impacts and policy