Abstract
This research sought to assess the effectiveness of environmental management systems (EMS) at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR). The study adopted wholly qualitative research design with in- depth interview guide as its main research and data collection instrument. The study employed a sample of twenty (20) respondents. Respondents were made up of members from the human resource, environment, depot management, and transport and tank management as well as members of the health, safety, security and environmental quality (HSSEQ) committees. The study establishes that various activities of TOR have consequential environmental impact on employees, the natural state of the environment and nearby communities. Again, the study has established that the EMS of TOR is implemented through a systematic and robust management scheme beginning from environmental review and consultation, EMS development and planning, EMS implementation, and EMS assessment and evaluation. The research has also identified that, the EMS of TOR is effective in combating the likely environmental impact produced by their operations and this is evidenced through the composition of the EMS like fire risk management, broad EMS system, spills and leakage management, institution of occupational health and safety measures as well as the formation of the health, safety, security and environment committee.
Despite the effectiveness of the system, the study identified financial challenges, delay in review, assessment and evaluation as well as difficulty in identifying environmental impact as impeding the effective and smooth implementation of EMS. Following this, the study recommends that, the company in collaboration with state environmental management units conduct timely EMS assessment whilst offering comprehensive approach in identifying the most likely environmental impact.
CHAPTER ONE
BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Introduction
This section of the long essay discusses the background and problem statement of the study, research aim and research objectives, research questions and significance of the study, theoretical perspectives as well as organization of the research work.
Background to the study
In recent times, rapid population growth, the drive for industrialization and economic growth coupled with the need for poverty reduction and development in general has led to an unimaginable surge in the level of activities that impact negatively on the environments in all its various forms. Rising growth in the corporate sector with their attendant impact of environmental unfriendly activities has led to rising global temperatures, greenhouse effect, melting magma or ice and encroaching seas amongst others. These have impact on the health and safety of organizational employees and world’s population at large. Meanwhile, health and safety of employees as well as nation’s people are considered an essential prerequisite for national growth and development.
The activities of organization’s and their impacts to the health and safety of employees and citizens in general has led to a general outcry on the need for implementation of various environmental management schemes. Common among the agenda for environmental management has been the environmental movement which occurred in the sixties resulting in the publication of the book, “Silent Spring” authored by Rachel Carson (Wenk 2005), the Earth day summit in the 1970’s where almost 150 countries participated (Christofferson 2004).
This outcry has seen an increasing pace of introduction of Environmental Management Systems (hereafter referred to as EMS) both in the local and International stage. Among the list of globally recognized Environmental Management Systems (EMS) are the Internationalization Standardization Organization (hereafter referred to as ISO) 14001 (ISO 14001),British Standard 7760 (BS 7760) and the European Eco-Management and Auditing Scheme (EMAS), (Hunter et al., 2007).Aside the International recognition for environmental management, individual countries have also signed various international declarations and formulated laws and policies that seek to govern the environment. The primary objective of the need for institution of environmental management systems is to offer a systematic and administrative mechanisms or structure that can be employed to incorporate a vibrant environmental management system in organizational settings.
