Lake Charles Fractionation Plant - Executive Summary |
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Accidental Release Prevention and Emergency Response Policies The Lake Charles Plant is committed to protecting the health and safety of company personnel, contractors working in the facility, our neighbors in the surrounding community and the environment. This commitment is strongly supported by senior management and is demonstrated by the resources invested in accident prevention, such as employee training and in considering safety in the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of our facility. This location implements both administrative and engineering controls to reasonably minimize the risk of an uncontrolled release of a hazardous substance. The facility does not anticipate having any type of uncontrolled release. However if an uncontrolled release does occur, the personnel at the facility in cooperation with local response agencies are trained to respond, minimize and/or eliminate any exposure that could occur to protect employees and the surrounding area. Descr iption of the Stationary Source and Regulated Substances The Lake Charles Plant is a facility which receives raw natural gas liquids from pipelines and transport vehicles and fractionates it into ethane, propane, butanes and pentanes. The liquids are stored on site and then delivered to market via pipeline. There are no listed toxic substances which exceed their respective threshold quantities stored at this facility. Hazard Assessment - Worst Case Scenario The Worst Case Scenario for this facility is for flammables and would be a failure of propane storage tank releasing the entire contents instantaneously to the atmosphere; having an offsite impact. EPA's OCA Guidance was used to calculate this release scenario. This type of scenario is very unlikely to occur. In addition qualified individuals operate this facility daily; the equipment is inspected and maintained according to a preventive maintenance schedule further reducing the likelihood of this occurrence. Hazard Assessm ent - Alternative Release Scenario The Alternative Release Scenario for this facility is for flammables and would be a valve breaking off of a line on the transport pump, thus releasing ethane to the atmosphere over a 10-minute period. The result of the release would have an offsite impact. EPA's OCA Guidance was used to calculate this release scenario. Qualified individuals operate this facility daily, the equipment is inspected and maintained according to a preventative maintenance schedule, which further reduces the likelihood of this release occurring. Accidental Release Prevention Program This facility is regulated by 29CFR 1910.119 (Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals), 1910.38 (Employee Emergency Plans), 1910.120 (Hazardous Waste and Emergency Response), 40CFR 112 (Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure), RCRA and State and Federal EPCRA Rules/Laws, as well as other federal, state and local regulations which are all developed to reduce the potenti al for the release of Highly Hazardous Chemicals. This facility has implemented the Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals along with additional requirements of the Risk Management Program as the Accident Release Prevention Program. There are other practices and measures, which are contained in numerous plans and procedures that all assist to prevent the release of Highly Hazardous Chemicals. Facility accident prevention programs promote the pro-active identification, evaluation, and mitigation or prevention of releases of highly hazardous substances that could occur as a result of failures in processes, procedures or equipment. The implementation of The Employee Participation Program requires the development of the necessary expertise, experiences, judgement, and proactive initiative within the workforce. An established comprehensive training program has been developed and implemented at the facility. All employees are trained in an overview of the process as we ll as in appropriate safe work practices per the corporate safety guidelines. In addition to the training required of all employees, personnel having responsibilities under the operating and maintenance procedures are trained in those procedures. Safe work practices have been developed to ensure safe operations that are consistent with industry practice and meet regulatory requirements. Safe work practices include site control, lockout/tagout, line breaking, confined space entry and hot work to ensure the safety and well being of employees and the surrounding area. This facility has a policy of investigating every incident, which may have possibly resulted in a release to prevent a similar accident from recurring. The Company has established an audit procedure to assure the continued integrity of the prevention program. Ensuring the safety and well being of employees and the surrounding area. 5 Year Accident History The Lake Charles Plant has had an excellent accident preventio n program over the last five- (5) years. There have been no releases of listed Hazardous Substances which resulted in offsite effects. Emergency Response Program The Lake Charles Plant maintains a written emergency response plan to protect workers, ensure public safety and to protect the environment. The plan details the procedures for responding to an emergency, including the release or potential release of a hazardous substance. The procedures include instruction for response, communication, first aid, evacuation, accounting for personnel, company and agency notification procedures, and post incident cleanup and decontamination. All emergency equipment is maintained following established procedures. Employees are trained in the procedures and use of equipment appropriate to their role in the response effort. The emergency response plan is coordinated with the local emergency responders such as local law enforcement, local and state government officials, and the local emergency planning committee. Planned Changes to Improve Safety The plant personnel are continually developing new ways to improve the safety of the facility. This is done through responsibility matrices and training which is a vital part of any safety program. Training is conducted according to a systematic schedule so employees and contractors are given the most up to date programs that are on the market today. All new and modified equipment is designed with appropriate safety controls and devices. |