Capitol Chemical & Supply, Inc. - Executive Summary |
|
In this chemical distribution facility, we handle chlorine which is considered hazardous by EPA, OSHA, DOT, etc. Chlorine cylinders are received by truck shipments into the facility, where they are off-loaded and stored until they are shipped out to local customers. Ovferall, the prevention of unnecessary human exposeures, reducing the threat to our own personnal health as well as our co-workers, and reducing the threat to nearby members of the community is the main goal of incorporating this risk management plan into our daily operations. It is our policy to adhere to all applicable federal and state rules and regulations. Safety depends upon the manner in which we receive, handle and store the chlorine cylinders, alon with the training provided to our employees. The primary purpose of this facility is reveive and distribute chemicals (chlorine) to local customers. The largest,and only, size container of chlorine is a 150 pound cylinder. Our employees conduct proper cylinder handling, receiving, storage and shipping of the chlorine cylinders. The prevention program for this facility is based solely on the handling and storage of the cylinders. There is no maintenance conducted on the cylinders, other than visual and smell inspection conducted when cylinders are received at this location. Active mitigation is considered for this facility to prevent chlorine releases. The sprinkler system will help prevent the overpressurization, and /or fusible plug (liquid release) failure of the cylinders. If a fire occurs, the spriknler system will act as a cooling agent to prevent these occurances from happening. The cylinders are filled by Harcros Chemicals, Inc., All valve and cylinder maintenance is conducted by Harcross Chemcials, Inc. to prevent releases during shippment, sotrage, etc. Our Emergency Response Plan is in the developmental stage. The written procedures are completed, and HazMat training for employees has been scheduled to be completed in Octo ber of this year. Currently, this facility utilizes trained personnel from Harcros Chemical to respond and mitigate a chlorine release from this facility. The persons who are trained in 40 Hour HazMat Response are Curtis Thomas, and Jim Gruber. If a release occurs, this facility will evacuate the building after notifying Harcros Hazmat Personnel, and notifying the Pulaski County 911 system for call-out to affected responding agencies. Mitigation measures would be a cylinder repair, or neutralization of a liquid release (if it ever occured) by use of caustic soda, or lime stored on-site. If mitigation measures do not stop the release, evacuation of surrounding population will commence. The worst case scenario for this facility is the failure of the largest chlorine cylinder, which would be a 150 pound release. The distance to endpoint was calculated using RMP Comp. The area surrounding this facility is considered to be urban due to hills, and surrounding buildings, as well as in door storage of chlorine. Passive mitigation was considered for this scenario which consisted of enclosure with direct contact with outside air. The distance to endpoint for this release scenario is 1.2 miles. This release could impact approximately 15 persons. An alternate release scenario was determined for this location. However, based on the type of storage, and the handling procedures used, this type of release would almost be impossible. The release would consist of a packing nut failure around the valve. This release would be a small release around the valve resulting in approximately 5 pounds of chlorine gas released into the atmosphere. This release would have a distance to endpoint of 0.08 miles around this facility. Again passive mitigation was considered for this scenario consiting of enclosure with direct contact with outside air. This release would affect a population of approximately 1 persons. All population information was based upon Landview Software. Ther e have been no accidental releases of chlorine from this facility in the past five years. The safe handling, storage, and training procedures helps to prevent these accidents from occuring. This chemical distributor facility complies with EPA's Accidental Release Prevention Rule, and with all applicable state/federal codes and regulations. |