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Implementation
The implementation phase
of your EMS involves systematically executing your plans. Learn
how to implement your EMS by visiting the sections and using
the tools listed below.
Roles and Responsibilities
An EMS establishes roles and responsibilities for the key players
involved in the EMS, from top administration to committee members.
It is important to list roles and responsibilities for each person
in the EMS, so that each person knows what influence they will
have and how it will affect their workload.
Top administration plays
an important role by providing the necessary resource commitment
and giving the EMS initiative high visibility. Top administration
should designate a representative who:
• Ensures that the EMS is established
• Reports on EMS performance over time
• Works with others to modify the EMS when necessary
Be cognizant
of your school’s size, internal structure, and unique characteristics
when assigning roles and responsibilities.
• Small schools usually have less hierarchy, more direct lines of communication,
and faster decision-making processes. And because staff at these schools often
performs multiple functions, integrating environmental responsibilities with
other functions can simplify the EMS structure and minimize use of resources.
• Medium-sized and large schools may have more specialized expertise and
resources but also more bureaucracy; as a result, they must strive to break down
interdepartmental barriers and operate collaboratively to create an efficient
and functional EMS.
Examples
Washington State University
EMS Organizational Chart
Tools
Fact
Sheet for Senior Administrators 
Use this fact sheet to communicate the importance and benefits
of EMSs to your college or university’s president or other
senior administrator.
EPA
New England EMS Guide
This guide was developed by EPA New England and colleges and
universities nationwide. Use it to design a cost-effective
EMS that improves
compliance and environmental performance, promotes pollution prevention,
and saves money. The guide provides a framework to systematically
identify, prioritize, manage, mitigate, and document the environmental
aspects and impacts of your school’s activities.
PEER
Center Steps for Implementation
The information and guidance provided on this Web site is structured
to address the needs and issues that a public entity might encounter
as they prepare for, develop, and implement an EMS.
Communication
Plan and implement internal and external communications about the
EMS to ensure that environmental goals are met.
Internal Communication
Internal communication should explain the environmental policy
and address the EMS roles and responsibilities delegated to
employees as well as progress toward specific objectives and
targets. Two particularly unique audiences at colleges and
universities for internal communication are faculty and students.
Faculty should be part
of the EMS effort and be solicited for input and advice where
appropriate. Faculty is critical where their activities are sources
of environmental aspects; for example, hazardous waste from laboratories
or art studios. Faculty that works with chemical products containing
hazardous constituents can be invaluable advisors regarding the
environmental aspects and impact of the products used and the
handling, storage, and disposal regulations that apply to waste
material.
Students may have unique
roles in the EMS. Some schools rely on students to gather information
about operations and processes linked to EMS objectives and targets.
All students should be aware of their ability to affect environmental
aspects related to waste generation (especially solid waste and
recycling) and resource use (especially energy and water use).
External Communication
Communication with interested parties such as regulators, insurers,
grant organizations, local community members, alumni, and emergency
responders should be addressed and documented. Your college
or university can fulfill its environmental policy and realize
EMS objectives by maintaining meaningful dialogue and a proactive
approach with external parties.
Examples
Washington
State University Internal and External Communications
Michigan
State University Internal Communication Procedure
Michigan
State University External Communication Procedure
Sample Stakeholder Analysis
and Communication Plan 
This table, developed by Cornell, ensures that all stakeholders
are identified as well as the communications modes that will be
used to reach them.
Tools
EPA
New England EMS Guide
This guide was developed by EPA New England and colleges and
universities nationwide. Use it to design a cost-effective
EMS that improves
compliance and environmental performance, promotes pollution prevention,
and saves money. The guide provides a framework to systematically
identify, prioritize, manage, mitigate, and document the environmental
aspects and impacts of your school’s activities.
PEER
Center Steps for Implementation
The information and guidance provided on this Web site is structured
to address the needs and issues that a public entity might encounter
as they prepare for, develop, and implement an EMS
Training
Training is an important aspect of an EMS because it is used
to build awareness and competency on the EMS and its implementation.
Training is often complicated by the complex nature of a school’s
organizational structure and the number of departments in which
EMS participants work.
The goals of your EMS
training should include:
• EMS awareness to provide an understanding of the EMS and how it works
•Task-specific training on topics to aid progress toward the EMS objectives
and targets
• Training required by regulations to comply with applicable environmental
and health and safety training requirements
To develop
EMS awareness training, start with an agenda and materials for
EMS information
you want every EMS participant to understand and then add training
modules to accommodate the needs of particular audiences. For
example, the EMS team likely wants each EMS participant to understand
the school’s:
• Environmental policy
• Significant environmental aspects and impacts
• EMS roles and responsibilities
• Initiatives for meeting EMS objectives and targets
The EMS team may also
want to develop EMS awareness training modules such as:
• “EMS Costs and Benefits” for administration
• “EMS Administration Review” for the EMS Administration Review
Team
• “Environmental Policy” for student orientation
Potential training resources
include:
• EMS team members
• Computer-based training
• Departmental professors
• Graduate students
• Suppliers/vendors
• Self-directed study
• Outside consultants
Examples
Washington State University
Training, Awareness, and Competence Procedure
Michigan
State
University Environmental Training Procedure
Tools
EPA
New England EMS Guide
This guide was developed by EPA New England and colleges and
universities nationwide. Use it to design a cost-effective
EMS that improves
compliance and environmental performance, promotes pollution prevention,
and saves money. The guide provides a framework to systematically
identify, prioritize, manage, mitigate, and document the environmental
aspects and impacts of your school’s activities.
PEER
Center Steps for Implementation
The information and guidance provided on this Web site is structured
to address the needs and issues that a public entity might encounter
as they prepare for, develop, and implement an EMS
EMS Document Control
The primary focus of your college or university’s EMS document
control should be to implement an effective EMS, not a large document
control system. Even in the most streamlined systems, there are
several documents that are integral to the EMS, including the environmental
policy and various written procedures, records, and forms. Document
control ensures that EMS documents can be:
• Easily located
• Periodically reviewed
• Updated as needed
• Removed when obsolete
Controlled documents
should be centrally located at your school, usually under the
control of the EMS manager. Controlled documents should include:
• Effective date
• Approval signature and date
• Copy number (if more than one controlled copy is required)
Consider controlling
the following EMS documents:
• Environmental policy
• EMS description document (“manual”)
• System-level procedures
• Process- or activity-level procedures / work instructions
• Related plans (such as emergency response plans)
Examples
Washington
State University Document Control Procedure
Michigan
State University System Documentation Procedure
Tools
EPA
New England EMS Guide
This guide was developed by EPA New England and colleges and
universities nationwide. Use it to design a cost-effective
EMS that improves
compliance and environmental performance, promotes pollution prevention,
and saves money. The guide provides a framework to systematically
identify, prioritize, manage, mitigate, and document the environmental
aspects and impacts of your school’s activities.
PEER
Center Steps for Implementation
The information and guidance provided on this Web site is structured
to address the needs and issues that a public entity might encounter
as they prepare for, develop, and implement an EMS
Emergency Response and Preparedness
Nearly all schools have experienced an event, such as an employee
injury, a spill of hazardous chemicals, or a fire, which required
some kind of emergency response. Colleges and universities have
a high potential for accidents because they typically use a variety
of hazardous chemicals and have a wide range of faculty, students,
and staff who use them.
Schools must
be vigilant in planning and preparing for emergencies. Emergency
planning
can limit injuries, protect faculty, students, staff, neighbors
and the environment, reduce asset losses, and minimize damage
to your school’s image.
An effective emergency
response and preparedness program should include provisions for:
• Assessing the potential for accidents and emergencies
• Preventing incidents and their associated environmental impacts
•
Responding to incidents
• Mitigating impacts associated with these incidents
The most difficult
part of developing emergency preparedness and response plans
is often
identifying the potential for accidents and emergencies. The
EMS manager should form a team of school personnel (and outside
consultants or local responders if necessary or beneficial) to
examine all facility activities. Extend your evaluation beyond
those materials and operations that are obviously or inherently
dangerous; ask “what if” questions under both normal
and abnormal conditions.
Helpful documents for
gauging emergency risk and making preparations include:
• Site maps to determine relative locations of hazardous chemicals/wastes/operations
to people and environmentally sensitive areas
• Drainage plans, including surface and subsurface conveyances
• Past records and reports of emergencies and any rectifying actions taken
Examples
Washington State
University Emergency Preparedness and Response Procedure
Michigan
State University Fire Evacuation Procedure
Michigan State
University Tornado Response Procedure
Tools
EPA
New England EMS Guide
This guide was developed by EPA New England and colleges and
universities nationwide. Use it to design a cost-effective
EMS that improves
compliance and environmental performance, promotes pollution prevention,
and saves money. The guide provides a framework to systematically
identify, prioritize, manage, mitigate, and document the environmental
aspects and impacts of your school’s activities.
PEER
Center Steps for Implementation
The information and guidance provided on this Web site is structured
to address the needs and issues that a public entity might encounter
as they prepare for, develop, and implement an EMS
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