Johanna Foods, Inc. - Executive Summary |
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RMP EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Accidental Release Prevention and Emergency Response Johanna Foods, Inc. is committed to providing a safe environment for its employees as well as the surrounding community. Johanna Foods, Inc. has operated its ammonia refrigeration system following its RMP Program. The RMP Program was developed in 1991 to comply with New Jersey's Toxic Catastrophe Prevention Act. The Standard Operating Procedures, Preventative Maintenance Program, Management of Change Program, Emergency Response Plan, and other elements of the RMP Program have developed over the years to further improve the safety, reliability, and risk reduction of the ammonia refrigeration system. Johanna Foods, Inc. Johanna Foods, Inc. has three production plants on one site. The Juice Plant packages chilled juice products in half gallon, quart and pint paper containers that require refrigeration for processing and storage. The Aseptic Plant pac kages juice products in Brik Pak containers (drink boxes) in a variety of sizes and flavors that requires refrigeration for processing but not for storage. The Yogurt Plant packages yogurt products in cup containers of various sizes, styles, and flavors that require refrigeration for processing and storage. Anhydrous ammonia is the regulated chemical that is used as the refrigerant. The quantity of anhydrous ammonia contained in the refrigeration system on site varies up to 55,000 pounds. The anhydrous ammonia is not consumed or produced by the refrigeration system. The refrigeration system circulates the anhydrous ammonia converting it from a liquid to a vapor to create cooling, then condensing the vapor back to a liquid to be used again. Worst-case Release Scenario The worst-case release scenario assumed that the largest vessel in the refrigeration system, the receiver, was 95% full of anhydrous ammonia. This would be a quantity of 38,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia. This scenario was analyzed using RMP*Comp Ver. 1.06. The estimated distance to toxic endpoint of .14 mg/L reached 1.1 miles. It was estimated using Land View 3 that this would effect 1419 people, residences, one school, and a car dealership. However, Land View 3 averages the total population of the county area and produces the number of people per square mile. Johanna Foods, Inc. has large building around the receiver. To the north is wooded area and farmland. To the east are car dealerships and businesses. To the south is woods and farmland. To the west is woods and sparse housing. The actual number of people effected would be less than 1419. Alternative Release Scenario The alternative release scenario is also the refrigeration system receiver. The worst-case release scenario assumed the receiver being 95% full. This would be a very abnormal condition for the receiver. The normal operating level of the receiver is 15% to 25% full. For the alternativ e release scenario the normal operating level of the receiver at 25% full, 10,000 pounds, was used with a hole or puncture of three square inches. The release rate would be 362 pounds per minute and would last about 30 minutes. This scenario was also analyzed using RMP*Comp Ver. 1.06. The estimated distance to toxic endpoint of .14 mg/L reached .2 miles. It was estimated using Land View 3 that this would effect 27 people. However, Land View 3 averages the total population of the county area and produces the number of people per square mile. Johanna Foods, Inc. has large building around the receiver. To the north is wooded area and farmland. To the east are car dealerships and businesses. To the south is woods and farmland. To the west is woods and sparse housing. Based on .2 miles the endpoint would go offsite but would not reach the car dealership or any offsite housing. General Accidental Release Prevention Program and Chemical- specific Prevention Joha nna Foods, Inc. has operated its ammonia refrigeration system following its RMP Program developed in 1991 to comply with New Jersey's Toxic Catastrophe Prevention Act. The Standard Operating Procedures are used for every task performed on the refrigeration system. All equipment is checked daily using checksheets from the S.O.P.'s Steady State Operations section. The Preventative Maintenance Program requires checksheets to inspect all refrigeration equipment in greater detail every six months, yearly testing of all safety interlocks and controls, and a five year schedule to replace safety relief valves. Any repairs required by the inspections are tracked with a PC based Work Order System. Any modification to the system is performed following the Management of Change Program. The M.O.C. requires a dispersion analysis to determine if the change could cause offsite impact or not. Offsite impact would result in performing a risk assessment of the change to identify all hazards and items to further reduce the risk of a release. All EHS operators are trained in all aspects of the RMP and annual refresher training is performed high lighting any changes to procedures or equipment. Five Year Accident History There have been no accidents. Emergency Response Plan Johanna Foods, Inc. has an Emergency Response Plan that addresses emergency situations including an anhydrous ammonia release. This description will address procedures for an anhydrous ammonia release. There are procedures to follow for anyone how discovers a potential release to notify the Johanna Foods, Inc. guard shack. The guard would notify an EHS operator, by radio, to investigate the potential release. If the EHS operator finds a release he notifies the guard to sound the ammonia release evacuation alarm that sounds in the effected area. The site personnel evacuate the area, lead by an Evacuation Coordinator (EVC), who upon meeting at the designated evacuation area, conducts a headcount. The guard also follows procedures to notify the Emergency Response Coordinator (ERC), or an alternate, to command the Emergency Response Team (ERT). The ERT members at the effected area don SCBAs and perform a search of the effected area. The ERC radios the EVC by radio for the result of the headcount and informs the response team of any missing personnel to search for. The ERC follows the Emergency Response Plan which includes procedures on how to contact local emergency responders such as police, fire department, rescue squad, and LEPC. Once all personnel and accounted for the EHS operators of the ERT start to isolate the release and monitor the area. The ERT is made up of EHS operators, production operators who have first aid training, and various maintenance personnel to assist in an emergency. Site personnel are trained annually on the evacuation procedures. The ERT is trained annually on the procedures of the Emergency Response Plan and the use of Eme rgency Response Equipment. Two drills are conducted per year, one rollout and one tabletop. For 1998 Johanna Foods, Inc. conducted two rollouts to expose more site personnel to the drills. |