Planning an Environmental Audit
Any premises that wishes to conduct an environmental audit must have a clear idea of the objectives of the exercise and the steps required to achieve it. Before commencing an environmental audit, the following requirements must be fulfilled:
- Obtain commitment at the Directorate level
- Communicate commitment to personnel at all levels
To include:
- Audit site and boundary
- Audit objective(s)
- Areas of audit
Audit objectives typically entail:
- Verification of legislative and regulatory compliance
- Assessment of internal policy and procedural conformance
- Establishment of current practice status
- Identification of improvement opportunities
Areas of audit normally encompass:
- Material management, savings and alternatives
- Energy management and savings
- Water management and economy of use
- Waste generation, management and disposal
- Noise reduction, evaluation and control
(internal and external) - Air emissions and indoor air quality
- Environmental emergency prevention and preparedness
- Transportation and travelling practices
- Staff awareness, participation and training in environmental issues
- Environmental information publicity
- Public enquiry and complaints response
- Environmental management system set up, suitability and performance
