Saving the environment is a good thing for everyone. In the time since the Industrial Revolution, humanity has used the world’s resources and polluted its waters and air with impunity. However, as a whole, humanity is starting to realize the folly of its actions in the past. One of the industries that causes the most harm is the construction industry. However, the construction industries in many industrialized nations have decided to try to make amends by introducing an Environmental Protection Plan.

Every construction company can write its own Environmental Protection Plan. The purpose of these plans is to outline the ways in which the company or corporation in question will participate in trying to make the world a cleaner place. Some companies are more willing to change their ways than others; for some companies, these plans are merely words on a page. However, many companies are genuinely devoted to making a change in the world.

Violation of environmental laws is a serious offense in many countries. This is one of the leading reasons companies choose to become more environmentally friendly. However, environmental laws in many nations are seriously lacking, so even if a company adheres to the letter of the law, it may still be causing harm to the environment. However, following environmental laws is a start, and it is often the first stage of a company’s Environmental Protection Plan.

Many of the materials that are used on a construction site are not completely consumed. These products can often be collected and reused on other construction sites. Certain products can even be turned into other, more useful products; it depends entirely on whether or not a company takes the time to find a use for the materials left on a construction site. Companies that help recycle and reuse materials may even be paid for the trouble of collecting the materials.

Protecting the environment is about more than just preserving the current state of the globe. A company’s Environmental Protection Plan should also take into account the materials that the company uses to build. Are these sustainable materials? If they are not, the materials used by a company can often be switched from non –renewable to renewable goods. In addition, the company should avoid using any kind of toxic materials whenever possible. This will help maintain the health of the environment as well as the people living in the environment.

There has been, in recent years, a great discovery in the importance of project managers in the construction industry having Construction Environmental Management Plans in place prior to even commencing their work. The primary reason for this is that society as a whole has taken a greater consciousness in regards to the impact any human activities can produce in a natural environment. In turn, governments in most countries that are already developed have put in place a legislation, which makes it a legal procedure for either companies or contractors to have on-hand a document detailing and assessing the impact of the project in question on the surrounding environment. They will be unable to commence any proceedings on their project until this has been received and approved.

In Australia, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act of 1999 became the primary environmental legislation at the federal level. It is this legislation that requires Construction Environmental Management Plans (or otherwise known by the acronym CEMP) must be prepared, submitted and approved prior to the commencement of any type of construction work.

Addition, the legislation clearly specifies the various penalties you can find yourself receiving if you do not comply with the aforementioned laws. The penalty at the lower end of the spectrum is a financial penalty that varies in size, all depending on various aspects of each case. The penalty at the high end of the spectrum is prosecution for environmentally related negligence.

It is important to take note that the following is simply a guideline on which to base your own Environmental Management Plans. It is not a definitive list and it is highly recommend that you take the time to visit the website of your state government respectively to obtain more information. There are slight variances in legislation from state to state, and you need to be sure all aspects are covered for your individual location.

Following are a list of components, which should be included with all documents in your plans:

- Adequate description of the project

- Environmental plan objectives

- Contact numbers (in order of importance)

- Any and all requirements as per legislative documentation

- Estimated or actual working hours for this project

- Established procedures regarding any possible complaints and communication on the worksite

- Emergency procedures protocol

- Manners for control of non-conformance

- Any undertaken or future environmental training (prior to commencement of project)

- Measures of protection for the environment

Now it is important for you to remember this is just a guideline for you to follow. It should be used only as a guide for those who have never created any Environmental Management Plans before, or require a refresher on how to in fact prepare one. In order to get your project started in the briefest time frame possible, while following the law to the letter, you must have your CEMP for your project, and any subsequent projects thereafter.

Issues pertaining to the environment are taken seriously by almost all jurisdictions across the world, Australia included and various Environmental Management Program have been put in place. Pollution and damage to the environment are now taken more seriously than before and this can be seen in the various environmental legislations enacted by different jurisdictions.

In particular, the impact of construction projects to the environment is taken seriously and specific environmental laws have been enacted to regulate how construction companies undertake their construction projects. One of the very important program that you as a constructor are required to undertake is the environmental assessment study. This is very necessary before the commencement of any construction project.

An Environmental Management Program that excludes environmental impact assessment can seriously affect you as a constructor because you may be forced to pay for all the damages to the environment caused by your constructing activities that you had not planned properly. Amongst other issues, the environmental impact assessment study addresses the following:

• Pollution – Your environmental impact assessment study should evaluate and determine the kind of environmental pollution your construction equipments and materials are likely to cause. You will need to have proper systems in place to mitigate against such environmental pollution. Although having such a system may be an expensive undertaking, it can save you a lot.
• Waste – Your construction project is bound to yield a substantial amount of waste. Your Environmental Management Program should have a proper system of disposal. This may include having a recycling facility.
• Materials – It is certain that you will require construction materials for your construction project and this may mean sourcing the same from the immediate environment. Such is likely to change the area’s natural stability. Your program should have a mechanism through which the area’s stability is restored.

As part of your program, you should make education a priority. Your management program should involve the local community or inhabitants by educating them on the planned construction project and how it may affect them. In doing so, you should elaborate on the remedy measures you have put in place to minimize the negative effects. You will also need to educate your employees on the need to maintain and promote a safe working environment.

Some construction companies do experience rejection from local inhabitants of areas they plan to undertake construction projects. This is usually because they fail to engage the inhabitants in their plans. A well-planned and executed Environmental Management Program should see a construction project run smoothly.

Environment as defined in the dictionary as a noun in ecology, the air, water, minerals, organisms, and all other external factors surrounding and affecting a given organism at any time. It is the social and cultural forces that shape the life of a person or a population. Talking about environmental management plan has never been that so easy because there are so many things to consider and to be discussed. Construction industry based in Australia is one of those which are in need of construction environmental management plan (CEMP). In setting up all the plans, goals and objectives for your construction industry, the environmental properties must not be excluded. All aspects and tasks that will be done in the construction site will give impact to the environment; it may be the biggest or the least. Thus, construction environmental management plan must be considered.

Who are involved?
Humans are part of the environment. We are created by God to rule over and give dominion to His creation. Yet the duty is in our hands to protect the creation. I have written a blog post about construction health and safety plan which could also be related in our construction environmental management plan. Although we have to secure our individual health and safety when on the job, we must also consider the things that we do which could affect the environment, especially if we are in the construction site.  Nobody is excluded in this endeavor, but all who are involved in the construction industry, may it be from the top rank, to the lowest. Everyone must contribute and participate. Hence, the making of the construction environmental management plan exist.

Awareness and Responsibility
Consequent and effective execution of the construction management plan will guarantee that environmental concerns are fully dealt with and that environmental legislative requirements are met, if not gone beyond, during the job. In doing all construction projects, environmental legislation must be considered including also the environmental concepts and policies. Important factors in the construction site that could probably damage the environment must be controlled and mitigated where all the possible and favorable outcomes will be encouraged. The environmental plan must cover the construction activities showing how best environmental management is put into practice. It is anticipated to be functional and is supposed to show how they are going to lessen undesirable results to the surroundings, environment and the construction community.  Consequently, it is most important also to show the enhancing beneficial impacts towards the environment. The contractor is also supposed to incorporate in this plan a statement of commitment pertaining to the environmental concerns and issues.  The construction environmental management plan should also provide an outline of the environmental management controls that will be engaged at some point in the construction. Furthermore, because everyone is included in the scope of this plan, everyone is responsible of his/her action in the construction site. Hence, environmental responsibility must be practiced and initiated in the site. The construction environmental management plan shall cover all the aspects relating to the relationship between the construction workers and the environment.

Construction Environmental Management is one of those topics that many construction contractors and companies are not very fond of. The reason why this is the case is because the issue of environmental management in the construction industry is still relatively new. It has only really intensified in the last decade or so through a big increase in environmental awareness both in Australia and overseas.

As a result, the Australian government has responded to these concerns through environmental legislation. This effectively means that before any work can begin on a site, the contractor (or company) in charge must produce an adequate Construction Environmental Management Plan. However, given the general lack of knowledge about the legislation among construction workers, many are still unaware about how to go about environmental management.

One of the most important tasks that you will be required to do regarding environmental management is undertaking an Environmental Impact Assessment. This refers to researching and thoroughly analysing the potential impact of project activities on the surrounding environment. In addition, you must outline what measures you plan to implement in order to reduce or at least minimise the impact.

There is much more to Construction Environmental Management than meets the eye. Yet it cannot be ignored, because that can only lead to incompliance with the law and to consequences such as financial penalties or even prosecution.

If you are contractor and feel that you are not knowledgeable enough about the topic, then by all means, consult someone or a company who may be able to assist you. Sometimes it’s better use of your time and strengths not to learn about such things, and just find someone who already knows and get them to do such tasks.

So, the message here is to continue playing to your strengths without completely ignoring the importance of Construction Environmental Management, which can only land you in trouble.

An Environmental Impact Assessment, otherwise known as an EIA, is a mandatory task that must be undertaken before the commencement of any project in the Australian construction industry. An EIA is essentially an assessment of the impact any project will have on the environment. It is absolutely necessary that all construction companies and contractors undertake one if they do not wish to pay large fines or possibly face prosecution.

At a federal level, the EIA is included as part of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act or the EPBC Act. At a state level, this is included in the corresponding state legislation.

One of the key components of any Environmental Impact Assessment is the Environmental Management Plan, or more commonly known as an EMP. The rest of the article will explain how to adequately and correctly prepare an EMP in addition to the benefits of using templates.

How To Prepare An EMP

Knowing how to prepare an EMP is very important if you want to get your construction approved and underway as quick as possible. In the construction industry, such a plan is known as a Construction Environmental Management Plan.

The Queensland Government gives some great advice on how to prepare an EMP, in particular, the content and format of one. Below is just a sample of what they advise an EMP should include:

• Established performance criteria and objectives
• How you hope to control environmental impacts on the site
• Detailed explanation of responsibilities for environmental management
• Corrective actions to be taken to fix any failure to reach performance criteria

Using Templates

In most cases, you would probably not want to embark on writing up an EMP from scratch as part of an Environmental Impact Assessment. It’s very likely that you are even too busy to find time to do one. For this reason, using a professionally written template would be more convenient.

The benefits associated with using an Environmental Management Plan Template outweigh the drawbacks. While it may cost you a bit to get your hands on a template, you can be rest assured that it will be a wise investment for both you and the environment.

Making sure that you adequately undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment can play a key role in your construction success.

The best and easiest way to comply with current Australian environmental legislation is by using an Environmental Management Plan Template. Whether you like it or not, unless you want to pay huge fines or face prosecution, you have no choice but to create a fully compliant environmental management plan for your workplace or worksite.

There are 3 BIG reasons why it is much better to use a template than create your very own one from scratch. These are:

• Not Enough Knowledge – Let’s face the facts. Most employers and business owners do not have sufficient knowledge to be able to write a fully compliant environmental management plan. Who’s actually keen on reading through all the environmental legislation and regulations?
• Not Enough Time – Even if you had all the knowledge, chances are that you are probably too busy managing the finances and logistics of a project to even find the time to sit down and write a whole plan from scratch.
• Not Enough Money – Getting a professional to write the whole plan from scratch for you is quite expensive (in the vicinity of $2,000-$3,000). A template not only costs less but it can be used over and over again.

Download A Fully Compliant Environmental Management Plan Template

Ensafe has created 2 fully compliant environmental management plan templates to help employers and business owners comply across the country. There’s one for construction activities and one for non-construction activities.

It is important to keep in mind that any template needs to be customised to your workplace or worksite, and in order to facilitate this, Ensafe has made it easy by creating an easy structure and adding instructions throughout the templates.

Furthermore, each template comes with 12 months of free updates which means that if the new legislation were to change, you will get an updated version of the template so that you always remain compliant.

Click on the relevant links below to access each one. You can also download a sample of each template.

Environmental Management Plan Template For Construction Activities – GET ACCESS HERE

Environmental Management Plan Template For Non-Construction Activities – COMING SOON (Sept 2011)

If you have any questions about the above templates, get in contact with Ensafe by sending an email to support@ensafe.com.au or by calling 1300 729 881.

More Than Just Compliance

Apart from the legal aspect of compliance, taking action to minimise our impact on the natural environment is everyone’s moral responsibility. By getting access to an Environmental Management Plan Template today, you can start fulfilling that responsibility.

The Construction Environmental Management Plan is one of the most important documents for managing the environmental impact of a construction site. Given its importance, it is also one of the most sought-after legal documents in the Australian construction industry. The abbreviation most commonly used is CEMP, and sometimes the C may stand for Contractor’s instead of Construction, depending on who you talk to. However, they are exactly the same thing and serve the same purpose.

Why You Need An Environmental Plan

The bottom line is that there exists legislation both at state and federal level that oblige all construction worksites to have a Construction Environmental Management Plan. As with all legislation, there are severe penalties for not complying with the law. In the case of environmental legislation, this may range from a fine to even jail time. The Federal Government has a website detailing all Australian Environmental Legislation for your convenience.

In addition, we as the human race have a moral obligation to minimise our impact on the environment. As a responsible global citizen, we can choose to preserve our current environment so that future generations can reap the same rewards we are reaping today. Environmental Management is all about “thinking globally, acting locally.” What better way to do your bit for the environment than by acting environmentally responsible at your construction site.

What a CEMP Should Include

Some people may not be aware about what a CEMP should include. Below are just some of the features of a good environmental management plan to get you started:

• Project description
• Objectives of the environmental plan
• Environmental responsibilities
• Important contact numbers
• Legislative requirements
• Approvals, licenses and permits
• Working hours
• Non-conformance control
• Communication and complaints procedure
• Emergency response procedures
• Environmental training
• Environmental protection measures

Please note that the above list is only a guideline as to what a Construction Environmental Management Plan should include. It is by no means definitive, but it gives you a good start on coming up with your own plan. Nevertheless, even if you may know what it should include, you may not be too keen on putting together such a plan. In fact, you may not have time to come up with one from scratch. Here’s where you should consider using a template.

Benefits of Using a Plan Template

A template is essentially a pre-written and pre-structured document that requires you to fill in some specific details for it to be fully customised to your needs. The benefit lies in the fact that it has all been written up and structured for you, which means that you can have your own customised plan in a very short period of time.

Ensafe Planning Solutions is one company that offers an Environmental Management Plan Template which complies with current Australian environmental legislation. In addition, it is flexible enough for it to be adapted to any construction worksite in all Australian states and territories. If you are not keen on writing your own environmental plan for your worksite, you may want to consider using a template from a company like Ensafe.

Green Construction Is The Way To Go

There is little doubt that being green is the way to go in the future. Companies which do not adopt a green approach today risk losing revenue and hence profits if they do not begin to act responsibly when it comes to the environment.

If you are in the Australian construction industry, then you have no choice but to get your hands on a Construction Environmental Management Plan.

One of the biggest issues in contemporary Australian society is the issue of Environmental Management. This has come as a result of Australians becoming more environmentally-conscious, and as a result, government has had to react. It has reacted through passing legislation that obliges companies and businesses to manage the impact of their activities on the environment. The Australian construction industry is one of the most affected industries.

Sustainable Development

One of the key points covered in Australian Environmental Legislation is the importance of Sustainable Development. This refers to development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. There is little doubt that you would want your children or grandchildren to suffer the consequences of the actions that we take today. For this very reason, for Sustainable Development to take place, we must have a long-term outlook rather than a short-term one. Much like the saying, “short term pain for long term gain.”

How You Can Manage The Environment

The most important thing to remember is all this is that you have a role to play in successful Environmental Management. Whether the government obliges you to play a role or not, it doesn’t matter. You can always contribute to helping preserve the environment in your own way. You certainly don’t need anyone to tell you.

If you are involved in the construction industry, following Environmental Guidelines set down in legislation is extremely important. The consequences of not complying with the law can be disastrous. On one hand, you will receive a financial penalty and on the other, you reputation as a “green” company will be tarnished. Being green is quickly becoming one of the biggest factors in consumer choice.

Be careful not to underestimate the importance of Environmental Management for the success of your business and the future of our world.