Costco Wholesale - Sumner - Executive Summary |
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ACCIDENTAL RELEASE PREVENTION AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE POLICIES The Costco Wholesale facility has an emergency action plan in effect. The Emergency Action Plan (Plan) is detailed in the Emergency Planning and Response section of the PSM/RMP document which is maintained at the facility. This Plan was designed to meet the following objectives: 1.) To save lives. 2.) To minimize and avoid injuries. 3.) To protect the environment. 4.) To minimize property damage. Costco Wholesale maintains a safety committee whose members are the designated emergency coordinators for the facility. The Plan provides the response organization and notification procedures, evacuation routes, ammonia health hazards, and mitigation procedures which will be implemented to respond effectively to emergency situations that may arise at the facility. This Plan is reviewed and updated at least once per year. This Plan was reviewed and updated to ensure compliance with the PSM and RMP regulations. Co stco Wholesale has coordinated emergency response efforts with the local fire department and with the contracted refrigeration operation and maintenance firm. In the case of an ammonia-related emergency, it is the policy of Costco Wholesale to evacuate and to allow the fire department/HazMat Team to respond to the emergency. The refrigeration contractor will be available for guidance and assistance. STATIONARY SOURCE AND REGULATED SUBSTANCE Construction of the ammonia refrigeration system at Costco Wholesale was completed in August 1999. The facility is new and operations are scheduled to commence once the refrigeration system is fully functional. The facility serves as a distribution point for chilled goods that are shipped to Costco Wholesale retail outlets. The facility is located at 4000A 142nd Ave. E. in Sumner, Washington 98390, just east of State Highway 167. The system was constructed in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations including the Uniform Fire and Mechanical Codes. The ammonia refrigeration system uses approximately 20,000 pounds of ammonia for cross dock operations, warehouse cold storage, and freezer storage. The majority of the system is located in the machine room including vessels and compressors and associated piping. The condensers are mounted on the engine room roof, and all of the evaporators are located in their respective cold storage rooms/areas. HAZARD ASSESSMENT SUMMARY * Worst Case Release Result Summary Scenario Description: Release of the maximum quantity of ammonia that can be stored in a vessel - 20,000 pounds in 10 minutes. (The capacity of the High Pressure Receiver is greater than 20,000 pounds of ammonia, but the amount released is limited by the charge of ammonia in the system.) The most pessimistic meteorological conditions were used: 1.5 meters per second wind speed, and F stability. The Risk Management Program Guidance for Ammonia Refrigeration reference tables were used to determine the maximum distance to the toxic endpoint of 200 ppm in rural conditions. This release reaches off site and may impact population receptors. No environmental receptors were affected by this potential release. * Alternative Release Result Summary Scenario Description: A release of ammonia from resulting from a 1/4 inch diameter hole in a pipe. The release rate of ammonia due to the pressure of the tank is 134 pounds per minute. The meteorological conditions used were 3 meters per second wind speed, and D stability. The Risk Management Program Guidance for Ammonia Refrigeration reference tables were used to determine the maximum distance to the toxic endpoint of 200 ppm in rural conditions. This release reaches off site and may impact population receptors. No environmental receptors were affected by this potential release. ACCIDENTAL RELEASE PREVENTION PROGRAM AND CHEMICAL-SPECIFIC PREVENTION STEPS The Costco Wholesale ammonia refrigeration system has many safety features. Much of the safety of the system is inherent in the policies and procedures that govern the operation of the system. For example, the Costco Wholesale facility operates in accordance with OSHA's Process Safety Management regulation. Refrigeration contractors, experts in the ammonia refrigeration industry, are contracted at the facility to maintain the system and perform any repairs. The Costco Wholesale facility including each ammonia system was designed and constructed in accordance with the Uniform Mechanical Code which specifically outlines requirements for the safe operation of the ammonia refrigeration system. These safety features include a water diffusion tank, ammonia sensors in the machine room as well as sensors in the cold storage areas, and automatic shut down systems. In addition, the majority of the ammonia is maintained inside the machine room and just outside of the machine room (condensers). All pressure vessels are equipped with pressure relief valves that are commonly piped to the water diffusion tank. In addition to the Uniform Mechanical Code, the facility will operate in accordance with the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR) guidelines. In particular, the IIAR Bulletin 110, "Startup, Inspection, and Maintenance of Ammonia Refrigeration Systems." FIVE YEAR ACCIDENT HISTORY This facility including the ammonia refrigeration system is new as of August 1999. There have been no ammonia-related accidents at the facility. EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM Costco Wholesale has an emergency action plan in effect at the facility. The Emergency Action Plan (Plan) is detailed in the Emergency Planning and Response section of this PSM/RMP document. This Plan was designed to meet the following objectives: 1.) To save lives. 2.) To minimize and avoid injuries. 3.) To protect the environment. 4.) To minimize property damage. Costco Wholesale maintains a safety committee whose members are the d esignated emergency coordinators for the facility. The Plan provides the response organization and notification procedures, evacuation routes, ammonia health hazards, and mitigation procedures which will be implemented to respond effectively to emergency situations that may arise at the facility. This Plan is reviewed and updated at least once per year. This Plan was reviewed and updated to ensure compliance with the PSM and RMP regulations, as well as to incorporate facility changes due to the renovation of the facility. In case of an ammonia emergency, Costco Wholesale plans to evacuate all employees stationed in the cold storage warehouse and alert the local emergency responders (fire department). Costco Wholesale plans to coordinate emergency response efforts with the fire department on a periodic and ongoing basis. PLANNED CHANGES TO IMPROVE SAFETY The Process Hazard Analysis provided mitigation measures to improve safety at the Costco Wholesale facility located at 4000A 1 42nd Ave. E. in Sumner, Washington. Many of the recommendations are complete and implemented as of the startup of the ammonia system. All recommendations are scheduled to be complete by June 1, 2000. R01 Coordinate emergency response efforts with the local emergency responders (fire department) on a periodic and ongoing basis. R02 Ensure that visual alarms are located at each man door to the ammonia engine room that are activated by ammonia detection inside the room. R03 Ensure that all employees are aware of the presence of and the hazards associated with ammonia at the facility. R04 Ensure that all employees know how to report an ammonia emergency. R05 Ensure that all employees know what to do when an emergency evacuation is initiated. R06 Establish a procedure to replace all relief valves in the system at least every five years (industry standard) or any time one of them is used. R07 Investigate the possibility of not having the system restart followin g a long power outage (potentially due to an earthquake). R08 Consider installing an eye wash/safety shower station is located outside and easily accessible to the ammonia engine room. R09 Ensure that system operators wear eye protection whenever opening the ammonia system for maintenance or repairs. R10 Use an absorbent material to assist in the cleanup of spilled liquid ammonia. R11 Ensure that an annual test is performed on the high level shut down switches on the pump accumulator vessels. R12 Implement an engine room daily log sheet to be completed by a Costco employee. R13 Ensure that an oil draining procedure is documented and followed. R14 Ensure that evaporators are cleaned and maintained on a periodic basis. R15 Establish a program for routine condenser water treatment. Consider contracting the water treatment service. R16 Ensure that maintenance procedures are implemented on the ammonia equipment based on the manufacturer recommendations a nd/or industry standard including the pumps, condensers, compressors, and evaporators. R17 Consider maintaining spare belts for the condensers. R18 Ensure that ammonia detectors are periodically tested and calibrated based on the manufacturer recommendations. R19 Ensure that all piping is labeled as to the contents and the flow direction. R20 Install wind socks in locations that can be seen from all potential emergency exits (i.e. engine room roof, receiving roof, shipping roof). R21 Install ammonia safety placards on all doors to the ammonia engine room. R22 Ensure that (at least) annual evacuation drills are held at the facility. |