Canandaigua Wine Company - Mission Bell Winery - Executive Summary |
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Mission Bell Winery located on Road 24 in Madera, California is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for its employees, as well as protecting the local community and the environment from chemical releases. PURPOSE -- Mission Bell Winery has, with assistance from its Wine Division Legal Department, developed a risk management plan (RMP) for preventing or minimizing the consequences of catastrophic releases of toxic, reactive, and flammable chemicals. Through review and analysis of the following elements, Mission Bell Winery has examined methods which can reduce the likelihood that employees or the community may be exposed to hazardous chemicals due to catastrophic releases: Element 1. Hazardous Chemical Process Review - examined the hazardous chemicals employed, mechanical systems' integrity and design, employee training, standard operating procedures, and auditing and inspection techniques employed; Element 2. Hazard Analysis Techniques - examined the potential hazards present, consequences of failure of engineering controls and human factors, and facility sitting (A hazard & operability (Haz Op) analysis was the technique employed for this purpose.); Element 3. Review of Past Accidental Releases and Consequences; and Element 4. Off-site Hazard Assessments - determined the off-site impacts of releases based on worst-case and alternative release scenario analysis (The vulnerable zones for the release of covered highly hazardous chemicals were estimated using a computer assisted air dipersion modeling program.) ACUTELY HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS -- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) RMP requirements are typically "triggered" by manufacturing, handling, using, storing, processing, or on-site movement of certain quantities (referred to as "threshold quantities") of chemical deemed as acutely hazardous. At Mission Bell Winery, anhydrous ammonia is regulated under the EPA RMP. Anhydrous ammonia is employed as a neutralizing agent in the concentrate eva porator, and as a refrigerant. The maximum on-site storage of anhydrous ammonia is 109,000 pounds (lbs.). During the grape concentrate/evaporation process, sulfur dioxide (byproduct) is released. To neturalize these emissions, anhydrous ammonia is introduced into the cooling water. The amount of ammonia introduced into the cooling water is regulated automatically by a pH sensor which sends a signal to a controller, which in turn regulates a variable control valve in the ammonia line to maintain the cooling water pH at/or near 7. The main receiving tank for the concentrate evaporator is 50,000 lbs. The ammonia refrigeration system is refered to as the 5/50s. The system supports 12 chillers for chilling wine, or known as "cold stabilization." The chiller consist of a shell and tube heat exchanger. The refrigeration system contains approximately 35,000 lbs. of ammonia. CHEMICAL-SPECIFIC PREVENTION STEPS -- Through hazardous analysis techniques, Mission Bell Winery has updated and refined its standard operating procedures, and process and instrumentation diagrams for all covered processes. This information has been employed for providing more comprehensive training and understanding for operators. PAST ACCIDENTIAL RELEASES -- For the covered processes, Mission Bell Winery has had one accidential release within the last five years. The release involved the ammonia refrigeration system, the 5/50s. An employee was acutely exposed to ammonia. This employee received emergency medical treatment; no hospitalization was required. No anhydrous ammonia releases have occurred in the past five years which have affected the surrounding community. EMERGENCY PLANNING AND RESPONSE MEASURES -- The Emergency Planning and Response Program is included in the winery's Emergency Plan Revision 1.1. For emergency releases of hazardous materials, employees have been instructed to evacuate the area and notify their supervisor. The supervisor will assess the situation, and notif y the local fire department to respond, if warranted. Additionally, selected Mission Bell employees have been trained to respond to anhydrous ammonia releases. These employees have received 24-hours of training required for "hazardous material technicians" as mandated by the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Section 5192). Employees have been notified to evacuate by (1) winery siren, (2) verbal instructions, and/or (3) two-way radio communication. It is primarily the Winery Manager's responsibility to make proper notifications in case of an emergency release. The West Coast Safety Manager and the Wine Division Legal Department may assist the Winery Manager in determining required notifications to be given to agencies. Immediate verbal notifications to agencies upon the release of hazardous materials from Mission Bell Winery may include: Local Fire Department (911); National Response Center (800-424-8802); California Office of Emergency Services (800-852-75 50 or 916-262-1621); Madera County Sheriff's Department: Office of Emergency Services (559-675-7769); Madera County Environmental Health (559-675-7823); and possibily the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control (559-497-1000). An "Emergency Release Follow-up Notice Reporting Form" may need to be filed with the following agencies within 30 days of the release: Madera County Environmental Health, 216 W Sixth Street, Madera, California, 93637; and/or Chemical Emergency Planning and Response Commission, Att: Section 304 Reports, 2800 Meadowview Road, Sacramento, California, 95832. CHANGES TO IMPROVE SAFETY -- Mission Bell Winery has improved safety by providing more effective training through the use of revised process and instrumentation diagrams, revised standard operating procedures, and release scenario information gathered during the hazard and operability (Haz Op) analysis meetings. Additionally, recommendations for investigating safety control devices have also been eval uated by the Winery Manager. Implemented recommendations include: (i) a new preventative maintenance/inspection system has been implemented for anhydrous ammonia tanker unloading activities at the concentrate evaporator; (ii) to eliminate the possibility of blocked lines at the concentrate evaporator, a new inspection schedule for strainers is being used; (iii) to eliminate line brakes, metal thickness inspections are conducted periodically; (iv) to eliminate control valves on the concentrate evaporator system from possibly becoming stuck open, water separators and lubricators for air operated valves were installed; and (v) better training in lockout/tagout requirements, to prevent releases during work activities, such as on concentrate evaporator valves has been conducted. Planned changes include: (i) the installation of high level alarm on the concentrate ammonia storage tank; and (ii) to develop pre-start up inspection checklists for ammonia tanker unloading activties and concentr ate system operation. No refrigeration system (5/50s) recommendations were warranted based on the Haz Op Team's analyses. |