Upload
others
View
6
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Procedure RC503.1 RC14001®
American Chemistry Council
Requirements for Accreditation Bodies, Certification Bodies, Organizations and American Chemistry Council
October 2017 1
INTRODUCTION
Responsible Care
Responsible Care is the global chemical industry’s comprehensive environment, health and safety
performance improvement initiative. It is developed, adopted and managed by chemical associations
along with their member companies to continuously improve environmental, health and safety (EHS)
performance of their operations and products in a manner responsive to the concerns of the public.
Responsible Care was first adopted as a new model for the management of chemicals by the Chemistry
Industry Association of Canada (CIAC) in 1985 and has since been adopted by chemical associations in
more than 60 economies. Responsible Care is the basis of significant cultural change within the
chemical industry which leads to improved performance and new levels of dialogue with the public
about issues of mutual concern.
The global chemical industry has embraced Responsible Care because it is viewed as “good citizenship”
with a positive impact on companies’ performance, economic bottom line and competitiveness. For the
individual company, implementation of Responsible Care leads to improved efficiency, lower
environment, health, safety and security costs and improved relations with stakeholders. For the global
chemical industry, successful implementation of Responsible Care demonstrates an appropriate public
policy which protects its license to operate and its ability to innovate and meet society’s demands for its
products. For the public, successful implementation of Responsible Care ensures that the chemical
industry will continue to provide beneficial products to society and continually reduce its impacts, while
maximizing its positive contributions to human health, the economy and society.
One of the key tenets of Responsible Care is openness and responsiveness to public and other
stakeholder concerns about the management of chemicals. Therefore, the chemical industry has a keen
appreciation of the need to seek input from the public and other interested groups, include this input in
its development of policies, programs and priorities, and report on its progress in these areas.
Note: In a number of countries, including the United States, security is a component of Responsible Care.
RC14001
RC14001 was originally developed by the American Chemistry Council (www.americanchemistry.com)
for use by its members and Responsible Care Partners as part of its Responsible Care certification
process and reflects ACC program priorities (e.g., Security, Product Safety, etc.). The RC14001 Technical
Specification combines the elements of the American Chemistry Council’s (“ACC”) Responsible Care
initiative with those of the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System, adopted by the International
Organization for Standardization (“ISO”) in 1996 and as amended in 2015. RC14001 enables an
organization to obtain, through an application and audit process, a certification that its management
system conforms to both the ISO 14001 standard and a broader scope of Responsible Care elements.
Procedure RC503.1 RC14001®
American Chemistry Council
Requirements for Accreditation Bodies, Certification Bodies, Organizations and American Chemistry Council
October 2017 2
For ACC’s members and Responsible Care Partners, RC14001 certification, in accordance with
established requirements, allows them to meet the Council’s certification requirements.
The RC14001 Technical Specification document consists of the actual text of ISO 14001 and additional
text in corresponding “boxed” sections. These boxed sections include the additional Responsible Care
elements required under the RC14001 scope. ACC believes that conformance to RC14001 can assist
organizations in achieving the desirable goals and objectives set forth in both Responsible Care and ISO
14001. Copies of RC14001:2015 can be obtained at www.americanchemistry.com/store
RC14001 Outside the Chemical Industry
While originally developed by ACC for use by its companies, RC14001 is applicable and available on a
worldwide basis to organizations regardless of their operations. ACC encourages the use of RC14001 if it
meets an organization’s business needs. Organizations outside the ACC membership seeking RC14001
certification must conform to the requirements of the Technical Specification and other requirements
set forth in this procedure document. Certification bodies seeking to provide RC14001 certification
must likewise conform to the requirements set forth in this procedure and obtain accreditation from an
ACC-designated accreditation body. Information links on accreditation bodies authorized by ACC to
provide accreditation services and accredited certification bodies can also be found on
www.americanchemistry.com.
An organization which obtains RC14001 certification may identify itself as being “RC14001 certified”
within the scope of its management system. RC14001 certification does not confer any rights to use the
Responsible Care logo or to identify the organization as a “Responsible Care” entity. Use of the
Responsible Care logo and name are restricted to companies which meet the Responsible Care
membership and program requirements established by national and regional chemical federations. A
listing of chemical federations with recognized Responsible Care programs can be found in the
RC14001:2015 Technical Specification (Annex C). Membership in one of these national or regional
chemical federations does not necessarily mean that the organization is a participant in Responsible
Care and eligible to use the name and logo.
Procedure RC503.1 RC14001®
American Chemistry Council
Requirements for Accreditation Bodies, Certification Bodies, Organizations and American Chemistry Council
October 2017 3
1.0 PURPOSE
To ensure that the RC14001 certification process sustains public confidence and acceptance by defining the requirements for accreditation bodies (ABs), certification bodies (CBs) , organizations seeking RC14001 certification and American Chemistry Council.
2.0 SCOPE
This procedure applies to:
Accreditation bodies accrediting certification bodies for RC14001 purposes
Certification bodies providing RC14001 certification services
Organizations seeking certification to RC14001
American Chemistry Council
3.0 TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
American Chemistry Council (ACC) – the primary trade association representing the business of chemistry in the United States. It is the sponsor of Responsible Care in the United States (www.americanchemistry.com). Responsible Care – a global environmental, health, safety and security performance initiative which was first adopted in Canada in 1985. The initiative’s goals are continual improvement and responsiveness to stakeholders’ concerns about the chemical industry’s products and operations. RC14001 - An option for certification under the ACC’s Responsible Care initiative. The requirements for RC14001 can be found in ACC’s document numbered RC151 (current version). RC14001 certification is available to any organization regardless of sector, affiliation or geographic location.
4.0 RESPONSIBILITIES
4.1 Accreditation Bodies
4.1.1 Accreditation services for RC14001 shall be limited to those International
Accreditation Forum members authorized by ACC.
4.1.2 Authorization shall be based on ACC’s assessment of the accreditation body’s
knowledge of Responsible Care and the requirements of RC14001; evidence that
its assessors have attended and passed an approved Responsible Care auditor
training course and completed any additional ACC-required
awareness/education training (e.g., webinars, workshops, exams, etc.,).
Procedure RC503.1 RC14001®
American Chemistry Council
Requirements for Accreditation Bodies, Certification Bodies, Organizations and American Chemistry Council
October 2017 4
4.1.3 Authorized accreditation bodies’ roles and responsibilities shall be formalized
through a Memorandum of Understanding with ACC.
4.1.4 The accreditation body shall identify a designated liaison for communications
with ACC.
4.1.5 ACC reserves the right to review accreditation bodies’ assessors during CBs’
office and/or field audits.
4.1.6 Accreditation Bodies seeking to offer RC14001 services shall contact ACC (See
Reference Links in Appendix 3) for information about the process and steps for
gaining authorization to accredit.
4.2 Certification Bodies
4.2.1 Certification bodies providing RC14001 certification services shall meet the
requirements of ISO/IEC 17021 (current version) and other relevant ISO/IEC
procedures; requirements of this ACC procedure; and relevant requirements of
other ACC procedures identified in this document.
4.2.2 The CB shall ensure that all auditors providing RC14001 certification services
meet the requirements of ACC document RC205 (current version).
4.2.2.1 CBs conducting audits outside of North America may utilize guidance
found in Appendix 1 to identify audit team members.
4.2.3 The CB shall ensure that audit schedules are consistent with guidance provided
in Appendix 2 of this document regarding audit duration.
4.2.4 The CB shall ensure that all personnel engaged in RC14001 services (sales,
marketing, oversight, etc.,) understand the requirements for RC14001
certification.
4.2.5 CBs offering RC14001 services to ACC members and ACC Responsible Care
Partners shall ensure that auditors and other personnel engaged in RC 14001
services are familiar with ACC document RC501 (Requirements for ACC Members
and Responsible Care Partners – current version) and its requirements.
4.2.6 Certification designations shall be to “RC14001®” (“RC14001®: (year representing current version)”).
4.2.6.1 Certificates issued for RC14001 shall not include:
Procedure RC503.1 RC14001®
American Chemistry Council
Requirements for Accreditation Bodies, Certification Bodies, Organizations and American Chemistry Council
October 2017 5
The Responsible Care logo (hands and molecules)
“Responsible Care®” trademark.
The term Responsible Care® 14001 4.2.6.2 ISO 14001 inclusion
CBs shall have the option of including a reference to ISO 14001 certification within the text of a RC14001 certificate.
4.2.7 CBs accredited for RC14001 shall designate a member of their staff as a primary
contact with ACC.
4.2.8 The CB shall ensure that the ACC has access, upon request, to RC14001 audits for observation purposes. The CB shall communicate this situation to potential clients.
4.3 Organizations Seeking RC14001 Certification
4.3.1 Organizations seeking RC14001 certification shall demonstrate conformance to
the requirements found in the RC14001 Technical Specification (RC151 – current
version).
4.3.2 Organizations seeking RC14001 certification shall only employ CBs accredited to
conduct RC14001 audits.
4.3.3 An organization which obtains RC14001 certification shall identify itself as being
“RC14001®: (year representing current version) certified” within the scope of its
management system.
4.3.3.1 RC14001 certification does not confer any rights to use the Responsible
Care logo or to identify the organization as a “Responsible Care” entity.
4.3.3.2 Use of the Responsible Care logo and name are restricted to companies
which meet the Responsible Care membership and program
requirements established by national and regional chemical federations.
Note: A listing of chemical federations with recognized Responsible Care programs can be found in
the RC14001®:2015 Technical Specification’s Annex C. Membership in one of these national or
regional chemical federations does not necessarily mean that the organization is a participant in
Responsible Care and eligible to use the name and logo.
Procedure RC503.1 RC14001®
American Chemistry Council
Requirements for Accreditation Bodies, Certification Bodies, Organizations and American Chemistry Council
October 2017 6
4.3.4 While not required, ACC encourages organizations outside of its
membership/Partnership companies which have been certified to RC14001 to
report the details of their audit (organization name, location, dates, contact
person) to ACC for the purpose of tracking RC14001’s growth. See Appendix 3
for ACC contact information.
4.3.5 ACC members and Responsible Care Partners shall also conform to
requirements found in RC501 (current version).
4.4 American Chemistry Council
4.4.1 The American Chemistry Council shall provide oversight for authorized
Accreditation Bodies through periodic reviews of the Accreditation Bodies’
conformance to terms of their ACC Memorandum of Understanding.
4.4.2 ACC shall maintain a listing of authorized Accreditation Bodies, accredited CBs,
and Responsible Care certification procedures on its public website at
www.americanchemistry.com.
4.4.3 ACC shall ensure the proper and timely maintenance and updating of this and
other relevant procedures.
4.4.4 ACC shall ensure timely communications of proposed changes to the RC14001
Technical Specification (RC151) to authorized Accreditation Bodies and CBs.
4.4.5 ACC shall communicate information regarding supplemental auditor training
requirements and, if necessary, deliver said supplemental training when
warranted.
5.0 Records Generated
Records required under ISO/IEC 17021
ACC-Accreditation Body Memorandum(s) of Understanding
Plans for audits conducted under provisions found in Appendix 1. (Audits conducted outside
North America)
List of approved Certification Bodies (ACC website www.americanchemistry.com)
6.0 Reference Documents
ISO 17021 – Conformity Assessment – Requirements for Bodies Providing Auditing and
Certification of Management Systems (current version)
Procedure RC503.1 RC14001®
American Chemistry Council
Requirements for Accreditation Bodies, Certification Bodies, Organizations and American Chemistry Council
October 2017 7
RC151 – RC14001 (current version) Technical Specification
RC205 (current version) - Responsible Care Certification Auditor Qualification and Training
Requirements
RC501 (current version) Requirements for ACC Members and Responsible Care Partners
7.0 Reference Links
ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB) www.anab.org
American Chemistry Council
www.americanchemistry.com (general information/Responsible Care Certification
Procedures and Service Provider information
www.americanchemistry.com/store (To purchase copies of the RC14001 Technical
Specification)
Procedure RC503.1 RC14001®
American Chemistry Council
Requirements for Accreditation Bodies, Certification Bodies, Organizations and American Chemistry Council
October 2017 8
Appendix 1 – Conducting RC14001 audits outside North America
American Chemistry Council recognizes and applauds the expansion of RC14001 use beyond its
membership/Partnership ranks to organizations across the globe. ACC seeks to support this continued
growth through the expansion of RC14001 “infrastructure” including the number of qualified CBs and
their auditors and approved auditor training course providers. ACC is also cognizant of the fact that
outside North America an imbalance exists between the number of organizations seeking RC14001
certification and the number of available, locally-based and qualified auditors (those meeting
requirements of RC205). This imbalance can add to the organization’s certification costs if auditors
must travel from the US or other regions to conduct the audit.
To address situations where local RC14001 auditor resources may not be present, ACC has developed
the following requirements for CBs seeking to service clients on a timely basis utilizing a “mixed” audit
team approach with qualified Responsible Care auditors (meet requirements of RC 205) and locally-
based ISO 14001 auditors. CBs offering RC14001 audit services outside North America (defined as
United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean) and seeking to utilize the “mixed”
audit team approach shall conform to the following requirements:
1. At least six weeks prior to the start of the RC14001 audit, the CB shall submit to ACC the following:
a. Name of the organization and location which will be audited to RC14001
b. Other Management Systems, if any, which will be audited in conjunction with RC14001 (e.g.,
ISO 9001, OHSAS 18001, etc.)
c. Names of the audit team members indicating which auditor(s) is (are) qualified Responsible
Care auditors
i. The (a) qualified Responsible Care auditor shall be designated Team Leader
ii. Other members of the audit team must be qualified, per CB’s requirements, to audit
for ISO 14001
iii. Translators and/or technical experts supporting the auditors shall not be considered
part of the audit team
d. Audit Plan including timeline and schedule indicating which sections of the RC14001
Technical Specification will be audited by each team member
2. Information submitted by the CB shall be reviewed by ACC within one week of receipt with an
indication to the CB as to whether the audit can move forward or additional information is required.
Procedure RC503.1 RC14001®
American Chemistry Council
Requirements for Accreditation Bodies, Certification Bodies, Organizations and American Chemistry Council
October 2017 9
3. During the course of the audit, the qualified Responsible Care auditor(s), in addition to their other
responsibilities, shall review Responsible Care requirements (found in “boxes”) in the Technical
Specification. Other members of the audit team will focus on other sections of the Technical
Specification. ACC recognizes that clear lines between ISO 14001’s requirements and unique
Responsible Care requirements may not always exist, but certain unique elements such as product
safety and stewardship, stakeholder dialogue and employee involvement shall be reviewed by a
qualified Responsible Care auditor.
4. The lead auditor (qualified Responsible Care auditor) shall be responsible for making the final
recommendation regarding certification to the CB.
5. Following conclusion of the RC14001 audit, the ASP shall provide a report to ACC on any process-
related issue/challenges, if identified, which occurred during the course of the audit.
6. The CB shall maintain appropriate records of the audit.
Audit plans and any information requests shall be forwarded to ACC at:
Daniel Roczniak Senior Director, Responsible Care & VCO American Chemistry Council [email protected]
Procedure RC503.1 RC14001®
American Chemistry Council
Requirements for Accreditation Bodies, Certification Bodies, Organizations and American Chemistry Council
October 2017 10
Appendix 2 – Establishing Auditor Time for RC14001 Audits
When determining Auditor Time for RC14001 audits, the CB shall rely upon information in IAF
Mandatory Document 5, Determination of Audit Time of Quality and Environmental Management
Systems (current version), as the starting point for its calculations. RC14001 audit duration will utilize
information related to IAF MD 5’s EMS tables. CBs shall add 20% additional time to the IAF totals to
reflect the increased scope of the RC14001 management system’s requirements. All other adjustments
and formulas for determining audit duration found in IAF MD 5’s EMS section are valid for RC14001
audit calculations.
Procedure RC503.1 RC14001®
American Chemistry Council
Requirements for Accreditation Bodies, Certification Bodies, Organizations and American Chemistry Council
October 2017 11
APPENDIX 3 – ACC Contact information
For information regarding RC14001, please contact:
Daniel Roczniak Senior Director, Responsible Care and Value Chain Outreach 700 Second Street NE Washington, DC 20002 202-249-691 [email protected]
Inquiries may also be sent to ACC at:
Copies of the RC14001 Technical Specification may be obtained at: www.americanchemistry.com/store
Procedure RC503.1 RC14001®
American Chemistry Council
Requirements for Accreditation Bodies, Certification Bodies, Organizations and American Chemistry Council
October 2017 12
APPENDIX 4 – Accreditation Body
As of September 2017, accreditation bodies which accredit for RC14001 include:
ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB)
ANAB Contact Information
Tina Garner
Accreditation Manager, Management Systems
600 N. Plankinton, Suite 300
Milwaukee, WI 53203
414-501-5481
Procedure RC503.1 RC14001®
American Chemistry Council
Requirements for Accreditation Bodies, Certification Bodies, Organizations and American Chemistry Council
October 2017 13
DOCUMENT CONTROL
Name and Title Signature Date
Written By: ACC Procedures Task Force Andy Piper, Chair
9/15/2017
Owner: ACC Responsible Committee Maria Krysa, Chair
10/30/2017
Approved By: ACC Responsible Care® Committee Maria Krysa, Chair
10/30/2017
REVISION LOG
REVISION
NO:
REASON FOR CHANGE(S):
DATE:
01 This document along with new RC501 and RC502 replace previous RC201
and RC204 documents.
10/30/2017