Dairy Farmers of America - Executive Summary

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

DAIRY FARMERS OF AMERICA 
Springfield, MO   
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
 
1.0 Release Prevention and Emergency Response Policies 
 
Dairy Farmers of America located in Springfield, Missouri 
(DFA-Springfield) is committed to the protection of the safety, health, 
and environment in our routine operations and emergency responses.  Our 
prevention and emergency response practices are developed to protect  
the public as well as our own employees.  It is our policy to comply  
with applicable laws, and to support and work with local emergency  
response agencies. 
 
DFA-Springfield has a refrigeration system which contains anhydrous 
ammonia (ammonia) in an amount greater than the threshold under the  
Risk Management Program (RMP) of the Environmental Protection Agency  
(EPA) according to Section 68 of Title 40 of the Code of Federal  
Regulations (40 CFR 68).  The refrigeration system is designed and  
operated according to good engineering and safe work practices.  
DFA-Springfield has established an Emergency R 
esponse Program that  
provides for trained personnel on call in the event of a release.  
DFA-Springfield is also coordinated with the Springfield Fire  
Department and the Greene County Local Emergency Planning  
Committee (LEPC). 
 
DFA-Springfield has an excellent safety record in preventing and 
minimizing releases of ammonia. 
 
2.0 Facility description and Regulated Substances 
 
The DFA-Springfield facility processes and packages dairy related 
products.  DFA has on-site an ammonia refrigeration system used to 
maintain product freshness, to meet processing requirements, and to 
provide cooling for employee comfort.  DFA-Springfield is subject  
to the requirements of 40 CFR 68 because the refrigeration system  
contains more than the 10,000-pound threshold for ammonia, a  
regulated hazardous substance. 
 
3.0 Worst-case and Alternative-case release scenarios 
 
3.1 Worst Case Release Scenario 
 
Section 68.25 of the RMP requires a modeling of a worst-case scenario  
of a release of the hazardous sub 
stance. A worst-case scenario  
release is defined as the release of the largest quantity of a  
regulated substance from a [single] vessel or process line failure.  
RMP*Comp is used to calculate the greatest distance from the point of  
release where a specified toxic concentration is reached. 
 
At DFA-Springfield, the worst-case accidental release scenario assumes 
an instantaneous release of the entire contents of the largest vessel 
containing ammonia.  Application of EPA's dispersion modeling software  
RMP*Comp shows that the toxic endpoint would affect residential  
populations and industrial areas. 
 
This worst-case release scenario is pre-defined and is highly unlikely 
to occur. 
 
3.2 Alternative Case Release Scenario 
 
A Process Hazard Assessment (PHA) was recently performed at the 
DFA-Springfield facility. From the PHA, the alternative case release 
scenario was determined.  The alternative release scenario is based on  
a 1/4" hole in the process piping.  This failure will conservativel 

assume ammonia will release for 30 minutes from the roof of the  
facility (30 feet above ground).  Modeling of this release was  
performed using the EPA's dispersion modeling software RMP*Comp  
and shows that the toxic endpoint will affect residential populations. 
 
4.0 The General Accidental Release Prevention Program and  
Chemical-Specific Prevention Steps 
 
DFA-Springfield has an accidental release prevention program to prevent 
and minimize the effects of a spill or release of ammonia.  This  
program includes a training program for all operators and maintenance 
personnel, written maintenance and operating procedures, and a  
preventative maintenance program that includes regular inspections  
and tests of all equipment within the ammonia system. 
 
5.0    Five year Accident History 
 
In the past five years, there have been no accidental releases of 
ammonia as outlined in '68.42 of the RMP Regulations. 
 
6.0    The Emergency Response Program 
 
DFA-Springfield maintains a written Emergency Respons 
e Plan to help 
assure timely, safe, compliant responses in the event of an emergency. 
As stated previously, DFA-Springfield's Emergency Response Program 
provides for trained personnel on call in the event of a release. 
DFA-Springfield is coordinated with the Springfield Fire Department and 
the Greene County LEPC. 
 
In the event of a release, we would immediately notify our affected 
employees, the Springfield Fire Departments, the Green County LEPC and 
initiate emergency shutdown procedures. 
 
7.0 Planned Changes to Improve Safety 
 
A PHA was recently performed at the DFA-Springfield facility. 
Recommendations from that PHA are being implemented which will improve 
the safety of the ammonia process as well as reduce the likelihood and 
magnitude of any ammonia spill.
Click to return to beginning