Delicato Vineyards - Executive Summary |
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RMP Executive Summary The business of Delicato Vineyards is to produce and market fine California wines. From the grapes grown in our vineyards we follow an age-old enjoyable tradition of human activity in producing delicious wines to celebrate life. Located just north of the city of Manteca in the fertile Central Valley of California, our winery is a significant contributor to the state's economy as a part of the wine industry. Being in the top ten wineries of the United States based on our 40 million-gallon storage capacity, we produce a large quantity and variety of wines for our international customer base. The values and guiding principles adopted for operating the winery are incorporated into our mission and vision statements. In addition to supplying quality services and products, "Delicato is committed to providing a quality work environment where safety, honesty, respect and fairness are the foundation of the relationship between customers, employees, owners, and suppliers ." "The company meets all regulatory requirements and ensures that a full exchange of information pertaining to compliance is maintained. The company and employees dedicate themselves to be active, good citizens in their community and industry. All employees are encouraged to be active participants in endeavors directed toward improving the quality of life or supportive of growth in the community or industry." Our business begins with the soil in which we grow many acres of vines that produce high quality grapes. The vines are tended and nurtured throughout the growing season by following up-to-date, progressive agricultural practices, which provide optimum development of the fruit. During the fall harvest season, the grapes are picked according to specific quality criteria and delivered to the winery to be processed into wine. Transported from the vineyard by trucks, grapes of many varieties arriving in 6-ton bins are separated into specific lots for crushing. The crushing process se parates the thousands of gallons of juice from the skins, seeds and stems of the grapes to prepare the juice to become wine. This conversion process of juice to wine is called fermentation, and is accomplished with a microscopic organism called yeast. Wine lots of 3,000 to 350,000 gallons are then moved through various processes to clarify, consolidate, blend and finish into a product that is ready for our customers to consume. Many thousands of gallons of wine flow through miles of pipelines and numerous pieces of equipment and tanks of various shapes and sizes before reaching the final destination, the customer's glass. Anhydrous Ammonia Processes During our winemaking process there are many stages where refrigeration of the juice or wine is important to retain certain quality characteristics. Several systems installed around our facility to perform this task utilize anhydrous ammonia as the refrigerant chemical. The United States Environmental Protection Agency lists anhydrous am monia as an Extremely Hazardous Substance with a Threshold Planning Quantity of 10,000 pounds. The process refrigeration equipment at Delicato Vineyards uses ammonia as the refrigerant gas. There are seven ammonia refrigeration systems at this facility. The largest of these is actually comprised of two vessels linked to have a combined quantity of 29,700-pounds of anhydrous ammonia. The seven ammonia refrigeration systems are fixed installations set on concrete foundations. Each consists of a compressor, condenser, evaporator, associated piping, valves, electrical power and controls for safe operation. Each is dedicated to a particular processing application with locations throughout the winery. There are two types of systems: a Tube In Shell and a Jacketed Tank. The systems vary in size, with the ammonia quantity in each ranging from approximately two hundred gallons to one thousand six hundred gallons. The thermodynamic reaction cycles of ammonia expansion from a liquid to a g as, and compression of the gas back into a liquid all within a closed system, provides the necessary removal of heat from our wine and grape products. The period of heaviest refrigeration use is during the grape harvest season, usually from August through November. Anhydrous ammonia has been a commonly used refrigerant gas for decades because it is highly efficient. Ammonia is a naturally occurring compound, and some scholars believe the atmosphere of the earth was originally composed of ammonia (NH3) and water (H2O). Ammonia has also been extensively used as a primary fertilizer in our country's prosperous agriculture industry for many years through a process of direct injection into the soil. It is commonly used in many households as a cleaner for windows, floors and countertops. Treated with respect, ammonia provides tremendous benefit in the processes in which it is used to enhance our country's economy. Being classified as a hazardous material, ammonia can be dangerous if it is mishandled. The concentrated liquid can freeze tissue and cause chemical burns. In a gaseous form of sufficient strength, it can be inhaled to cause immediate burning of lung tissue. This is why extensive safety precautions and equipment are in place at all facilities using anhydrous ammonia. Interestingly, ammonia-related deaths and injuries are more common from misuse of household ammonia used for cleaning purposes than from the millions of tons of anhydrous ammonia used around the world for industrial and agricultural processes. Sulfur Dioxide Processes Wine is a beverage that has been produced and consumed by mankind for thousands of years. While modern science and technology have greatly contributed to higher quality and increasing quantities, some basics of the winemaking still remain an art form. Almost equally paralleling the history of wine is the use of sulfur dioxide as a sterilizing and preservation agent. When first used, generation was from burning sticks of sulfur ins ide barrels and casks. Today there are safer and more efficient means to produce and use sulfur dioxide. In a compressed liquid form, this compound is more precisely dispensed in wine production to control chemical and biological spoilage. It has a long safe history of use in this form throughout the wine industry. At our winery, sulfur dioxide is received from suppliers as a liquid compressed gas in one-ton cylinders. These cylinders are stoutly designed with thick steel walls that will remain intact even after receiving the impact of falling off a truck at highway speeds. Their successful historical use dates back into the early half of this century. From the one-ton cylinders, sulfur dioxide is dispensed in liquid form into portable canisters having various capacities of up to 100 pounds. Once filled, these canisters are transported around the winery and the liquid sulfur dioxide is dispensed into various wine tanks according to the winemakers written instructions. Specific amount s of sulfur dioxide are dispensed through a closed system into the selected wines. The amounts added are very small, in parts per million relative to the quantity of wine being treated. Due to the fact that we can have as much as 40 million gallons of wine on site, it is reasonable to calculate that we will use several tons of sulfur dioxide in our products through the year. The greatest period of use is during the harvest period of August through November. Even though sulfur dioxide is added to wine and becomes an integral part of the beverage we consume, there are still some hazards associated with the process of handling it. As a hazardous material, sulfur dioxide is more likely to cause harm as a gas, because it readily transitions a gaseous state at ambient temperatures. It can cause asphyxiating reactions if inhaled, due to lung tissue inflammation and damage. In its liquid form, this compressed gas also has the ability to freeze tissue it contacts, as well as causing chemical b urns. Thanks to safe design of the containers and the closed system in which it is used, sulfur dioxide releases are difficult to cause when correct procedures are followed. The one-ton cylinders are regularly inspected and serviced by the supplier each time they are filled. The portable containers used on site are all relatively small, receiving routine inspections before each use and regularly scheduled preventative maintenance. Additionally, annual training of designated users in the safe handling and use of sulfur dioxide contributes to an extremely low accidental release rate. Release Scenarios In this document, we have the opportunity to review scenarios that describe worst-case releases and alternative releases for the extremely hazardous chemicals we use at our winery. These selected accidental release scenarios are hypothetical estimates of what could happen, given the quantities of materials used on site. For the systems at our winery using anhydrous ammonia and sulfur dio xide, the worst-case scenarios are more appropriately termed as a least-likely events and alternative scenarios as being more-likely. They are intended to depict what effects would be experienced, should the remote chance of an accidental release occur. It should be noted that a release of a worst-case magnitude has not been experienced in this area, in spite of many years of handling large quantities of anhydrous ammonia and sulfur dioxide. For all scenarios the actual number of individuals affected during an accidental release would be much smaller than the total number of people within the calculated impact zone. This is because local wind would transport a release plume from the center of the zone in a specific direction to the outer limit of the zone, not affecting entire region. Therefore, only individuals in the path of the plume would be affected, not the entire population residing within the zone as is reported in Sections 2 and 3 of this document. To determine the conseque nces of various release scenarios, we contracted with an air quality specialist to calculate the air modeling effects. A site evaluation was performed to collect the necessary data about the processes using anhydrous ammonia and sulfur dioxide, along with data about local geography, topography and meteorology. Through the use of mathematical models, areas of vulnerability were determined that would be affected by a released plume of the chemicals at toxic levels. Anhydrous Ammonia Release Scenarios For anhydrous ammonia, the worst-case scenario describes a catastrophic tank failure that causes the release of 29,678 lbs. in a 10-minute period. A release of this magnitude can be expect to travel approximately 1.09 miles. The population estimated to reside within the impact zone is approximately 500, although only a fraction of the individuals would actually be affected by the released plume. A release of this magnitude is highly unlikely due to the design and engineering that is invol ved in the construction and operation of these kinds of installations. Additionally, no historical account of such a release is known to occur in this area. The alternative release scenario for anhydrous ammonia is more credible. Ammonia refrigeration systems are designed with safety devices called pressure relief valves to prevent explosion of components in the event of a system failure that results in over pressurization. Industry history also supports a release of this nature to be a more likely scenario. The scenario involves a pressure relief valve to be stuck in the open position for approximately 30 minutes, releasing gaseous ammonia totaling 4,513 pounds for the period. The release duration is estimated with the consideration that emergency response from employees on site will have the release controlled within the period. The potential harmful effect is expected to be within a radius of 0.19 miles and possibly affect a fraction of the 17 people estimated to be residing in th at zone. Sulfur Dioxide Release Scenarios In the case of sulfur dioxide, the worst-case release scenario would be the catastrophic failure of a one-ton cylinder, releasing its contents into the atmosphere within 10 minutes. A released of this magnitude could travel up to 3.1 miles and pose a health hazard to some people within the impact zone having a population of about 12,000. Again, due to the direction of travel from the center, a release plume would only affect a fraction of the total population within an impact zone. Due to the stout construction of the cylinders and their many years of successful use, a release of this magnitude is unlikely. The alternative release scenario that is more credible for sulfur dioxide involves the activation of a pressure relief device in the presence of more typical weather conditions for our region. In this case, about 741 pounds would escape into the atmosphere over a 30-minute period before emergence response efforts would successfully seal the leak. The footprint of the toxic effect would be within a radius of about 0.3 miles composing an area that could affect a fraction of the 42 people estimated to reside in the zone. The Five-Year Accident History Anhydrous Ammonia Accidental Releases. During the last five years there has been one accidental release of anhydrous ammonia at our winery. The release of 70 pounds was from a pressure relief valve and was mitigated on site within 15 minutes. Only a localized evacuation of some employees was necessary as a precautionary measure and notifications of the release were made to the appropriate administering agencies. Sulfur Dioxide Accidental Releases. There have been two accidental releases of sulfur dioxide in the last five years at this facility; the largest being 30 pounds from a broken sight glass on a portable canister, and all were quickly mitigated on site by employees. Only localized evacuation of some employees was necessary as a precautionary measure. In all instan ces, notifications of the release were made to the appropriate administering agencies. Emergency Response Program In the event of an emergency situation involving an accidental release of anhydrous ammonia or sulfur dioxide, Delicato Vineyards will activate components of its Emergency Response Plan. The plan is intended to minimize the serious effects of an event through preparation and training. Components of the Plan that accomplish this are as follows: ( Pre-emergency planning, including scenario drills and coordination with outside emergency providers. ( ( Definition of personnel roles for recognizing, preventing, and maintaining site security and control. ( ( A communication system for alerting personnel for response procedures, evacuation to safe refuges and coordination with outside responders. ( ( Provisions for medical treatment, first aid, and decontamination. ( ( Organization and training of Emergency Response Team with necessary personal protective and other emergenc y equipment. ( A large group of Production and Maintenance personnel make up the Emergency Response Team and all have training to the Hazardous Materials Technician level as specified in 29CFR1910.120(q). Planned Safety Improvement Continuous improvement in facility safety is realized from strengthening employee knowledge and ability through regular training. Operations and Maintenance personnel receive training through monthly safety meetings and periodic processing review sessions. The large group of employees from each department who compose the Emergency Response Team participate in periodic emergency preparedness training throughout the year. Improvements in preventative maintenance tracking are also providing a more thorough ability to repair worn parts in systems before they have a chance to fail. As referenced in the beginning from our mission and vision statements, Delicato Vineyards is committed to operating an environmentally safe winery. |