Perdue Farms Incorporated - Executive Summary |
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY GEORGETOWN, DELAWARE Facility Description and Regulated Substances Perdue Farms Incorporated, founded in 1920, is the largest poultry producer in the Northeast and the third largest in the United States. Headquartered in Salisbury, Maryland, the family-owned, privately held company has operations in 14 states. Twenty processing facilities produce about 50 million pounds of poultry products each week. Perdue also has grain storage and merchandising operations and is ranked among the top 20 largest US grain companies. In addition, Perdue manufactures edible oils, specialty feeds, livestock feed ingredients and premium pet food ingredients. The Perdue Farms Georgetown Processing Facility (P-2178) is located at 200 Savannah Road, Georgetown, Delaware. This facility is the primary source of production for roasters. Perdue Farms purchased this facility in 1978 and started operations in January, 1979. The facility is sited on about 70 acres, on the north side of tow n, east of the town circle, about = mile north of Route 9. It is bounded by some residences and farmland. Two substances, anhydrous ammonia and propane, are onsite. Ammonia is regulated under CFR Part 68 and is used for refrigeration. The Georgetown facility has four separate ammonia systems ranging from 4,000 pounds to 14,600 pounds. In each system, ammonia is distributed throughout the components (compressors, condensers, evaporators, etc.). Each system has equipment both inside and outside. Propane is used for heating. The requirement to submit propane has not been finalized, but it is Perdue's desire to be proactive and relate pertinent information to the community. Perdue Georgetown has an 18,000-gallon (67,000-pound) propane tank. Propane is primarily used for singeing small feathers to improve quality. Accidental Release Prevention and Emergency Response Policies As a concerned member of the communities in which Perdue facilities are located, the company takes its role as a responsible corporate citizen very seriously. All Perdue facilities are operated to protect employees, contractors and the public from injury and illness, and to minimize environmental impact. A company-wide safety and wellness program stresses safe conditions and safe practices. Perdue's policy is to inspect, maintain and operate equipment and facilities to prevent accidents, including release of hazardous materials; and to train employees in prevention, as well as to prepare them to respond rapidly and effectively should an accident occur. Perdue Farms has developed and implemented Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) and Process Safety Management (PSM) plans at each operations facility as part of an overall chemical management program. The program involves a wide-range of senior management personnel, including the Director of Environmental Services and the Director of Safety and Security. Additionally, Perdue conducts regular safety meetings and provides a wide variety of environmental, health and safety training to its staff. Worst-Case and Alternate-Case Release Scenarios Ammonia Worst-Case Scenario Based on the EPA RMP Guidance, a worst-case scenario for a toxic substance must be the release of the largest quantity that results in the greatest distance to the specified toxic endpoint with emergency systems and procedures not functioning. Perdue Georgetown's scenario would be the release of the entire contents of the high pressure receiver in System #4. This would equate to a loss of 14,656 pounds within 10 minutes, resulting in a toxic endpoint of 2.2 miles for a concentration of 0.14mg/l. This has the potential of affecting 4,700 people. Ammonia Alternate-Case Scenario Alternate-case scenarios are those that result in off-site concentrations that reach the specified toxic endpoint. Appropriate active and passive mitigation systems may be considered in the analysis. The Perdue Georgetown alternate-case scenario would be the r elease of ammonia due to a gasket/flange failure on the high pressure receiver in System #1, equating to about a <-inch diameter hole. The release was calculated to last 15 minutes, resulting in the loss of 2,000 pounds of ammonia for a toxic endpoint of 0.2 mile. This has the potential of affecting 250 people. Propane Worst-Case Scenario Based on the EPA RMP Guidance, a worst-case scenario for a flammable substance must be the release of the largest quantity that results in the greatest distance to the specified flammable endpoint. Flammable substance releases are to assume the formation of a vapor cloud containing the entire quantity and to be within the flammability limits, so therefore, it ignites. Perdue Georgetown's scenario would be the release of the entire contents of its propane tank. This would result in the loss of 67,000 pounds of propane and a vapor cloud explosion. The worse case release endpoint is the distance to an overpressure of 1 psi, which is 0.3 mile. This has the potential of affecting 250 people. Propane Alternate-Release Scenario Flammable alternate release scenarios are those that may result in a fire or explosion that has off-site consequences. Appropriate active and passive mitigation systems may be considered in the analysis. The Perdue Georgetown alternate case release scenario would be a pull-away vapor cloud explosion resulting in an endpoint of 1 psi overpressure at 0.03 mile and a release of 14 pounds of propane. This will not affect any residences. Accident Release Prevention Program Perdue Georgetown has complied with Delaware's Extremely Hazardous Substance Risk Management Act (EHSRMA) since its promulgation in 1989 and the OSHA Process Safety Management regulation 29 CFR 1910.119 of 1992. Up-to-date process information. such as equipment information, piping and instrument diagrams and Material Safety Data Sheets, are kept onsite. Employee participation includes operating and maintenance procedures developme nt, review and training. Contractors are required to submit qualification statements of competency. Process hazard analyses with recommendations have been done, and corrective actions taken. Annual mechanical integrity inspections are scheduled. In addition, Perdue performs internal audits on its PSM substances. Five Year Accident History There have been no on- or off-site accidents involving ammonia or propane at the Perdue Georgetown facility that have resulted in death, injuries, property damage or environmental damage. Emergency Response Program Perdue Georgetown has implemented a comprehensive Emergency Response Plan in accordance with the OSHA PSM regulations. The facility has a trained HAZWOPER (HAZardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response) team that will respond in the event of a hazardous material release, fire or other emergency situation. The Plan contains specific information regarding emergency response organization and procedures, as well as incident notific ation, mitigation and incident preparedness. Evacuation exercises are conducted, and annual drills are scheduled with the local emergency responders (Georgetown Volunteer Fire Department with call box backup from Milton and Lewes). Perdue Georgetown is a member of the Sussex County Local Emergency Planning Committee and is part of the community emergency response plan. Risk Communications Plan As part of its Risk Management Program, Perdue Farms has developed a RMP Communications Plan. The goals of this plan are: (1) to educate the public on the potential risk of regulated substances used by Perdue; (2) to respond to any concerns that RMP disclosures may cause with honest, fact-based communication; and (3) to be fully prepared to effectively respond to any accidental chemical release scenario Proactive materials about the disclosure information, how the company is prepared to deal with an accident, how the community should respond to an accident, and a process for announcing that an accident has occurred (to be used as needed) are being prepared. In addition, training and information materials for Perdue managers and employees, community officials, civic groups, the media, environmental groups, emergency response personnel and the public in general, will be available. Planned Changes to Improve Safety Perdue Georgetown has installed an ammonia detection system in its engine rooms. A mechanical integrity inspection is in progress. In the past year, high level emergency cutoffs have been installed, and there has been replacement of various valves, valve stations, piping and compressors. Three evaporative condensers are scheduled to be replaced this year. As part of Perdue Farms' continual improvement philosophy, the Perdue's Georgetown facility continues to identify and update system components and techniques to ensure safety and quality. |