In this work, the environmental management system in the UEB Ironworks and Galvanization Plant is planned, with the purpose of starting the creation of a mechanism that allows to coordinate and establish environmental management in the entity and efficiently manage its aspects and environmental impacts based on the requirements of the NC ISO-14001: 2015 standard. For this, different methods were used: theoretical, empirical, statistical-mathematical and techniques (interview, survey, direct observation, cause-effect diagram, flow diagram, SWOT analysis, Leopold matrix). It begins with the diagnosis to know the situation of the UEB to develop the EMS, which made it possible to identify the environmental impacts associated directly or indirectly with its activities, products and processes.The EMS is planned, where the procedures were established to identify and maintain the records of environmental aspects that generate significant environmental impacts, the legislation and other applicable legal requirements, the environmental policy was defined, which establishes the commitment of the management, and to In compliance with this, the environmental objectives, goals, and programs were established.
The growing interest and concern of today's society for the care of the environment, determines that organizations, whatever their nature, must ensure that their activities are carried out in harmony with it, so that the consequences that the processes may represent and products related to them, are less and less and corrected in time.
With industrial development, there have been effects and changes in the climate, air, soil, and water, which directly and indirectly affect living beings on the planet, including man. Caring for the environment is one of the main challenges and commitments in today's industry.
Every year, more companies strive to demonstrate their environmental performance, where in such a changing world and faced with new challenges, especially in the legal field, the demands are becoming stricter every day, organizations seek to establish mechanisms that lead them to improve their environmental performance, implementing control elements over the environmental aspects generated in their activities, processes, products or services.
Cuba no está exenta de enfrentar y asumir esta realidad donde la toma de conciencia hacia la necesidad de preservación del medio ambiente, es una premisa fundamental para el desarrollo socioeconómico de ahí a que las entidades cubanas hacen múltiples esfuerzos para ganar en el cuidado del medio ambiente, pero aún existen dificultades para aplicar estas nociones al diario quehacer de trabajadores y personas de las comunidades en general.
As of 2007, the Cuban Business Improvement Model is introduced (Decree-Law 281) repealed by Decree-Law 320: 2014, in which it is proposed that the integration of environmental management, in the improvement process, must consider certain principles, among which the adoption of the legal and regulatory requirements established within and outside the organization, stimulating environmental planning during the life cycle of the product or processes, providing appropriate and sufficient resources, including training, to achieve set performance levels on an ongoing basis, and evaluate environmental performance against policy.
The Base Business Unit (UEB) Hardware and Galvanization Plant does not currently have an Environmental Management System designed, but it has among its functions the responsibility of improving the environmental performance of the company, considering that it generates a series of important environmental impacts. Such aspects must be controlled since if they are not mitigated in time, they can not only generate significant damage to the economy and the factory, but also to living beings in the area.
Therefore, planning your EMS is the first step to ensure the environmental performance of the organization in accordance with environmental legal requirements and its specific corporate commitments, responding to the growing demands of the international and national context on the protection of the environment from its subsequent design and implementation, so the development of an instrument that allows the efficient management of the environmental aspects and impacts of the UEB based on the requirements of the NC ISO-14001: 2015 standard, taking responsibility for the demands of society and the legal part that is currently in force in our country is imminent.
The objective of this work is to plan the Environmental Management System (EMS) in the UEB Ironworks and Galvanization Plant as a starting point for its subsequent implementation.
Materials and methods
To comply with the objectives of the work, methods of theoretical level (unity of the historical and logical, analytical - synthetic, inductive - deductive and system approach), of the empirical level (documentary analysis), as techniques (direct observation, cause-effect diagram, survey, interview, flow chart, Leopold Matrix), and mathematical - statistical (statistical - descriptive, the percentage calculation).
The Deming cycle or PHVA Model (plan, do, verify and act) taken from ISO 14000: 2015 is also taken into account, which provides an iterative process used by organizations to achieve continuous improvement of the environmental management system.
This article shows the development of the planning stage, which aims to establish the environmental objectives and the processes necessary to generate and provide results in accordance with the environmental policy of the organization.
The research was supported by a study and bibliographic analysis on the subject of reference, where books, specialized magazines, as well as articles published on various Web pages were taken into account.
Results and Discussion
To know the current situation of the organization regarding its environmental management, the official survey of ISO: 14001: 2015 is applied, aimed at knowing the real state in which it is, a review of legal requirements, environmental aspects, impacts and significant risks and the results of inspections or audits and the level of follow-up given to the recommendations will be taken into account.
A work team made up of those managers linked to production was dispensed with because they are the ones who have the most knowledge in relation to the production process and the damage that it can cause to the environment, so that the members of the team are aware of the regulations current information on environmental management, training was provided over a three-week period.
Scope of the environmental management system
The Environmental Management System extends to the entire UEB, fundamentally to the forming and galvanizing processes as they are the main productive processes in the organization, for which the Organization Policy is established and those responsible are determined.
Environmental policy
The Base Business Unit (UEB), "Ironworks and Galvanization Plant" of the Electromechanical Productions Company (EPE), dedicated to the production and commercialization of fittings, galvanized products, parts and pieces for use of the national electro-energy system has not developed its environmental policy and based on the policy drawn up by (EPE), the UEB's environmental policy is drawn up where all the organization's workers commit to:
- Comply with current and applicable legislation to its activities and products, the requirements agreed with customers and others subscribed by the organization; Achieve the reduction of the environmental impacts of our activities, products and services, generated by the use of natural resources, and due to the inadequate management of waste, is the central task of our policy in favor of the environment and our commitment to sustainable development Understand the protection of the environment as an important responsibility of the management and ensure that it is carried out through specific goals and guidelines for behavior in all functions and areas of activity of the organization; Prevent pollution associated with its activities, reduce the generation and emission of waste,as well as maintaining the proper control and management of hazardous waste; Using the assigned resources rationally and efficiently, promoting energy savings in the development of its activities; Identifying, evaluating, controlling, minimizing or continuously eliminating health risks and the environment; Guarantee the competence of the organization's human capital through its motivation and training; Transform, through constant innovation, scientific technological advances into new products and processes; Continuously review and improve the business management system; Keep clients informed about the progress of the Company's environmental performance;Set and annually review the environmental objectives and goals so that they respond to this Policy and make them available to all interested parties.
The policy serves as a framework for the establishment of objectives, goals and programs, and is communicated at all levels of the organization, being available to all interested parties.
Identification and evaluation of environmental impacts
A very important point to highlight is the identification of the inputs and outputs of the activities carried out in the UEB, because from their identification the environmental impacts are identified.
To identify the environmental impacts caused by the activity, it is also necessary to carry out a review of the production process or technological flow for each of the UEB's activities.
The results of the evaluation of environmental impacts are made through a Leopold matrix, which is one of the methods used in Environmental Impact Studies, the results are shown below in the following summary table:
As can be seen, the actions that have a greater negative evaluation on the environment are: the accumulation of solid waste and the possible occurrence of accidents since they have a severe impact on the environment and are considered of great importance to achieve preservation of the environment, so measures must be taken in this regard to achieve good environmental performance. They affect soils and waste disposal more severely in the case of solid waste with a final impact magnitude of - 16 and an importance of 21, and the case of the occurrence of possible accidents would affect soils more severely, the quality of the air, the trees and the grass of the environment where the entity is located, having as a total magnitude -37 and the importance would be 37.
For the classification of environmental aspects, the consumption of raw materials, soil contamination through liquid and solid waste, air pollution due to noise, vibrations, gas emanations and accidents that may occur in the environment were taken into account. course of it.
The review of environmental aspects should be reviewed periodically an estimated time of every six months or a year but never exceeding this time limit. In the event of the occurrence of situations such as the incorporation of new technologies, changes in the production process and modification of current laws, a collective review of environmental aspects must be carried out, made up of specialists from each area where they will reflect the results obtained through environmental performance reports, monitoring data, results of management reviews, audit reports, results of operational control and environmental concerns of interested parties.The documentation must be carried out by senior management reflecting the results obtained and taking immediate measures to mitigate environmental impacts.
Identification of applicable legal requirements and other requirements.
Regarding the current environmental legislation and standards applicable in the UEB, we put some of these resolutions for your consideration, understanding that they are important and adjust to the production process of the organization and other tasks carried out in it:
- Article 118 of Title Six, Atmosphere. Article 152 of Title Thirteenth, Noise, vibrations and other physical factors. Article 161 of Title Fourteenth, Protection of the environment in the development of work activities.NC 39: 1999. Air quality. Hygienic-sanitary requirements.NC 111: 2004. Air quality. Rules for the surveillance of air quality in human settlements.NC 133: 2002. Urban solid waste. Storage, collection and transportation. Hygienic-sanitary and environmental requirements NC ISO: 1431 Environmental Management-Evaluation of Environmental Performance-Guidelines NC XX: 1999-Elimination of Contaminants in Galvanic Workshops. Dumping parameters D-L No. 309/2013 “Chemical Safety” Res No. 153/2007 MINCIN “Warehouse Logistics”
Objectives, goals and programs
Based on the results obtained in the diagnosis made, the objectives, goals and the Environmental Management Program (made up of 7 programs) were defined.
The proposed objectives and goals shown below are established for the 2016-2019 triennium.
- Lack of knowledge on the part of workers about environmental management.
Objective: To develop knowledge in all the workers of the organization and include them as a fundamental part of the Environmental Management System.
Goal: Train 100% of the workers and assign them tasks in this regard .
Programs:
- Holding workshops, videoconferences, rallies, volunteer work aimed at collecting waste, sanitation and reforestation in the center . Send a set of bibliography to all areas for study and dissemination Obtain a bibliography on environmental topics directed at our activity (books, brochures, brochures and others) Establish training programs for workers on the subject of Environmental Management
Compliance managers:
- The director of the UEB as the maximum responsible, The environmental specialist, Quality Specialist, Human Capital Specialist.
- Consumption of Raw Materials and Natural Resources.
Objective: Minimize the consumption of raw materials and natural resources.
Goal: Reduce consumption rates by 10% with the search for alternatives.
Programs:
- Make proposals for the substitution of 10% of electrical energy through photovoltaic panels Substitute older machines for modern ones Maintain machinery Avoid unnecessary use of work equipment that consume electrical energy Periodically check for leaks of water in the UEB.
Compliance managers:
- The director The productive technical manager.
- Solid waste generation.
Objective: Reduce the generation of waste as much as possible.
Goal: Achieve more frequent reuse of metal sheets.
Programs:
- Elaboration of a procedure to control solid waste Establish a contract with the company Materia Primas for the collection of solid waste Qualitative and quantitative characterization of solid waste Create an area for its storage Carry out modifications in the galvanizing plant so that the carry-over of solid particles is minimal and in this way there are no zinc losses due to crystallization. Identification of emission points in the production process.
Compliance managers:
- Director of UEB, Quality Specialist, Economics Specialist.
- Generation of liquid waste.
Objective: Minimize the generation of liquid waste .
Goal: Achieve a 90% reduction in breakdowns, operational negligence and other activities during the production process that may cause the spillage of substances that are harmful to man and the environment.
Programs:
- Quantitative and qualitative characterization of liquid waste Identify the points of greatest probability for the escape of liquid waste Periodically control the quality of the galvanizing tanks Ensure the correct storage of chemicals, lubricants and fuels Carry out and control the neutralization of residuals from the galvanic treatment tanks. Qualitative and quantitative characterization of liquid waste.
Compliance managers:
- UEB Director, Quality Specialist, Workshop Managers, Warehouse Manager.
- Generation of noise and vibrations.
Objective: Taking into account the different laws that exist in the country on noise and vibrations, to ensure that these are within the permissible limits for human beings.
Goal: Achieve that 100% of the workers use the means of protection adequately in order to ensure their quality of life.
Programs:
- Explain through the appropriate means the importance of the use of protection means Systematic control over the use of protection means Carry out a study on permissible limits of noise and vibration generation.
Compliance managers:
- Director of UEB Workshops Heads Specialist in Occupational Safety and Health.
- Gas Emanation
Objective: Minimize the emanation of gases and achieve that they are within the permissible limits illustrated in the different environmental laws.
Goal: Reduce the expulsion of gases into the atmosphere by 20%.
Programs:
- Place gas extractors on the pickling tanks.Place a fume hood over the galvanizing crucible.Appropriate application of the product “Gas controller, MIX” to reduce the emanations in the acid treatment tanks. Replace the fuel oil burners with gas butane.
Compliance managers:
- Director of UEB Head of galvanizing workshop Head of marketing and logistics Quality specialist
Roles, responsibilities and authorities in the organization
For any organization to carry out proper environmental management, it is necessary for each and every one of the workers to be aware that they are all part of the EMS and that they play a fundamental role in achieving environmental objectives and for this they need to be responsible in their work and not think that the responsibility belongs only to those who are directly linked to production. All the heads of areas and processes are responsible for the correct environmental management in their area of responsibility. In this sense, all functions and responsibilities for environmental management must be duly documented and conveniently communicated so that each worker is aware of what is incumbent on her in relation to her daily work.
Conclusions
- The diagnosis carried out made it possible to identify the main deficiencies that affect the environmental performance of the UEB:
- Lack of an environmental management system Lack of knowledge of workers Failure to implement current legal requirements Lack of adequate infrastructure for solid waste Emission of gases, noise and vibrations.
- The research focused on EMS planning taking into account its importance, basing the organization on the basis of the ISO: 14001: 2015 Standard that guides the performance and operation of the organization towards adequate environmental development.
Bibliography
Del Río, ML (2010). Its impact on the environment. Science Technology and Society. 7. Cienfuegos, Cuba.
Law No. 81. Environment (1997). Official Gazette of the Republic of Cuba. Havana. Cuba.
Lijteroff, R. (2008). Environmental Management as a tool for decision making.
Linares, F and Sierra, P. (2001). Project for the implementation of Environmental Management in a Gaviota SA facility
Guidelines of the Economic and Social Policy of the Party and the Revolution, 2011.
Moran, H. (2009). Definition of environmental management systems. Available at: http://ambienteeco.blogspot.com/2009/12/es.html. Accessed January 28, 2015.
Muñoa, A and Soto, E. (1999). Environmental management systems: A new scenario for the next decade. Madrid. Available at: http://www.daphnia.es/revista/19/articulo/330/. Accessed February 15, 2015.
NC ISO 14001: 2015. Environmental management system. Requirements with for use.
Rodríguez, A. (2011). Definition of environmental management programs and operational controls, under the ISO 14001 approach. Business Success.
Ruiz, GL (2012). Introduction to environmental management. Teaching brochure. InsTEC, Faculty of Environment, University of Havana.
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