SOLUTIA INC - Pensacola Plant - Executive Summary |
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RMP EXECTIVE SUMMARY Name of Company: Solutia, Inc. Site Address: P. O. 97 Gonzalez, FL 32560 Plant Manager: Joe C. Ochsner RMP Contact: Robert T. Tebbs Telephone Number: 850-968-7316 Fax Number: 850-968-7775 Facility and Regulated Substances: Monsanto's chemical sites were spun-off in September 1997 forming a new chemical company, Solutia, Inc. Solutia, Pensacola is one of the 18 chemical manufacturing facilities that make up the company. Solutia, Inc. has approximately 8000 employees. Built in 1953, the Pensacola Plant is situated on a 2200 acre tract, 12 miles north of the City of Pensacola, on the Escambia River. Over 600 acres are presently in use. Most major raw materials (ie. Anhydrous Ammonia and Butane are the two regulated substances) arrive at the plant by barge on the Escambia River -- 7 miles from the Intercoasta Waterway. Rail and truck shipments of Butane supplement the barges. Butane barges can hold up to a maximum of 3.3 million pounds, remain under the control of the carrier, and normally there are no more than two barges are on site at any one time. The plant could have as many as 25 rail cars with the largest containing 160,000 pounds. There could be as many as 10 tanker trucks on site with the largest containing 45,000 pounds. We only receive anhydrous ammonia by barge and it remains under the carrier's control. Although we have never had more than one barge of ammonia on site, we believe there could be situations warranting two. The largest ammonia barge contains 5 million pounds. Staffing at Pensacola is currently just under 1450 Soluita employees and 1350 permanent contract employees. Solutia Inc. is the world's largest producer of nylon carpet staple -- all here in Pensacola. In addition the facility produces nylon polymer chips for the automotive and electrical industries. A significant amount of the adipic acid produced is sold outside the fiber market where it goes into food additives -- jell-o and no salt to provide tartness. Release Scenarios: The worst case flammable (butane) assumes the loss of a storage sphere with maximun possible amount (2.8 million lbs.) in the tank at time of failure. The site has two storage vessels. No active or passive mitigation was considered for the 1.2 mile explosion endpoint which has off-site impact. The worst case toxic(ammonia, anhydrous) assumes the loss of the storage tank with maximun possible inventory (7.6 million lbs.) in the tank at the time of failure. The tank is surrounded by a full height concrete dike providing passive mitigation. The toxic end point is 1.2 miles which has off-site impact. The alternative case for flammable butane is a line rupture from the wharf unloading facility to the storage container. The total amount released is 55,053 lbs. No active or passive mitigation was consider ed for this scenario which has a .33 mile end point and does not impact off-site. The alternative case for toxic ammoniais a line rupture between the storage tank and the operating areas. The total release is 7,112 lbs. No active or passive mitigation was considered for this scenario which has a .43 mile end point and does not impact off-site. Five Year Accident History: No releases to report for butane and anhydrous ammonia. Accidental Release Prevention/Emergency Response/Safety and Health Program: 1. Management Leadership and Employee Involvement a. Policy Solutia's safety philosophy and principles of safety - we are committed to continuous improvement toward an injury and incident free workplace. We believe that all employees have an individual responsibility to protect themselves, their fellow employees, non-company personnel, and the communities we serve. Commitment to safety is a condition of employment. b. Solutia's has clear writte n policies regarding employee involvement in all aspects of Safety. Both the "Safety Program Management" policy Section II - 1.19 and the "Process Safety Management Employee Participation" policy Section VI - 1.04 describe this involvement. c. Goal and Objectives The site established a 1999 recordable goal of nine or less injuries. Other safety goals were established to reduce the number of recommendations in the electronic tracking system that pass their due date and to those for which no one has yet to accept responsibility. Plant objectives were set for increasing involvement in the Behavior Based Safety (BBS) processes, toward completing in-depth process hazard analysis, and maintaining the safety manual rules up-to-date. d. Planning For continuous improvement, the Site Safety Steering Committee(SSSC) continues to reevaluate it function and redefine its goal. The SSSC is engaged in improving the communication of ES&H issues. The site has reorganized the t raining group and is utilizing a new software to improve the delivery and quality of the computer based compliance training program. The Industrial Hygiene sampling strategy was revised in 1998. At each year end, the IH group examines the sampling strategy and past monitoring results to develop the next year's sampling schedule. A BBS implementation committee was formed to assist those areas that are not currently involved in this process to help remove roadblocks. Safety audits, pre-start-up audits of equipment and project reviews are conducted to ensure safe operation of equipment and safety procedures are in place. Work plans are generated prior to the start of many tasks and several areas conduct Job Safety Analyses for tasks. e. Written Safety and Health Program The "Safety Program Management" Section II - 1.19 procedure was rewritten in 1998, and reissued after employee and management input/approval during the 1st Quarter of 1999. f. Management Leader ship Management demonstrates its leadership through attendance at safety meetings, participation in Focus Walkthrus, area housekeeping inspections, Behavior Based Safety sampling, and compliance training. Communication is the key to the success of management commitment. The site manager utilizes a variety of media (e.g., the bi-monthly newsletter, The Solutian, site wide TV monitors, attendance at various meetings) to convey his personal value that completing our work safely is the vision that we must continuously have in front of us each day. g. Employee Involvement The SSSC membership increased this year to improve representation of all site areas. It also updated its goals and objectives stressing the importance of SSSC members communicating with others in their areas. Employees developed and implemented the Safety Suggestion Program. They also determine and develop the content for the monthly Safety Packages. Most plant areas have their own safety committees such as the Technology groups which have the Technology Safety Steering Committee (TSSC) and 710 shops which have the Central Engineering Safety Committee. The site's "Process Safety Management Employee Participation 1910.119" details the many avenues that are established for employee involvement. Although this plant safety rule was developed to assure all elements of the PSM standard were addressed, it reflects site wide involvement. Employees are involved in the review and development of area operating instructions, are required to participate in process hazard analysis, provide consultation to the training coordinators regarding training program content, participate in Pre-Start up safety reviews and investigations, and are consulted/review/approve certain site wide safety/health programs. h. Contract Worker Coverage The Contractor Guest Safety Committee met on a monthly basis involving all Resident Contractors. The practice of investigating all accidents continues. The Co ntractor Guest Safety Committee continued to benchmark Solutia's Contractor Guest process and represent an industry "best practice". The Resident Contractor Safety Program has had training, audits, and management commitment as its primary areas of focus. Contractors have a lesson plan for each area of compliance training, a verification of understanding quiz for each employee and computerized tracking to ensure that employees are re-trained prior to expiration of training (normally on an annual basis). Each firm audits its own operations in addition to Solutia audits. The following describes how contract employees are managed on site. 1.) Solutia employees that will be acting as "guides" or "sponsors" for Contractors on site must be trained in the process and certified by the unit where Contractor work is to be performed. 2.) To work at this site, Contractor Firms must be pre-qualified as "safe" employers which means the firm has a written Safety Progr am, a written Substance Abuse Program, and Safety History that is average or better for their type of work. 3.) When on-site work has been identified to be performed by a Contractor, a "sponsor" must be appointed and specific Environmental, Safety & Health requirements developed for that job. These requirements are signed by the Contractor and become requirements of the contract to do business at this site. 4.) Upon arrival at the site, the Contractor must document to the Solutia sponsor that all Drug Testing, Safety Training, Medical exams and Personal Protective Equipment required are in place for all of the Contractor's employees. The Solutia sponsor must also ensure that Contractor's employees are trained on Solutia's General Plant Safety Procedures, the Area Safety Procedures where the work is to be performed, and a specific Job Safety Orientation. Only after all Training and Testing is complete and documented can the work be started. 5.) The S olutia "sponsor" audits the work-in-progress to ensure that all of Solutia ES&H Requirements are being met. Non-compliance requires correction and may require work stoppage to correct. 6.) At job completion, the Solutia Sponsor prepares an evaluation report on the Contractor's ES&H performance. This report goes to the Contractor and to Solutia's pre-qualification process. i. Responsibility, Authority, and Resources Responsibility: Per the Safety policy, "All employees have an individual responsibility to protect themselves, their fellow employees, non-company personnel, and the communities we serve." This applies to all and every level of employment - from the site manager down. Authority: Each individual is responsible and accountable for providing and promoting an environment free of accidents, occupational illness and injuries. Each operator has the authority to shutdown operations without getting approval from supervision when condit ions threaten employees. Employees are instructed to not perform tasks that they feel are not safe and take responsibility for utilizing the resources at hand (e.g., area supervision, maintenance personnel) to remedy the situation. Resources: The Environmental, Safety and Health budget was reviewed and approved for 1999. A budgeting process is provided for addressing capitol expenditures for ES&H issues/needs. j. Line Accountability Each operation/department in the plant has accountability for ES&H issues. These issues range from injury goals, compliance training, safety audits, and accident investigations. The line support of ES&H programs is the key for their success. The visibility of this support comes with providing resources - usually employees - for participation on the numerous safe ty activities/committees around the plant. Line management is held accountable for the performance of their units. k. Enforcement (i.e., rules, policies, procedures, disciplinary actions) The Corrective Action Process was updated in 1998 (formerly called Disciplinary Procedure). At the core of the team concept is the philosophy that each team member works to ensure that the overall goals of the team and the site are met. Each employee is expected to: work safely at all times and demonstrate concern for the safety of others, strive for the highest quality standards, be knowledgeable of responsibilities, be willing to learn and accept additional responsibility, accept responsibility, accountability for actions, and possess and display a spirit of cooperation toward those within and outside their team. The 5 step Corrective Action Process describes increasing levels of action for performance problems, including safety violations. This Process is maintained by the Human Re sources Department and is available to all employees on the Solutia Intranet. 2. Worksite Analysis a. Comprehensive Safety and Health Surveys Corporate Safety/Health conducts a triennial audit for all Solutia sites. The team consists of trained auditors representing Safety, Property Protection, Industrial Hygiene, and Occupational Medicine. The Performance Evaluation Guide (PEG) audit from Corporate Safety/Health was conducted for one week in July 1998. The site will be revisited in the summer of 2001. ES&H plant employees from Solutia sites are also provided with an opportunity to learn what other sites are doing by serving on these audit teams. There are usually one or two plant members on each PEG audit. b. Pre-use Analysis Safety reviews of equipment, changes or modifications to existing equipment, or process/procedure changes are reviewed prior to start-up. Projects are reviewed by Safety and Industrial Hygiene to determine (1) front-end engineering, (2) d esign, and (3) start-up audit requirements. The New Chemical Committee, composed of ES&H, R&D and analytical chemists, Medical and Purchasing, review applications for all new chemicals to the site as well as permitting the use of approved chemicals in other areas of the site. Four site procedures address this issue: Procedure for Performing Loss Prevention and Environmental Control Reviews on Plant Audits - Section II-1.09, Procedure for Performing Safety Audits and Managing Audit Recommendations - Section II - 1.10, New Chemical Use Approval Procedure - Section II-1.12, and Management of Change Procedure - Section II-1.20. c. Job Safety or Hazard Analysis; Process Hazard Review Periodic in-depth safety audits are conducted when necessary on plant projects, process design changes, and plant tests. The Procedure for Performing Safety Audits and managing Audit Recommendations (Section II-1.10) defines the methods and responsibilities for performing these audits. The Safety Department issues the audit schedule. All Process Safety Management (PSM) areas covered by OSHA 1910.119 are audited using the Hazard and Operability (HazOp) methodology, and the audit leader is required to be trained in the HazOp methodology. All plant projects and plant tests are routed through the Safety Department for review and consideration, minutes of all reviews are issued, with recommendations if applicable. Last year the site conducted two week long "Process Hazards Analysis Study Leadership Training Courses" to assure that more audit team leaders are knowledge about the various audit techniques. In addition to the more formal hazard reviews mentioned, each plant area conducts at least quarterly VVP housekeeping inspections and the site leadership team conducts Focus Walkthru audits weekly. d. Self-inspections The Focus Walkthru (FWT) Program was fully developed and implemented site wide in 1998. Manufacturing areas are required to select an appropriate topi c of their choice each month and non-manufacturing areas quarterly. The Safety Dept. can select the FWT topic as a particular need is identified. The Site Leadership Team is responsible for conducting the FWTs. Recommendations are tracked in the electronic follow-up system (see 3.d). Internal quarterly safety inspections are routinely conducted across the Pensacola site. Each department has the responsibility to ensure that it has been inspected with action items being documented, prioritized and corrected. Each department maintains its own quarterly inspection records and has an on-going, pro-active safety process. These processes generate a high level of employee involvement through daily and weekly sampling and observations. Items requiring follow-up are documented for corrective action and completion. e. Employee Hazard Reporting Systems In 1998, site employees developed an anonymous Safety Suggestion Program. Boxes are located near 4 of the plant entrances with inst ructions for their use. The contents will be collected each day by mail room employees and delivered to the Safety Department. A new category has been added to the ACT System for follow-up and tracking. A list of concerns and suggestions as well as the status of the recommendations will be posted on the bulletin board near each box. This additional method of reporting hazards is documented in the Safety Program Management rule Section II-1. Employees are encouraged to express safety concerns and suggestions to Area supervision and the Safety Department as they arise. However, if an employee wishes to express concerns or suggestions anonymously, they should contact the Safety Department via plant mail or by phone expressing their concern. The employee may also utilize the Safety Suggestion Drop Boxes located at 4 of the plant entrances. f. Accident/Incident Investigation System The Accident Reporting and Investigation Procedure (Section VI-1.00) was revised in 1998. Two sessions of Investigation Chairperson Training was conducted in 1998 by the Region Safety Manager, resulting in an additional 24 trained chairpersons at the site. An additional method of sharing investigations was utilized in 1998. They are posted on the site email system on the Safety Bulletin Board. A table listing basic causes for all injuries to date was added to the monthly Safety Package. g. Trend Analysis [for injuries, hazards identified, etc.] Charts identifying types of injuries and body parts affected, number of accidents each month with a comparison to the previous year were added to the monthly Safety Package. The Safety Statistics spreadsheet is updated each Monday and communicated site wide. It lists the number and type of injuries and illnesses in each area and gives the site Total Injury Rate and Total Recordable Rate. The Safety Department tracks and communicates information regarding accidents site wide and to the Enterprise. When necessary, Safety Alerts are communicated site wide via email system on site and ESH Compliance Owner Process (ESH COPs; see Success Stories for more information). The process is ever evolving. 3. Hazard Prevention and Control a. Access to Certified Safety and Health Professionals The Safety Department has 2 Certified Safety Professionals (CSP) and 1 Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH). The Industrial Hygiene Department has 1 CIH and 1 Industrial Hygienist In Training (IHIT). The site also has access to Regional and Enterprise support with both CSPs and CIHs. The site also participates in the OSHA VPP audit process with one S.G.E. The Medical Dept. is staffed daily with 1 physician and 1 Physician's Assistant, 2 RNs, 2 LPNs, 2 Medical Assistants, and 1X-ray technician. In addition, there is an on-site Social Worker supporting the Employee Assistance Program, and a Wellness Director. b. Means for Eliminating or Controlling Hazards Engineering controls are always the first choice for eliminating hazards. The site has multiple processes for addressing hazards to assure that where possible, these controls are utilized. Some hazards cannot be engineered out. At this site the primary area of concern is noise. Although much is done to reduce noise levels, it is primarily through administrative control that this hazard is controlled. We have an excellent written and administered hearing conservation program. Most other industry recognized hazards are controlled though written procedures. We have written procedures for Confined Space Entry, Hot Work, Tag and Lockout, Asbestos, Breaking into Process, Alarm/Interlock Bypassing, Managing Change, PSM, Respiratory Protection, Radiation, Breathing Air, Indoor Air and Hot Tapping to mention a few. c. Preventive Maintenance Program The site uses a computerized preventive maintenance program for to identify, schedule and track equipment. This system notifies the owning areas when an item is due for PM/inspection. Area employee also issue maintenance "work request tickets" as needed to correct any hazards found. In 1998 extensive rewrites of the Engineering Procedures occurred. In addition training modules were developed for each of the procedures. These procedures cover rotating equipment, protective devices (i.e., relief valves, rupture disks), vessel and tanks, alarms and controls(emergency shut down), and piping systems. An on-site metallurgical inspection group provides routine inspections of tanks and vessels. d. Hazard Tracking System(s) Hazards identified by audits, inspections, Behavior Based Safety Samples, etc., are tracked and followed up by the use of a computerized system called "ACT". Items identified by the triennial Performance Evaluation Guide (PEG) Audit by Corporate are entered in both the ACT System and another computerized tracking system in a Lotus Notes software program. During 1998 an additional Safety Technician was added to the Safet y Dept. One of the prime responsibilities for this person is to provide more support for the "ACT" system. e. Occupational Health Program (include Industrial Hygiene monitoring and PPE) The site-wide upgrade of labeling of stationary process vessels was completed in 1998 (see Success Stories for further information). The New Chemical approval procedure continued to function and SARA/HazCom chemical inventories were updated quarterly. Annual program evaluations were conducted for Bloodborne Pathogens and Hazard Communication, respiratory protection, and laboratory chemical hygiene. Plant procedures revised in 1998 include Lead in Construction, Hearing Conservation, Ventilation Monitoring, and Heat Stress. The necessary changes were made from the former site particulate filters to the necessary 42 CFR filters and Respirator Program participants were revalidated accordingly. Placards were added to the entrances of laboratories identifying them as designated areas. The site's lead abatement contractor was audited. New ventilation systems were added to the record keeping system and overview training was conducted for maintenance schedulers and planners Detailed training was conducted for ventilation testers. Approximately 1,000 samples were collected for chemicals, heat stress, noise, and radiation. f. Emergency Response Program and Procedures Emergency Team members each receive 88 hours of training. Each received 16 hours of training on hands-on flammable liquid and gas fire fighting at the Rural Metro Facility in Axis, AL. Twelve Fire Department members were sent to the Texas A&M Fire Control and Hazardous Materials Workshop. Team members attended the 40 hour Hazardous Materials Rail Car Course. The Fire Department responded to 195 calls. There were no significant losses that required corporate notification (greater than $25.0K in property damage and/or business interruption). Emergency evacuation drills were conducted on each shift which provided employees training on the plant Emergency Evacuation Procedure (Section XIV of the site Safety Manual). The Fire Department Steering Committee continued to meet on a regular basis focusing on improving fire department training and services. The plant off-site SAFE/CHEMNET hazardous material response team responded to 2 incidents with Escambia County Emergency Services. The fire suppression and detection systems were inspected, tested and maintained in accordance with Solutia, NFPA, FM Standards, and manufacturer recommended practices. The Fire Protection Team trained over 1,200 employees and contract personnel on Hands-On Fire Extinguisher Training. The annual disbursement of emergency information to neighbors adjacent to the plant was conducted with assistance of other site personnel. A new fire truck was purchased (see Success Stories for additional information) and the Emergency Team participated in the site's roll-out of the Risk Management Plan. Members met with c ommunity residents to discuss the site's emergency procedures and plans with demonstrations of materials to be used during emergencies. The site has a staff of highly trained group of fire fighters and EMTs. They receive regular extensive training to maintain their emergency response skills. The SAFE/CHEMNET Team also assists Escambia County with hazardous materials incidents. There are annual emergency drills and training, and the fire suppression and detection system is regularly inspected. Documentation of training and inspections are maintained in the Fire Station. 4. Safety and Health Training a. Managers In 1998, the Core Training Team adopted the Solutia Training Network's recommendation to utilize a new CBT authoring tool called Authorware. Authorware is currently being used at another Solutia site, and is recognized as a best practice in the enterprise. The Training Network has been driving implementation of this tool across the corporation because it allows us to have greater control over the content and presentation of the compliance modules as well as a greater level of reliability in the record keeping process. All employees must receive formal training in job and safety procedures which apply to their specific duties. This training is essential to assure that employees have the knowledge and confidence to perform their jobs correctly and safely in this way they accomplish the organization's basic mandate to protect themselves, their fellow employees, the community and Solutia property from hazards. The training is a combination of Instructor-lead and Computer Based Training (CBT) modules. All instructor-lead training is planned and conducted by qualified unit training coordinators. Each training coordinator is also a member of the Site Training Network which enables them to share best practices across the site, and assist in decisions and projects which have site wide training implications The CBT system is a centrally managed system which places multimedia training for a variety of topics at the fingertips of anyone who has access to a personal computer at the site. b. Supervisors Participated in Compliance training, per site requirements. 1.) Employees Participated in Compliance Training, per site requirements. 2.) All others on the site [including visitors understand what to do in emergency situations] 3.) All other individuals on the site are required to receive training on actions to take in the event of an emergency. They must also successfully complete a verification of understanding form prior to being allowed on site. There are other more stringent training requirements for contractors performing work at the site. c. PPE Requirements [known and used effectively] Training on Personal Protective Equipment is a required module for all employees. The site has a Personal Protective Equipment Safety Rule (Section I-1.11) which covers general PPE requirements. Each area has individual instructions regarding PPE selection, use, and care in their area Safety Rules and Standard Practice Instructions. II. Success Stories 1. Fire Truck The Fire Department was successful in its efforts to purchase a new fire truck. Early in 1997 the plant formed a team of fire chiefs and representatives from Safety and Fire Protection to develop a project and specifications for a new fire truck. By September 1, 1997 the committee had completed the project, developed preliminary specifications for the new truck. The company placed the order for the new truck with a check for approximately $255,000.00. Nearly one year later and several specification review meetings the plant took delivery of a new E-One, Industrial Foam Pumper in June, 1998. The truck has a 150 0 gallon per minute pump and holds 1,000 gallons of foam and 500 gallons of water. The new truck is very reliable and the pump panel is very simple and easy to operate. 2. Focus Walkthru Program The site fully implemented the Focus Walkthru Program during 1998. This procedure provides a self assessment process for evaluating an area's level of compliance with ES&H requirements. It provides for increased interaction between Site Leadership Team members and other employees. They are conducted on a periodic basis to determine compliance with established procedures, work practices, Government regulations, and Solutia polices. The site used this program in selected areas in previous years. Its site wide use is considered to be another successful tool for performing self assessments. 3. Stationary Vessel Labeling During 1998, the site completed the upgrade of labeling on stationary process vessels. The labels give the chemical name, this NFPA rating, the chemical's i nternal MSDS number, the physical and health hazards, and protective measures for employees working in the area. The label placards also indicate that the vessel is a confined space if capable of being entered. This new system provides "one stop" information directing the employee to the MSDS for details, and is expected to increase awareness of chemical hazards and protective measures. 4. ES&H Compliance Owner Process During 1998 the ESH Team developed and fully implemented an Environmental, Safety and Health Compliance Owner Process. An ESH Compliance Owner (CO) was selected for every area of the plant site who was recognized as the specialist or the point of contact for all ESH issues. In addition to their job responsibilities as area facilitators, process engineers, and technicians they accepted a broad range of additional ESH related responsibilities, all aimed at achieving the site's goal of daily ESH excellence. During the year the CO's received extensive training f rom the ESH staff, met approximately quarterly to network and utilized an electronic communication system. All CO's were trained and provided with appropriate resource materials in the form of permits, audit checklists, guidance documents, and electronic database access. During the year the CO's effectively served as ESH ambassadors and ESH resources for each area of the plant. This process proved to be an essential element in the plant's effort to achieve continuous improvement in ESH performance. |