keeping employees and management focused on an ems after implementation john b. cook, p.e. rick...

Keeping Employees and Management Focused on an EMS After Implementation

John B. Cook, P.E.

Rick Bickerstaff

• Regional water & wastewater provider• 400,000 Served

The management system implemented under the EMS has had a significant effect on bond ratings.

2001• Moody’s• A1 to Aa3• Savings:

* $100,000 per yr.

2006• Standard & Poor’s• Fitch Ratings• AA- to AA• Savings:

* $170,000 per yr.

How do you keep your employees plugged into your EMS?

There exists an intrinsic employee connection to the environment.

Keeping employees involved in environmental improvements provides a “direct connect” to the EMS program.

• Pollution prevention (P2) team• Sub-committees• Departmental EMS committees• Special project teams

Pollution Prevention (P2) Team

Administration

Design & Construction

Facilities Fleet Maintenance

Wastewater Collection

Water Distribution

Environmental Resources

Hanahan Water Treatment Plant

Regulatory Management Committee

Policy, Audit & Management Review

Committee

Planning Committee

Implementation & Operation Committee

Checking and Corrective Action Committee

Documentation Committee

Communication Committee

Sub-committees

Departments

Establishing a culture of environmental stewardship fosters program commitment.

• Communication• Awareness training• Encouragement to contribute • Involvement by top

management

Keeping “continual improvement” as a central business focus keeps employees engaged.

• Objectives & targets that “s t r e t c h”• Benchmarking• Correction action plans• Recognition of continual improvement

* Incentive pay* “On the Spot” awards* Crew of the month

Frequent monitoring of the EMS keeps employees & management aware of overall progress.• Levels of monitoring

* Self-monitoring* Team* Departmental* Executive management

• Productivity measurement• Performance management• Regulatory compliance

Periodic reviews promote continual improvement by employees.• Standard Operating Procedure

reviews• Emergency drill reviews• Post incident reviews• Monthly Operating Reports• Audits

* Internal* External

Communication provides an important link between the community and employees.

• Surveys• Web sites• Bill inserts• Newsletters• Speaker’s

bureau• Plant tours• Transparency

Using the EMS as a platform for other management systems magnifies the significance of the EMS.

• Project management• Strategic planning • Asset management• Risk management

Database

Work Order(Initiate toClose)

Plan Work

Schedule Work

InventoryPurchasing

Reports/Queries

EquipmentHistory

Costs

GIS

CIS

La

b

Fina

nce

Since the inception of our EMS, hundreds of Improvement Programs have been established.

Geographical Information System

Preventive Maintenance* WWCD: $52,000 per yr.

PM:CM Ratio

Improvement Programs (continued)

Emergency Preparedness

* Emergency plans* Periodic drills

Homeland Security* Vulnerability

assessment* Improvement programs

Category 4 Hurricane Hugo made landfall in Charleston on September 21, 1989.

Improvement Programs (continued)

Fuel Reduction* 29% reduction in one

department* $48,000 / yr. savings

2005 Fuel Reduction Team* Water Plant: $8,500 / yr.* WW Plant: $19,500 / yr. * Route-Smart software* Hauling: $19,000 / yr.

Improvement Programs (continued)

New Technologies* Klorigen System* Process savings:

$75,000 / yr.

Data Mining as Aid to Decision-Making

2000 Strategic Plan

0 50 100

Goals

GoalsAchieved

Number of Major Goals in 2000 Strategic Plan

95% of goals achieved!

Improvement Programs (continued)

In conclusion, implementation of an EMS has improved our organization in many ways.

• Improved business management• Preventive vs. reactive• Focus on continual improvement

We are now a:• Thinking organization• Planning organization

Thank you for your time and attention!

For more information, please

contact John Cook at cookjb@charlestoncpw.com

or

Rick Bickerstaff at

bickerstaffr@charlestoncpw.com