Cement, Energy and Environment

/ · We think we're ready. How do we know for sure? Get a pre-assessment. Pre-assessments can make your team feel more comfortable about moving on to an actual audit. Think of pre– assessments as a "dress rehearsal". Pre-assessments is a tool for the company's benefit. While we typically see pre-audits range from 2 to 6 days based on what we feel the best use of time would be, the company can adjust to fit their needs and comfort level. The pre-assessment can also help to ensure the chosen scope and boundaries are manageable for an audit. It's also OK to start with one plant and add to the scope in subsequent years. When pre-assessment is performed by the certification body, it can create a good working relationship between the organ ization and the auditors. How do we choose a Certification Body (CB)? • Ask the right questions. Don't be afraid to ask tough questions early on. Your CB should be willing to put you in touch with an actual certified auditor for any detailed technical questions. • Are objectives, targets and action plans for energy performance improvement required for all SEU's? (Answer: No, only the opportunities you choose to pursue.) • What would you want to see as my monitoring and measurement plan? • What are the legal requirements you perceive to be part of the standard? Which ones will you review? • How do you interpret a part of the standard I still have questions about? • Do your auditors know our industry? Are they sector-qualified? (note: RABQSA and IEnMP in their personnel certification programs define industry sectors for qualification purposes.) • What are the qualifications and accreditations of your audit team? Can you send us their resumes? • How many 50001 audits have you done? Credentials are also important. Investigate not only the CB's credentials (accreditation), but also the requirements for Auditor/Performance Verifier credentials. The US as part of the Superior Energy Performance Program has established the first benchmark requirements for Auditor and Energy Performance Verifier qualification and certification, with more rigorous requirements that also will result in more consistency in Auditors and Verifiers. RABQSA accredits auditors for ISO 50001: www.rabqsa.com/qb_iso50001.html /EnMP accredits auditors for SEP: http://ienmp.com/certification.asp We're implementing ISO 50001 and have our CB lined up. How do we prepare for the audit? The Certification Body will help you by performing a "Stage 1" readiness review, which is part of the standard, to see if your organization is ready for a full audit. This step makes sure that the auditors can be most efficient and that the time allotted is appropriate. With DEKRA, you have the choice of a virtual ("desk") audit or an on-site audit for Stage 1. The virtual Stage 1 audit will save travel costs. However, a virtual audit may not always be preferable if there are a number of confidential documents which would be better kept onsite. Also, it's usually easier to interact in-person. An on-site Stage 1 audit also provides a personal connection to the Audit Team Leader who will be back for the Stage 2 audit, so there is a chance for your staff to gain comfort with the Audit Team. During the Stage 1, your auditor will review the documents which describe the different portions of the ISO 50001 system: • Scope and Boundaries • Energy Planning/ SEUs • Action Plans • Internal Audits and Management Review DEKRA tries to minimize disruption to your staff during Stage 1 by limiting our requests for documents. We only need to gauge the completeness/readiness of your system, not your performance. If your organization is pursuing SEP, DEKRA will review the calculation approach and the statistical model to be used for calcu lating the SEnPl. The auditor may also ask to perform limited interviews of your key facilities, operations, and management staff at Stage I to follow up on questions identified in the document review. Also, 27