Farmers Cooperative Elevator Company - Executive Summary |
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Executive Summary The Environmental Protection Agency's Risk Management Plan requires the owner or operator to provide an executive summary that includes a brief description of elements (a) through (g). The Farmers Co-op Elevator Company of Radcliffe, Iowa to satisfy that requirement submits the following. (a) The accidental release prevention and emergency response policies at the stationary source. It is the policy of Farmers Cooperative Elevator Company to provide a safe and healthful workplace for all employees. In the event of an emergency situation, the Emergency Action Plan developed by this company will serve as the plan of action for a safe and effective conclusion of the emergency situation. It is also the policy of this company that all employees are familiar with the guidelines set forth in this emergency action plan. Training will be provided to each employee upon initial assignment, when job changes create new or different responsibilities under the plan or whene ver the plan is changed. A review of the plan will be conducted annually with each employee. Training will be the responsibility of the Safety Manager. Any questions regarding the Emergency Action Plan should be addressed to this individual. It is the responsibility of the Safety Manager to keep the Emergency Action Plan current at all times. The plan will be updated whenever job changes are made, exposures to new hazards are created, or additional emergency potentials are identified. An updated copy of this plan will be kept in the office at all times and an additional updated copy will be kept in the residence of the Emergency coordinator. (b) The stationary source and regulated substances handled. The Farmers Co-op Elevator Company stores liquid anhydrous ammonia in 2 stationary tanks. One of these storage tanks has a capacity of 18,000 gallons and the other one has a capacity of 8,000 gallons. The storage of anhydrous ammonia is a covered process and because anhydrous am monia weighs 5.15 pounds per gallon this process must be included in a Rick Management Plan. (c) The worst-case release scenario and the alternative release scenario, including administrative controls and mitigation measures to limit the distances for each reported scenario. The worst-case scenario was determined using the guidelines of the Environmental Protection Agency in their program "RMP*Comp Ver. 1.06 " found on the Internet. This scenario assumes an anhydrous ammonia release of 113815 pounds over 10 minutes and projects a toxic endpoint of 3.6 miles. Administrative controls include meeting or exceeding the "Safety Requirements for the Storage and Handling of Anhydrous Ammonia" (ANSI K61.1) published by the American National Standards Institute; the rules of the "Unfired Pressure Vessel Code" of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers; and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The alternative release scenario was determined using the same program as the wo rst-case scenario. This scenario assumes an anhydrous ammonia release of 1450 pounds for 2 minutes with a toxic endpoint of .30 miles. Excess flow valves and a remote shut-off in addition to the administration controls described for the worst-case scenario apply to this alternative scenario. (d) The general accidental release prevention program and chemical-specific prevention steps. The anhydrous ammonia tanks are not overfilled. The equipment is maintained and replaced as required. Safety and operational procedures training is conducted when needed and annually. (e) The five-year accident history. Two employees of the Farmers Co-op Elevator Company were injured on April 15, 1998 by a very small release of anhydrous ammonia while attempting a pump repair. Both employees required hospitalization. In response to this accident the policy has been changed to require all repairs to the anhydrous ammonia facility be outsourced. (f) The emergency response program. The Farmers Co -op Elevator Company has an Emergency Action Plan that covers an on-site release of anhydrous ammonia. The Hardin County Local Emergency Planning Committee's response program covers the off-site release of anhydrous ammonia. (g) Planned changes to improve safety. The Farmers Co-op Elevator Company is not aware of any controls, policies or equipment that would improve safety and have not been done. |