Ticona Polymers, Inc. - Executive Summary |
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RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM Building Community Awareness and a Balanced Partnership TICONA POLYMERS, INC. Bishop Facility The information on the following pages is the Risk Management Program (RMP) prepared for the Ticona Polymers, Inc. Bishop facility. The EPA Risk Management Program ("RMP") has many elements, including hazard assessment, prevention programs, and emergency response programs. The RMP applies to facilities that use more than specified amounts of certain designated chemicals. The RMP applies to the Bishop facility based on its use of formaldehyde, methyl formate, acetaldehyde, sulfur dioxide and hydrogen fluoride. The following information includes accident prevention and safety programs, emergency preparedness and response programs, chemical descriptions, five year accidental release history, alternative release scenario and the worst case scenario. The RMP requires covered facilities to develop a worst case scenario for a release of covered chemicals from the site as well as a more realistic release scenario (alternative release scenarios). The sharing of this type of information is a means to improve community awareness, prevention and emergency response planning, not a prediction of the probability that either a worst case or more likely scenario would ever occur. These scenarios are estimates required by the EPA and are used to illustrate the importance of risk reduction, safety, prevention and emergency preparedness and response. The Worst case scenarios were conducted using the EPA OCA Guidance. No administrative controls were considered when modeling the Worst Case scenarios. The Toxic Worst Case scenario involves Formaldehyde. The Flammable Worst case scenario involves Methyl Formate. Other chemicals listed in the plan were modeled but did not result in off-site impact greater than the Formaldehyde and Methyl Formate at the site. The Alternate release scenarios for Formaldehyde and Methyl Formate were modeled using a PHAST model. The Bishop plant is committed to the important aspects of the RMP program noted above and has various programs in place to address these issues. The facility has a dedicated Process Safety Manager that concentrates on the overall safety of the Processes at the Bishop facility and manages several Process Safety programs onsite. The Onsite Emergency Response team works with Plant volunteers and Local Emergency planning committees to ensure that appropriate resources and plans are in place to respond in case of an emergency. The Bishop facility has an excellent safety record and is recognized as the Best in the State of Texas in Safety by the Texas Chemical Council. Our world class OHSA incident rate has been less than 1 for the last several years. Our 5 year Accidental release History has not resulted in incidents that have impacted anyone offsite. In fact, only four minor incidents have occurred that meets the requirements of an RMP incident and are detailed in this plan. The major under taking that the Bishop facility is currently involved in is the application to the OSHA VPP program. This is a rigorous safety program and initiative that helps the Bishop facility continue it's excellent track record in safety. The Bishop plant, located between the communities of Kingsville and Bishop, Texas, is a major manufacturing site for chemical, plastics, and pharmaceutical products. Brief History The Bishop plant was started in 1945 to provide chemical feedstock, or raw materials, for Celanese fibers operations on the East Coast. Covering about 1200 acres in southwest Nueces County, the plant produces engineering plastics, organic chemicals, and pharmaceutical products. The plant operates around the clock, seven days a week and uses four employee shifts. Approximately 1,000 full-time employees and 400 contract employees work at the Bishop Facility. Local Expenditures - Annual payroll is more than $ 83 million - Annual purchases, many made within 50 miles, exceed $ 38 mi llion - Annual school and property taxes are more than $ 8 million Primary Business Activity The Bishop Plant produces more than three billion pounds of product each year. They are used in the manufacture of many household and other common items, such as: Paints and Varnishes, Pharmaceuticals, Printing Inks, Toys, Office and Video equipment, Wood products and glues, Automobile parts, Photographic film, Windshield washer fluid, Electrical products, Fertilizers, Motor oils & carburetor cleaners, Kitchen appliances, Furniture, Computer keyboard caps Other Pertinent Information -Texas Chemical Council - Best in Texas Safety Award in 1998 -Texas Chemical Council - A. D. Cyphers Award - Safety Professional of the Year 1998 - Edu Araujo -Texas Chemical Council - Distinguished Service Award for Safety in 1997,1998 -Texas Chemical Council - Caring for Texas - Responsible Care Award in 1998 - Recipients of the Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence in 1996 - Presidential Green Aw ard for Environmental Excellence in 1997 - National Safety Council - Award of Honor in 1997 - Recipient of Coastal Bend Business Roundtable Distinguished Service Award for Safety in 1997,1998 - National Petroleum Refinery Associations - Gold Award in 1997, 1998 - National Petrochemical and Refiners Association - Award of Merit in 1997, 1998 - National Petrochemical and Refiners Association - Award of Achievement in 1997, 1998 - Kirkpatrick Achievement Award (for outstanding advances in chemical engineering technology). - Green Chemistry Challenge Award - Ibuprofen Process - "Alternative Synthetic Pathway" - 1997 For more information call Ticona Polymers, Inc. 361-584-3460 Prepared in association with the Nueces / Kleberg County RMP Community Team |