AmeriCold Logistics Plant # 80549 - Executive Summary |
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Executive Summary A. ACCIDENTAL RELEASE PREVENTION AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE POLICIES The AmeriCold Logistics Plant # 80549 has an emergency response plan in effect. The Emergency Response 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. The emergency response procedures provide the reporting and notification procedures, evacuation procedures, and Mitigation procedures that may be implemented to ensure operators respond effectively to an emergency situation. This manual is distributed to all plant personnel upon initial employment and is readily available at the facility. B. STATIONARY SOURCE AND REGULATED SUBSTANCE The AmeriCold Logistics Plant #80549 facility is located at 525 S. Kilroy Road in Turlock, California. The facility is Situated ap proximately one-third mile south of west Main Street and one-half mile west of Highway 99. The immediate area is primarily industrial and commercial with sparse residential areas to all sides The facility chills and stores a variety of food products such as vegetables, and poultry. The facility operates the ammonia refrigeration system to maintain appropriate temperatures for storing these food products. The facility was originally built in 1985. The facility currently covers approximately 19.5 acres. The ammonia refrigeration system uses 13,440 pounds of ammonia for cold storage rooms and process equipment. The majority of the system is located in the engine room including three low pressure receivers, the compressors, the sub cooler, and the purger. The pilot receiver, the high pressure receiver, the heat exchangers, and the condensers are mounted outside the engine room and all evaporative are located in their respective cold storage rooms/areas C. HAZARD ASSESSMENT SU MMARY Worst Case Release Result Summary Scenario Description: Release of the maximum quantity of ammonia that can be stored In a vessel (accounting for administrative controls) - 13,440 pounds In 10 minutes. Since the major vessels are Inside the engine room the building was considered as a passive mitigation measure. The most pessimistic meteorological conditions were used: 1.5 meters/second wind speed, and F stability. The SLAB dispersion model was used to determine the maximum down wind distance. Distance to Toxic Endpoint: The one hour, time averaged concentration of 200 ppm (0.14 mg/L) reached 1377 meters or 0.86 miles. Alternative Release Result Summary Scenario Description: A 0.25 inch diameter leak of high pressure liquid ammonia for one hour. The quantity of ammonia released in one hour at this rate is 6000 pounds. The meteorological conditions used were 3 meters/second wind speed, and D stability. Reference Table 5 from the EPA RMP Off-Site Consequence Analysis Guidance Document was used. Distance to Toxic Endpoint: The one hour, time averaged concentration of 200 ppm (0.1 4 mg/L) reached 369 meters or 0.23 miles. D. ACCIDENTAL RELEASE PREVENTION PROGRAM AND CHEMICAL-SPECIFIC PREVENTION STEPS The facility operates In accordance with the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR) guidelines and standards including the following: ( IIAR Bulletin 107, "Suggested Safety and Operating Procedures When Maidng Ammonia Refrigeration Tie-ins" ( IIAR Bulletin 109, "Minimum Safety Criteria for a Safe Ammonia Refrigeration System" ( IIAR Bulletin 110, "Startup, Inspection, and Maintenance of Ammonia Refrigeration Systems" ( IIAR, "A Guide to Good Practices for the Operation of an Ammonia Refrigeration System" In addition, the AmeriCold Logistics Plant #80549 has implemented a Process Safety Management program for compliance with the Cal-OSHA regulation. E. FIVE YEAR ACCIDE NT HISTORY There have been no reported releases of ammonia at this facility over the last five years (June 21,1994 through June 21,1999). F. EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM The following summarizes the emergency response and notification procedures at the facility. 1. In the event that an ammonia leak is discovered, the person nearest to the leak will Immediately go to the nearest public address system and announce: "ATTENTION IN THE WAREHOUSE - THERE IS AN AMMONIA LEAK IN (GIVE LOCATION)". A supervisor in the area will determine whether or not the building must be evacuated. 2. If the building is to be evacuated, the Supervisor will announce over the public address system: "ATTENTION IN THE WAREHOUSE - EVACUATE THE BUILDING. WE HAVE AN AMMONIA LEAK IN (GIVE LOCATION). WALK ! DO NOT RUN!" 3. The Supervisor on duty will immediately (upon hearing the alarm) call 911 to report the leak and give the address of the facility. He or she will then evacuate the building. 4. Emplo yees will begin exiting the building as per the published evacuation plan, and report to the proper area outside the building for a head count. 5. All Shift Supervisors will report to their assigned areas and perform a head count. 6. After a complete head count, each Supervisor will report the results of the head count to the person in charge of the plant. The person in charge of the plant will give the approximate working area for any persons not accounted for to the Fire Chief. 7. When the alarm is over, the Fire Department will determine the extent of the damage, the clean-up procedure and whether or not the shift can be continued. 8. Notify the Stanislaus County Department of Environmental Resources, Hazardous Materials Division at (209) 525-6700 (after hours contact (209)525-7911,ask for pager l4l).The following information should be relayed to the County. ( Address of the plant. ( Callers name and name of the company. ( Name of the hazardous material released. ( Time of the release. ( Quantity of hazardous chemical released 9. If more than 100 pounds of ammonia is released, the National Response Center should be notified at (800) 424-8802. 10. Within 48 hours, a complete investigation must be performed and all regulations and requirement of Process Safety Management must be met. 11. Within 30 days of the release, the Emergency Release Follow-up Notice Reporting Form must be completed and sent to the Chemical Emergency Planning and Response Center (CEPRC) Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) in Sacramento. G. PLANNED CHANGES TO IMPROVE SAFETY There were several recommendations resulting from the development of the PSM/RMP document including recommendations from the Process Hazard Analysis and Off-Site Consequence Analysis studies. These Teams made several procedural/managerial recommendations to improve safety at the facility. Thes e recommendations are expected to be implemented by May 1999 and are listed as follows: Implementation Schedule of Recommended Actions R-01 Implement a maintenance program (recertification/replacement) for pressure relief valves. Industry standard is every five years. Automatically replace any relief valve that unseats. R-05 Install ammonia sensors that are more reliable than the currently used Sierra monitors. R-07 Have the new ammonia sensors in R-05 that monitor the high pressure side of the system (e.g. in the engine room) shut the liquid solenoid valve on the high pressure receiver. R-08 When the ammonia sensors are installed under R-05, consider placing sensors at the end of the pressure relief headers throughout the system. R-09 Implement in the facility maintenance program an annual check of all ammonia sensors. Include in this check a remote shutdown test. Document all testing. R-11 Implement a preventative maintenance program to inspect for corrosion of liquid feed line to the low pressure receivers on a regular basis. R-20 Install a check valve at the fill line to the high pressure receiver to prevent back flow should the trucks hose rupture or become disconnected. |