Introduction: EMS Auditing

Once your utility has established its EMS, verify its effectiveness. The process of reviewing and verifying your EMS through an EMS internal audit is critical and key to improving your system.

An EMS internal audit is a tool that your wastewater facility will use periodically to identify where things are working well and where improvements are needed. This information will help you assess how well your EMS is performing. If you were to imagine your EMS being like a car with many connected pieces and parts that must work in efficient coordination ("run on all cylinders"), an audit would be equivalent to routine maintenance or tune-ups. You must kick the tires from time to time and gauge the overall performance of your management system. As with a car, an audit may lead to adjustments, part replacements, or performance enhancements.

Reminder

Your EMS internal audit is a snapshot in time. It evaluates your documents, procedures, and records and reviews their implementation effectiveness and consistency.