EMS 9000.02C October 10, 2006 Page 1 of7 US Environmental Protection Agency Region 7 Environmental Management System Terms and Definitions The following terms and their definitions apply to the US EPA Region 7 Environmental Management System. Definitions identified with a * are taken from the definition list in ISO 14001:2004. All other definitions are derived from text in ISO 14001:2004, ISO 14004:2004, Region 7 documents, or from discussions among individuals knowledgeable of the conditions, activities, processes, etc. to which the term applies. 1. Activity, Product, or Service - Broadly covers all the possibilities for an organization to have an influence on the environment, both positive and negative, and may be referred to simply as activities or processes. Examples of activities could include fieldwork, working in the office, driving to work, or any other activity that occurs at the organization. In addition, EPA may provide services, such as environmental sampling, relating to external stakeholders, including industry, communities, or individuals. Although EPA generally does not make products in the conventional sense, there may be instances where the concept of products can be applied (e.g., the development of publications for mass distribution). Note: May also be referred to as tasks and/or processes. 2. ANSI/ISO 14001:2004 - American National Standards Institute/International Organization for Standardization. An American national standard for environmental management systems developed in 1996 and modified in 2004 in collaboration with the international version titled ISO 14001. The ISO 14001 standard is entitled "Environmental Management Systems - Requirements with Guidance for Use" and provides the overall requirements for developing and sustaining an EMS that may be objectively audited for certification/registration purposes or for self declaration. A companion document in the ISO 14000 series is ISO 14004, "Environmental Management Systems - General Guidelines on Principles, Systems and Support Techniques", which provides guidance on how to establish, implement, maintain, and improve an EMS. 3. Auditor* - A person with the competence to conduct an audit. 4. Awareness - An understanding of the importance of conforming with the organization's environmental policy and the requirements of the EMS and of complying with all legal and other requirements to which the organization subscribes. 5. Calibrate - To check, adjust, or systematically standardize the graduations of a quantitative measuring instrument. 6. Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) - A written plan, the requirements of which are detailed in 29 CFR 1910.1450 that provides guidelines and policies that will promote a safe and healthy work environment for all personnel, for all visitors, and for all persons who have a reason to WORKING COPY ------- EMS 9000.02C October 10, 2006 Page 2 of 7 be working in laboratories. The intent is that the policies and guidelines presented in the plan will ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. The plan references other regulations, procedures, and chemical safety and training requirements. 7. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) - Codification of the general and permanent rules published by the executive departments and agencies of the federal government. 8. Competence - Possessing the knowledge, understanding, skills, and abilities necessary to complete assigned activities within certain performance standards specified by the organization. 9. Compliance Evaluation Checklists - Executive Order 12196 requires federal agencies to conduct annual workplace inspections, which must be documented, and correct conditions which do not meet safety and health standards. These checklists are intended to guide and assist in conducting safety and health inspections and have been modified to include environmental compliance requirements. Compliance evaluation checklists are subdivided into location and program area checklists. 10. Contingency Plan - A written program developed and implemented by the ENSV Division CATS (Contractor and Technical Support Branch) branch in accordance with RCRA regulations. 11. Continual Improvement* - A recurring process of enhancing the environmental management system in order to achieve improvements in overall environmental performance consistent with the organization's environmental policy. 12. Continuity Of Operations Plan (COOP) - A document for emergency response, back-up operations, and disaster recovery for information technology systems and installations in the event normal operations are interrupted. The COOP should ensure minimal impact on data processing operations in the event the information technology system or facility is damaged or destroyed. 13. Core EMS Elements - A collection of consists of the environmental policy; activities, products, and services (aspects) and their impacts; objectives and targets; linkage from objectives to programs; roles and responsibilities; schedules; and action items. 14. Corrective Action* - An action to eliminate the cause of a detected nonconformity 15. Deviation - A variation from accepted practices. 16. Document* - Information and its supporting medium, which can include paper, magnetic, electronic or optical computer disc, photograph or master sample, or a combination thereof. Note: May also be referred to as EMS Document. WORKING COPY ------- EMS 9000.02C October 10, 2006 Page 3 of 7 17. Document Control - A systematic procedure for indexing documents by number, date, and revision number for archiving, storage, and retrieval. Document control procedures ensure Documents are approved for adequacy prior to issue; Documents are reviewed and updated as necessary; Changes and the current revision status of documents are identified; Relevant versions of applicable documents are available at points of use; Documents remain legible and readily identifiable; Externally generated documents necessary for the planning and operation of the EMS are identified and properly controlled; and The use of obsolete documents is prevented. 18. Environment* - Surroundings in which an organization operates including air, water, land, natural resources, flora, fauna, humans, and their interrelation. 19. EMS Coordinator - A member of the EPA Region 7 staff assigned with the responsibility for overall management of the EMS, to include reporting to the Region's Senior Management on the performance of the EMS and providing them with recommendations to improve upon its performance. 20. EMS Document - See the definition for Document. 21. EMS File - This is the file maintained by the EMS coordinator which contains all of the current documents listed in SOP 7210.02. 22. EMS Implementing Procedures - Those procedures developed and implemented by Region 7 that identify the key elements of the EMS, as well as any attachments to those procedures. 23. EMS Record - See the definition for Record. 24. EMS Sustainment Team - The group of employees assigned to oversee the sustainment and continual improvement of the EMS. 25. Environmental Aspect* - Element of an organization's activities, products, or services that can interact with the environment. 26. Environmental Impact* - Any change to the environment, whether adverse or beneficial, wholly or partially resulting from an organization's environmental aspects. 27. Environmentally Preferable - A designation given to products or services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing WORKING COPY ------- EMS 9000.02C October 10, 2006 Page 4 of 7 products or services that serve the same purpose. 28. Environmental Management Program - A program that is created/maintained to achieve specific objectives and targets within the EMS. They include relevant and existing operational controls and activities (including their time lines, required resources, and delegated roles and responsibilities) that lead to the achievement of the objectives and targets. Environmental management programs are updated as activities are completed and become operational controls, and may be amended when the organization's activities change or new legal and/or other requirements are adopted. 29. Environmental Management System* - The part of an organization's management system used to develop and implement its environmental policy and manage its environmental aspects. It is a set of interrelated elements (organizational structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, and resources) used to establish and achieve environmental performance objectives. 30. Environmental Management System Audit - See the definition for Internal Audit. 31. Environmental Objective* - An overall environmental goal, consistent with the environmental policy, that an organization sets itself to achieve. 32. Environmental Performance* - Measurable results of an organization's management of its environmental aspects. Results can be measured against the organization's environmental policy, environmental objectives, environmental targets, and/or other environmental performance requirements. 33. Environmental Policy* - The overall intentions and direction of an organization related to its environmental performance as formally expressed by senior management. It provides a framework for action and for the setting of environmental objectives and targets. 34. Environmental Target* - Detailed performance requirements, applicable to the organization or parts thereof, that arises from the environmental objectives and that needs to be set and met in order to achieve those objectives. 35. Environmental Work Conditions - The interior/exterior climate conditions that can impact the staff including humidity, temperature, air quality, glare, and solar load. 36. Evaluation - The process of assessing the adequacy of one or more safety, health, or environmental programs, systems, procedures, or records (or components of programs, systems, procedures, or records) to determine the extent to which specified properties are present. 37. External Communications - Communication to parties or organizations external to the physical site boundaries of the facilities and activities on or off-site. WORKING COPY ------- EMS 9000.02C October 10, 2006 Page 5 of 7 38. Externally Generated EMS Document - A document created external to Region 7 that has been determined to be necessary for the planning and operation of the EMS. 39. External Stakeholder - Those individuals or groups, who are designated as an Interested Party, but function external to the Region's EMS scope. 40. Facility-Related Goods and Services - Materials provided for use within, and activities performed on behalf of, a Region 7 facility by or through a contract. 41. Federal Register - A daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of the federal government. 42. Interested Party* - A person or group concerned with or affected by the environmental performance of an organization. 43. Internal Audit* - A systematic, independent, and documented process for obtaining audit evidence and evaluating it objectively to determine the extent to which the environmental management system audit criteria set by the organization are fulfilled. Note: May also be referred to as EMS Audit. 44. Internal Communications - Communications that are intended for all members of the Region 7 work force including EPA employees (both those assigned to Region 7 and other parts of the Agency) and on-site grantees, contractors, and volunteers. 45. Internally Generated EMS Document - A document created internally within Region 7 that has been determined to be necessary for the planning and operation of the EMS. 46. Legal and Other Requirements - See the definitions for Legal Requirement and Other Requirement. 47. Legal Requirement - A requirement promulgated by federal, state, or local authorities. 48. Noncompliance - The failure to act according to accepted standards, orders, or regulations. 49. Nonconformance* - The nonfulfillment of a requirement. Nonconformances include the failure to conform to EMS programmatic standards and the failure to comply with legal and other requirements (noncompliance). 50. Occupant Emergency Plan (OEP) - A document to establish a crisis management program in the event of emergencies that may arise at the Regional Office or the Science & Technology Center. The OEP is as comprehensive as possible to help prevent injury, loss of life, loss of property, damage to EPA facilities and environmental impacts in times of crisis or emergency. WORKING COPY ------- EMS 9000.02C October 10, 2006 Page 6 of 7 51. Official Version EMS Document - An EMS document that provides auditable proof of conformance. 52. Operational Controls - Broadly defined to include engineering (e.g., water reclamation tanks), physical (e.g., dikes and berms), and administrative (e.g., standard operating procedures) controls that are applied to activities, products and services to minimize the occurrence of adverse impacts associated with the significant environmental aspects and to prevent deviations from the environmental policy or from legal and other requirements. 53. Organization* - A company, corporation, firm, enterprise, authority or institution, or part or combination thereof, whether incorporated or not, public or private, that has its own functions and administration. 54. Other Requirement - Mandatory or voluntary codes of conduct and performance standards, either externally or internally created, to which an organization subscribes. 55. Preventive Action* - An action to eliminate the cause of a potential nonconformity. 56. Prevention of Pollution* - The use of processes, practices, materials, products, services or energy to avoid, reduce or control (separately or in combination) the creation, emission or discharge of any type of pollutant or waste, in order to reduce adverse environmental impacts. Synonymous with pollution prevention. 57. Procedure* - A specified way to carry out an activity or process. 58. Purchase Card - A government charge card used for small purchases (less than $3000) not requiring competition or other detailed requirements of larger procurement actions. 59. Record* - A document stating results achieved or providing evidence of activities performed. Note: May also be referred to as EMS Record. 60. Regional Incident Coordination Team (RICT) - A team established to assist the EPA Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC) and to coordinate Regional response actions and communication during extraordinary emergency situations that: Have national or international significance in terms of broad-based interest by the public, Congressional offices, or national or international media; Involve an oil discharge or hazardous substance release that crosses state or regional boundaries; Overwhelm the response capability of one or more states; and/or Involve a significant threat to population, substantial amounts of property, or natural resources. WORKING COPY ------- EMS 9000.02C October 10, 2006 Page 7 of 7 61. Regional Training Officer - The individual assigned oversight responsibility for the management and leadership of the Region 7 Training/Workforce Development Program. 62. REGISTRAR - The software system used by Region 7 to announce employee training opportunities and track the completion of them. Contains an employee's official training transcript. 63. Responsible Manager - The manager of the affected area. 64. Retired EMS Document - An EMS document that is no longer necessary, is removed from the EMS Manual, and is archived until its appropriate disposal date. 65. Senior Management - The Region 7 Senior Staff including the Regional Administrator, the Deputy Regional Administrator, division directors, and other program managers that are designated as members of Senior Staff by the Regional Administrator. 66. Significant Environmental Aspect - An environmental aspect that an organization determines has, or has the potential to have, a significant impact on the environment. 67. Site Manager - Depending on the issue at hand, the site manager may be any one of the following: the building facility manager from the Facilities, Security, and Safety Branch (FSSB) or the building owner's on-site engineer or representative. 68. Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Coordinator - The individual designated by the Environmental Services Division Director as having primary responsibility for maintaining and managing all Region 7 SOPs in accordance with SOP 1330.4, Preparation of Standard Operating Procedures. 69. Suppliers and Contractors - Organizations or individuals that provide supplies, materials, services and other tangible goods to the Regional Office or Science & Technology Center. Contractors are more likely than suppliers to provide services on or off site to the Region 7 offices. 70. Training - Acquiring knowledge, skills, and abilities that promote maximum proficiency in the performance of official duties. WORKING COPY ------- |