Verdugo-Metro Pump Station - Executive Summary |
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ACCIDENTAL RELEASE PREVENTION AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE POLICIES City of Glendale Water and Power 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. City of Glendale Water and Power maintains a safety committee whose members are the designated emergency coordinators for the facility. The Plan provides the response organization and notification procedures, evacuation routes, chlorine health hazards, and mitigation procedures which will be implemented to respond effectively to emergency situations that may arise at the facility. This Plan is reviewed and updated at least once per year. This Plan will be reviewed and updated to ensure compliance with the PSM, RMP, and CalARP regulations, and to ensure that the plan is kept current. STATIONARY SOURCE AND REGULATED SUBSTANCE The chlorine system for the Verdugo-Metro Pump Station of City of Glendale Water and Power is located at 1111 East Glenoaks Boulevard, Glendale, California 91207. The chlorine system for the Verdugo-Metro Pump Station consists of chlorine one-ton containers which are the storage vessels. Chlorine gas is drawn from a maximum of two tanks at a time through a vacuum regulator to the chlorinators. Still under vacuum from the chlorinators, it is drawn to injectors and mixed with water from the treatment processes. The table below provides a list of the chlorine equipment. The maximum quantity of chlorine that can be stored on site is 2,000 pounds. HAZARD ASSESSMENT SUMMARY Worst Case Release Result Summary Scenario Description: Release of the maximum quantity of chlorine that can be stored in a vessel - 2,000 pounds in 10 minutes. Since the one-ton containers are stored enclosed in a building at the Verdu go-Metro Pump Station, passive mitigation measures were incorporated. Consequently, the release rate after the passive measure was calculated to be 110 pounds per minute. The most pessimistic meteorological conditions were used: 1.5 meters/second wind speed, and F stability. Reference tables from the EPA's RMP Offsite Consequence Analysis Guidance, and EPA's RMP Guidance for Wastewater Treatment Plants, along with the SLAB modeling program were used. This potential scenario reaches off-site and may affect public receptors. No environmental receptors were affected by this potential scenario. Alternative Release Result Summary Scenario Description: A release of chlorine gas from 5/16 inch diameter leak. The release rate of chlorine due to the pressure of the tank is 5.2 pounds per minute. However, passive mitigation measures were incorporated since the chlorine system is located inside an enclosed building at the Verdugo-Metro Pump Station. Consequently, the release rate after the passive measure was calculated to be 2.8 pounds per minute. The meteorological conditions used were 3 meters per second wind speed, and D stability. Reference tables from the EPA's RMP Offsite Consequence Analysis Guidance, and EPA's RMP Guidance for Wastewater Treatment Plants, along with the SLAB modeling program were used. This potential scenario reaches off-site and may affect public receptors. No environmental receptors were affected by this potential scenario. ACCIDENTAL RELEASE PREVENTION PROGRAM AND CHEMICAL-SPECIFIC PREVENTION STEPS The City of Glendale Water and Power has a Process Safety Management program in place to manage the handling of chlorine. In addition, common industry standards, policies, and procedures are utilized to ensure safe practices are being performed. This includes common practices outlined by the Chlorine Institute. In addition to the Management Programs, there is a chlorine gas detector in the storage room that is set at 1 ppm and will ac tivate the visual alarm and turn on the ventilation system. At 3ppm, the operator on duty receives a page notification from Howard Substation. FIVE YEAR ACCIDENT HISTORY The accident history researched back five years to June 1994 shows that the City of Glendale Water and Power's facility has not had an accidental release or "near miss" of chlorine. EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM The City of Glendale Water and Power has an emergency response plan in effect at the facility. The Emergency Response Plan (Plan) is detailed in the Emergency Planning and Response section of the 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 City of Glendale Water and Power maintains a safety committee whose members include the emergency coordinators for the facility. The Plan provides the response organization and notification procedures, evacuation ro utes, and mitigation procedures which will be implemented to respond effectively to emergency situations that may arise at the facility. The Plan also includes the Emergency training for all City of Glendale Water and Power employees. Since the Verdugo-Metro Pump Station is an unmanned facility, no evacuation would be required in case of a chlorine release. The Emergency Response Plan is reviewed and updated by the City of Glendale Water and Power responsible person, Ms. Miriam Caro Sykes at least once a year. This Plan will be review and updated to ensure compliance with the PSM, RMP, and CalARP regulations, and to ensure that the plan is kept current. PLANNED CHANGES TO IMPROVE SAFETY The Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) provided the mitigation measures outlined below to improve safety at the City of Glendale Water and Power Verdugo-Metro Pump Station. The PHA was comprised of one session that included a HAZOP study, a Plant Walkthrough, a "What-if" analysis, and a series of che cklists. All changes are completed. R01 Implement testing program for the chlorine sensor/detector per the manufacturer's recommendations. Include in the PSM Mechanical Integrity program. R02 Consider contacting the Fire Department immediately to notify them of a potential chlorine release with a concentration more than 3ppm. R03 Post emergency telephone numbers in front of the main entrance to call in case of emergency. R04 Ensure the operators are informed of the locations of all sewer vents that may leak chlorine vapor (i.e. include these locations in emergency response program.). |