Colorado Boxed Beef Co. - Executive Summary |
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Executive Summary RISK MANAGEMENT SUBMISSION STATEMENT Colorado Boxed Beef Company 355 Progress Road Auburndale, FL 33823 This is to inform all interested persons, including employees, that Colorado Boxed Beef Company, Auburndale, Florida is complying with OSHAs Process Safety Management Standard (called Process Safety Management or PSM), Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1910,119, and EPAs Risk Management Program regulations (called RM Program), Title 40 CFR Part 68, to deal with the risks involved with the storage, handling, and processing of hazardous chemicals. In this way we promote overall plant, worker, and public safety. These programs enable our facility to prevent the occurrence, and minimize the consequences, of significant releases of toxic substances as well as fires, explosions, and other types of catastrophic accidents. Overall, these programs prevent accidental fatalities, injuries and illnesses and avoid physical property damage. Our safety programs are applied to any activity involving hazardous chemicals including any use, storage, manufacturing, handling, or the on-site movement of such chemicals or combination of these activities. Any groups of vessels which are interconnected and separate vessels which are located such that a hazardous chemical could be involved in a potential release shall be considered a single process. Our safety programs prevent accidents because they focus on the rules, procedures, and practices which govern individual processes, activities, or pieces of equipment. These rules are detailed and improved as necessary. They are also communicated to and accepted by all employees at the facility. The Auburndale facility is a meat processing, freezing and storage facility. Our facility uses ammonia in an industrial refrigeration system to maintain specified temperatures in various freezers, coolers and meat processing areas. Ammonia refrigeration is the only process subject to the Risk Management Legisl ation. In addition, there is a computer control system that monitors temperatures, and the atmosphere for leaks. WORST CASE SCENARIO Failure of the high pressure receiver containing 18,000 lbs. of ammonia with the receiver quantity limited to 80% of the vessel capacity by facility procedures resulting in a ten minute release. Under worst-case weather conditions, ammonia could travel 1.2 miles before dispersing enough to no longer pose a hazard to the public. This scenario is unlikely for the following reasons: worst-case weather conditions are uncommon; the vessel is enclosed in a building that would withstand and help to contain such a release; industry standards for the manufacture and quality control of pressure vessels; ammonia is not corrosive in this service; pressure safety valves limit operating pressure in this vessel; the accident prevention program in place at the facility including the mechanical integrity program for regular maintenance, inspection and testing, and re placement of equipment, if necessary; installed ammonia sensors in the system to warn of leaks; alarms and the auto-dialing system in place to warn operating personnel of process upsets; and the emergency response plan and equipment in place at the facility. ALTERNATIVE RELEASE SCENARIOS Release from a relief valve on the recirculator would result in a release of 2379 lbs. of ammonia over a period of forty-five minutes. Under common weather conditions, ammonia could travel 0.1 miles before dispersing enough to no longer pose a hazard to the public. This relief valve was chosen as an alternative scenario because it is the only other likely place for a significant release. This scenario is unlikely for the following reasons: it is highly unlikely that the pressure in the vessel would ever reach the relief pressure, the mechanical integrity program for regular maintenance, inspection and testing, and replacement of equipment, if necessary; and the emergency response plan and equipme nt in place at the facility. ACCIDENT HISTORY There were no reportable accidents in the past five years. EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM This facilitys emergency response program is based on the OSHA requirements for Emergency Action Plans (29 CFR 1910.38 and 1910.119) and HAZWOPER (29 CFR 1910.120). We have trained employees for emergency response and maintain a written emergency response plan. This plan is coordinated with the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) and the local fire department. We conduct annual drills for implementation of the emergency response plan at the facility with the participation of the LEPC and the fire department. The facility is equipped with a siren to warn plant personnel of an emergency. The last emergency response drill at the plant was on Tuesday, October 6, 1998. |