Mountaire Farms of Delmarva, Inc.-Processing Plant - Executive Summary |
|
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The accidental release prevention and emergency response policies at your facility: This facility complies with applicable International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR) standards and it is our policy to adhere to applicable federal, state, and local laws. This facility has mechanisms in-place as identified in the Mountaire Farms Emergency Release Notification/Procedures and Process Safety Management, Ammonia Refrigeration Systems to address releases of ammonia. Designated facility personnel have received required OSHA training to respond to an ammonia release. If an emergency release were to occur (i.e. a reportable quantity release), it is our policy to notify applicable agencies and request that they provide additional response resources as needed. A description of your facility and the regulated substances handled: This facility is a poultry processing facility used to slaughter, cut-up, package, refrigerate and ship fresh poultry. The facility r eceives live chickens which are slaughtered, processed and refrigerated for shipping to destinations in the region. We use ammonia as a refrigerant in four (4) separate systems to provide refrigeration capacity to process equipment including cooler spiral freezer, evaporator units, water chillers, and ice makers. The systems are identified as systems No. 1 through No. 4 and have maximum intended ammonia inventories of 15,000 pounds, 2,700 pounds, 4,700 pounds, and 9,100 pounds, respectively. Thus, the total plant capacity is 31,500 pounds of ammonia. The worst-case and alternative case release scenarios: Our worst-case scenario is the failure of a pipe or vessel in ammonia refrigeration system No. 1 when it is operating with its maximum intended inventory of 15,000 pounds, resulting in its complete release to the environment over a period of 10 minutes. The resulting distance to a 200 ppm ammonia toxic endpoint is 7,500 feet and public receptors are within the distance to the e ndpoint. Our alternative release scenario is a 1/4" effective diameter orifice leak (representative of a pump seal leak or gasket rupture) leading to an airborne release. The resulting distance to the endpoint extends off-site to a distance of 1,000 feet. The general accident release prevention program and chemical-specific prevention steps: This facility complies with EPA's accident prevention rule, applicable state and local codes and regulations. The ammonia refrigeration systems are designed, installed, and maintained in accordance with IIAR codes and standards. Five-year accident history: We have not had an accident involving ammonia that caused deaths, injuries, property or environmental damage, evacuations, or shelterings in place in the five years prior to June 21, 1999. The emergency response program: In the event of an emergency involving our ammonia refrigeration systems, it is our policy to employ designated facility personnel to respond to the emergency. Designa ted response personnel and procedures are identified in the written plans entitled Mountaire Farms Emergency Release Notification/Procedures and Process Safety Management, Ammonia Refrigeration Systems. These personnel have received necessary response operations training in accordance with applicable OSHA regulations. Designated personnel will also perform required external notifications to applicable agencies (National Response Center, State Emergency Response Commission, Local Emergency Planning Committee). Planned changes to improve safety: Changes will be implemented as needed as a result of safety evaluations of the refrigeration systems. |