Environmental Management Systems (EMS)
Level 5
Creating Documentation
Unit 5
EMS Documentation


An SME implementing an EMS will develop a collection of environmental documentation. This documentation should be divided into three levels as follows:

Level 1 Documents - The EMS Manual. The manual provides a comprehensive overview of the organisations EMS. It is the introduction to the EMS and should be succint.

Level 2 Documents The Environmental Procedures.

Procedures specify what should be done and who is responsible for doing it.

Level 3 Documents - The Work Instructions.

Work Instructions contain specific detailed guidance for individuals carrying out particular tasks. They detail how that task should be performed.

The different levels of documentation can be held in one file or manual, or in three separate files, however is best for your business. Documentation can be held in electronic or paper formats. The advantage of on-line documentation is that it is easier to control. Users all read one source document, so only one copy needs to be maintained. However, not everyone in an organisation has access to a computer, and even if they do, computers are not always located where you need them. On the factory shopfloor or external areas of the site, users often require Work Instructions on paper, for e.g. when calibrating instruments or operating monitoring equipment. In such cases, documentation is best produced in a hard-wearing, hard copy format.

Simple rules for creating effective documentation:

  • Let the needs of the user guide the content of the documentation and its format
  • Keep to what the user needs to know
  • Use language that the user will understand
  • Keep all documentation as short and simple as possible - the user is more likely to read the document and use it then

Guidance for writing effective documentation can be found in:

British Standard BS 4899. This standard provides guidance on how to write manuals, procedures and work instructions.

British Standard BS 7830. This standard provides guidance for on-line documentation.