Sunray Coop - Capps Switch Texas Branch - Executive Summary

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1.  Facility Policy for Accidental Release Prevention and Emergency Response 
 
Sunray Coop Directors, Management, and employees have a strong commitment to providing a safe and healthful workplace and business for all employees, customers, owners, and to the community.  These policies are set forth in a policy manual and are provided and explained to each employee prior to an initial assignment.   The policies are reviewed periodically and revised and updated as necessary to reflect changes in policy, facilities, processes, regulations, safety requirements, or as new information becomes available. 
 
The Coop is committed to the prevention of accidental releases of anhydrous ammonia and other hazardous chemicals.  In the event that an accidental release does occur, the company has selected and trained certain key employees in the Hazwoper requirements and are prepared to work with the local fire department and/or designated contractors and local authorities to mitigate the release and min 
imize the impact of the release on the facilities, personnel, and to the community and environment. 
 
 
2.  Facility Information 
 
The primary activity of Sunray Coop is the purchase, receipt, storage, and sale of grains.  Secondary activities include the storage, sale, and application of some farm inputs and supplies, which include: fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, equipment, fuel, and other farm supplies. 
 
Anhydrous Ammonia is received by transport truck, unloaded into storage tank(s), then distributed seasonally to farm wagons for sale and delivery to local farmers, where it is used as fertilizer to crops such as wheat, corn, and milo. 
 
The maximum quantity stored at Sunray Coops Capps Switch, Texas, branch is 145,041 lbs. in 18,000 gal. capacity and 12,000 gal. capacity storage tanks.  The maximum quantity handled at any one time would be the unloading of a transport truck holding 50,000 lbs. to a storage tank. 
 
 
3.  Worst Case and Alternative Case Release Scenarios 
 
(a)  The wor 
st case release scenario would be the release of the total contents of the largest storage tank within a 10 minute time period.  The maximum quantity released would be 87,025 lbs., which represents the volume of the storage tank at 85% capacity, which is limited by regulation due to the expansion of anhydrous ammonia from changes in ambient temperatures.  The distance to the endpoint of dispersion under an atmospheric stability class F in a rural environment has been determined to be 5.5 miles. 
 
(b)  The alternative release scenario based on the five year accident history and reports of industry incidents, is a release from a break in a transfer hose.  The quantity released would be 2,943 lbs. and the distance to the endpoint for a 1 minute release under an atmospheric stability class D in a rural environment has been determined to be 0.76 miles. 
 
 
4.  The Accidental Release Prevention Program 
 
The facility has implemented the provisions of "Safety Requirements for the Storage and Han 
dling of Anhydrous Ammonia, K61.1-1989 published by the American National Standards Institute and the OSHA standards published in 29CFR 1910.111 "Storage and Handling of Anhydrous Ammonia". 
 
 
5.  Five Year Accident History 
 
There have been no accidental releases of anhydrous ammonia in the past 5 years that have resulted in deaths, injuries, or significant property damage at the facility; or, to our knowledge, have resulted in off-site deaths, injuries, evacuations, sheltering in place, property damage, or environmental damage. 
 
 
6.  Emergency Response Program 
 
Sunray Coop has: 
(a)  a written Emergency Action Plan in accordance with the OSHA standard 29CFR 1910.38. 
 
(b)  provided state and local authorities with emergency planning and community right-to-know information as required under SARA Title III. 
 
(c)  a written Emergency Response Program including pre-emergency planning and employee training. 
 
(d)  selected certain employees and provided training in Hazwoper response in acco 
rdance with the OSHA standard 29CFR 1910.120. 
 
(e)  provided training to appropriate employees in the Transportation of Hazardous Materials in accordance with DOT standard in 49CFR172. 
 
 
7.  Planned Changes to Improve Safety 
 
In accordance with Sunray Coop policies, safety improvements are an on-going process. Evaluations are performed to assess the safety of facilities, processes, and employees, periodically or immediately when reported by employees or the result of an incident.  Currently there are no specific additional safety recommendations for the anhydrous ammonia system, for implementation at this time.
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