QF Acquisition Corp - Executive Summary |
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Quality Fods, is a manufacturer of Beef and Chicken Chip Steaks, used primarily in sandwichs. We have been locted at this location since June of 1996. We presently use Anhydrous Ammonia as an refrigerant in our in plant refrigeration systems, which include freezers, coolers, and tempering boxes. We have approx., 25,500 lbs of Anhydrous Ammonia in this system. The system consist of a main control or engine room, with reciever tanks and compressors, roof mounted condensing units and in plant evaporators. Our General Accident Release Prevention Program for Ammoina consist of, as a part of it, we follow our OSHA PSM Program, plus we have added protection for our units such as protection bars and ballards, catwalks around roof top piping, etc. We have trained our forklift operators in the danger involved with the cieling mounted evaporator units. Our maintenace staff perform daily leak and valve checks, and have been through Ammonia Awareness Training, as well as other safety related t raining. We have an outside contractor who performs yearly inspoections of the system, and assist us in major repairs and changes. As our worst case scenario, we used a catastrophic rupture of our main receiver and failure of all of its safety valves. This would cause the leakage of all 25,500 lbs of Ammonia to the atmosphere. The endpoint of this leak, would be .7 of a mile. Our immeditae response would be to evacuate our facility in the opposite direction of the wind, (wind socks loacted at either end of our facility give us this information), and notify the Philadelphia Fire Department, who would institute thier HazMat response program, and handle all evacuations of the sorrounding area, if needed. (We have a copy of their program with the zone classifications.) Our staff would follow our emergency repsonse program, and respond with the proper equipment and secure the leak and begin repairs. Over the past five years, we have had NO major leaks/releases of Ammonia. We have had a f ew minor in house leaks, were we evacuated our employees, and repaired the system. ususally a few ounces to no more than a pound has leaked, with one leak registering at 10 pounds, well below the reportable limit. In all cases we followed our emergency responce program. None were off site. After evacuation and the securing of the problem line by valving it of, our Emergency Response Program, has our responders, who have been trained at the HazMat Tech Level, and have completed Confined Space and Respiratory Protection Training, respond wearing the proper protective clothing and wearing an SCBA. They apply water spary and fans to disapate the ammonia. They measure the PPM until to a safe limit, and begin repairs to the leak. No employees are permitted back into the facility until all hazrads have been removed. We have also 24 hrs per day, 7 days a week coverage by trained refrigeration mechanics, who hold a Philadelphia Class A Engineers License. We have a Fire Alarm System which has Ammonia Sensors attached to it, which are located in all refrigerated rooms, and in the space above our production areas, which when activated, alarms our enmtire building and an off site monitoring company, who follow the proper program for whatever alarm they recieve. In the future, we plan on conducting drills with the Philadelphia Fire Dept, as well as increased in house drilling. We have more access walks being planned for safer working on units, and aaccess. Our mechanics do attend yearly refresher courses. |