Eskom power stations are in the process of implementing and aligning their environmental management systems in accordance with the international ISO 14001:1996 environmental management system (EMS) standard. In order to assess compliance with the requirements of the standard, Arnot and Kriel power stations requested Softchem to conduct a gap analysis (baseline review) on their respective environmental management system documentation. The objectives of these reviews were to:

• assess the status of present environmental documentation in relation to ISO 14001 requirements, and
  
  
• provide recommendations, where applicable, to improve present documentation and implementation of the ISO 14001 environmental management system.

Softchem conducted these reviews during May and June 2002 and provided each station with recommendations on a number of outstanding documentation and implementation actions needed to be completed in order for the stations to address all the requirements of ISO 14001.