Audit delay risks MCerts logjam
1 Aug 2008
With the mandatory deadline fast approaching, as many as three-quarters of the approximate 500 PPC-regulated industrial sites in the UK are yet to have an MCerts inspection of their wastewater flow-monitoring setup.
All PPC-regulated sites with an effluent flow-monitoring requirement in their permit are required to have their monitoring equipment and arrangements inspected under the Environment Agency's Monitoring Certification Scheme by 31 December 2008.
"Alarm bells should be ringing, as it can take days to carry out each inspection," said Steve Lower, business director at Sira, the MCerts Inspection Body. "With a limited number of people — Sira has only 13 inspectors — if you take out their holidays, you can quickly see that there is going to be a bit of a crush towards the end of the year."
Moreover, said Lower, the diverse nature of industrial operations tends to make inspections more complex compared with water utilities, which operate uniform systems across all their operations. The water industry, he noted, is already up to speed with the MCerts requirements.
To comply with the regulations, companies must have the inspection of the flow-metering equipment and the audit of the related management systems carried out by the deadline, said Paul Wiggins of the EA. There is then, he said, a period of time to carry out any remedial action in collaboration with their local EA office.
But, added Wiggins, industrial operators should start to work towards compliance now as it can take several months to complete the necessary work. For example, remedial work is sometimes required before the site can be properly inspected, while management system documentation may need to be prepared in advance of the audit.
All PPC-regulated sites with an effluent flow-monitoring requirement in their permit are required to have their monitoring equipment and arrangements inspected under the Environment Agency's Monitoring Certification Scheme by 31 December 2008.
"Alarm bells should be ringing, as it can take days to carry out each inspection," said Steve Lower, business director at Sira, the MCerts Inspection Body. "With a limited number of people — Sira has only 13 inspectors — if you take out their holidays, you can quickly see that there is going to be a bit of a crush towards the end of the year."
Moreover, said Lower, the diverse nature of industrial operations tends to make inspections more complex compared with water utilities, which operate uniform systems across all their operations. The water industry, he noted, is already up to speed with the MCerts requirements.
To comply with the regulations, companies must have the inspection of the flow-metering equipment and the audit of the related management systems carried out by the deadline, said Paul Wiggins of the EA. There is then, he said, a period of time to carry out any remedial action in collaboration with their local EA office.
But, added Wiggins, industrial operators should start to work towards compliance now as it can take several months to complete the necessary work. For example, remedial work is sometimes required before the site can be properly inspected, while management system documentation may need to be prepared in advance of the audit.
