Corn Plus - Executive Summary

| Accident History | Chemicals | Emergency Response | Registration | Source | Executive Summary |

CORN PLUS IS STRONGLY COMMITTED TO THE HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF ITS EMPLOYEES, OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS, VISITORS ETC... AS WELL AS THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION CORN PLUS BELIEVES IN PRESERVING OUR ENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. THIS COMMITTMENT IS AN INHERENT PART OF OUR PLANT DAILY OPERATION. PERSONNEL SAFETY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WILL NOT BE SACRIFICED IN ORDER TO ENHANCE PLANT PROFITABILITY. 
 
CORN PLUS' APPROACH IS TO BE PRO-ACTIVE RATHER THAN REACTIVE THROUGH EMPLOYEE, CONTRACTOR, AND OTHER OUTSIDE CONTRACTING PERSONNEL DOCUMENTED TRAINING. 
 
OUR FACILITYS PRIMARY ACTIVITY IS ETHANOL PRODUCTION FROM CORN. ETHANOL IS DENATURED WITH NATURAL GASOLINE AND STORED ON SITE UNTIL SHIPPED. 
 
WE UTIIZED EPA'S OCA GUIDANCE REFERENCE TABLES AND EQUATIONS FOR THE WORST CASE AND ALTERNATIVE RELEASE SCENARIO OF THE REQUIRED OFF SITE CONSEQUENCES. 
 
THE WORST CASE SCENARIO INVOLVES A CATOSTROPHIC RELEASE OF THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF THE DENATURANT STORAGE TANK (119,000 LBS) UNDER NEUTRAL WEATHE 
R CONDITIONS. THE AFFECTED AREA WAS .39 MILE IN A CIRCULAR PATTERN AROUND THE TANK  WITH A POPULATION OF APROXIMATELY 100 PEOPLE. THE ALTERNAITVE SCENARIO INVOLVED A POOL FIRE, WITH THE AFFECETED AREA BEING .18 MILE IN A CIRCULAR PATTERN AROUND THE TANK.  
 
THE RELEASE PREVETNION PROGRAM CONSISTS OF BUT IS NOT LIMITED TOO: 
 
1.   MAINTAINING A DETAILED RECORD OF SAFETY INFORMATION THAT  DESCRIBES THE CHEMICAL HAZARDS, OPERATING PARAMETERS AND EQUIPMENT DESIGNS ASSOCIATED WITH ALL PROCESSES. 
 
2.   PROCESS HAZARD ANALYSIS HAS BEEN CONDUCTED FOR TRHE AFFECTED PROCESS WITH THE HAZARDS IDENTIFIED AND CONTROLLED. ANY FINDINGS FROM THE HAZARD ANALYSIS ARE ADDRESSED IN A TIMELY MANNER. 
 
3.   OPERATING PROCEDURES ARE ON THE PLANT SITE AND REVIEWED WITH EMPLOYEES REGULARLY, NEW EMPLOYES ARE TRAINED IN PROCEUDRES THROUGH ORAL COMMUNICATION, WIRITTEN COMMUNICATION, ON THE JOB TRAINING. WRITTEN TESTS ARE REQUIRED IN SOME AREAS. 
 
4.   EMPLOYEES ARE TRAINED IN PROCEDURES AND ENCOURAGED TO SEEK OUT HELP 
IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, IF UNSURE DON'T PERFORM THE JOB FUNCTION. 
 
5.   WRITTEN PROCEDURES ARE IN PLACE, CONTINUED TRAINING OF EMPLOYEES IS ONGOING TO ENSURE THAT  EMPLOYEES ARE COMPETENT IN THE OPERATING PROCESSES. 
 
6.   CORN PLUS CONDUCTS DOCUMENTED MAINTENANCE CHECKS OF PROCESS EQUIPMENT TO ENSURE PROPER OPERATION. MAINTENANCE CHECKS ARE PERFORMED BY QUALIFIED PERSONNEL WITH PREVIOUS TRAINING IN MAINTENANCE PRACTICES. EXAMPLES OF EQUIPMENT THAT WOULD RECEIVE MAINTENANCE CHECKS INCLUDE: PIPES, PUMPS, TANKS, RELIEFS VALVES, CONTROLS ETC... THE HOLD HARMLESS AGREEEMENT WITH CONTRACTORS REQUIRE PROCESS MODIFICATIONS TO BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE CODES. 
 
7.   CORN PLUS CONDUCDTS PRE-STARTUP TRAINING FOR EMPLOYEES WHEN A NEW PROCESS IS ADDED OR MODIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO EXISTING AFFECTED PROCESSES. 
 
8.   CORN PLUS WILL CONDUCT COMPLIANCE AUDITS OF PROCEDURES WITH EMPLOYEES OF AFFECTED PROCESSES ON A REGULAR BASIS. 
 
9.   CORN PLUS BELIEVES THAT PROCESS SAFETY MANAGEMEN 
T AND ACCIDENT / INCIDENT PREVENTION IS A TEAM EFFORT. CORN PLUS' BELIEF IS TO BE PRO-ACTIVE NOT REACTIVE. 
 
10. CORN PLUS HAS AN EXCELLANT SAFETY RECORD. SINCE THE STARTUP OF CORN PLUS IN 1994, THERE HAS NOT BEEN ONE INCIDENT OF AN ACCIDENTAL RELEASE. 
 
11. CORN PLUS MAINTAINS A WRITTEN EMERGENCY RESPONSE ON SITE TODEAL WITH ACCIDENTAL RELEASE IF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS. THE PLAN ADDRESSES ALL ASPECTS OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE INCLUDING FIRST AID, EVACUATION, AND PROPER NOTIFICATION OF LOCAL AND STATE AGENCIES.
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