Columbus Chemical Industries, Inc. - Executive Summary |
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Columbus Chemical Industries, Inc. (CCI) is a distributor of high purity chemicals and is a member of the National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD). As a member of the NACD, CCI adheres to and supports the Responsible Distribution Process (RDP) and all of its tenets, to include documented policies, practices and procedures for the safe and responsible handling of chemicals, compliance with all pertinent regulatory agencies, response to chemical releases, and promotion of public awareness and community, vendor and customer relations. Accidental release of chemicals is mitigated by employee training, strict inventory practices, established standard operating procedures, maintenance practices, and engineered systems to control and contain all processes. Emergency response activities are governed by written policies, practices, and procedures as documented in our Comprehensive Emergency Response Manual. These activites are re-enforced by no less than annual training, mock dr ills, cooperation and training with the local fire department and certified HAZWOPER trained employees. In accordance with Federal and State regulations, we adhere to the requirements of SARA Title III, and file appropriate documents with the State Emergency Response Board and the Local Emergency Planning Committee. The stationary source for storage and handling of regulated substances includes six (6) buildings comprising a total of approximately 45,000 sq. ft. of space. The regulated substances stored and handled at the stationary source include: Ammonia (concentration 20% or greater), Formaldehyde (solution), Hydrochloric Acid (concentration 37% or greater), Hydrofluoric Acid (concentration 50% or greater), and Ethyl Ether (Ethane, 1,1'-oxybis-). For the substances named above, with the exception of Hydrochloric Acid, both the worst case and alternative scenarios are calculated to have toxic endpoints 0.1 miles or less from the point source. The distance to the toxic endpoint for Hydrochloric Acid for both the worst case and alternative scenarios is 0.2 miles. The general accidental release and chemical specific prevention steps are specified in CCI Operations, Compliance Safety and Training, and Comprehensive Emergency Response Manuals. CCI provides engineered and contained areas for packaging of these materials. Further, depending upon the CCI assigned chemical class for a given chemical, operators will have been trained extensively for the safe and proper handling of these chemicals as well as responses to incidents. CCI has a five-year, accident free history with these chemicals. CCI employees, at a minimum, are trained in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.120 at the First Responder Awareness level. Two additional employees are trained at the Specialist level-plus (with capabilities as On-Site Commanders) and are assigned as the company Primary and Secondary Emergency Coordinators. Protocols in accordance with the CCI Comprehensive Emergency Response Plan delineate the chain of command and responsibilities of all CCI employees to include reporting incidents up through the contacting of local emergency response organizations and duties related to coordinating with those organizations. The aforementioned Manuals and their policies and procedures are auditted no less than annually in accordance with the prescribed compliance activities of the NACD RDP program. Changes are made as necessary following the audit as well as at any other time when it is deemed that practices can be improved. CCI works very closely with the Columbus Fire Department to include mock drills and responses. Both parties communicate and coordinate improvements resulting from this relationship. |