Ed Miniat Inc. - Executive Summary |
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We at Miniat, Inc. have used anhydrous ammonia in our completely self-contained refrigeration system to cool our "state of the art" meat processing facility in South Holland, Illinois since it began operation in December 1995. During this time, we have not had an incident in which any ammonia has been released from our refrigeration system to the environment and have worked hard to develop our Process Safety Management and other safety programs so that we can maintain this record. As part of these programs, we have designed our facility to minimize the potential problems with our refrigeration system and help mitigate any problems that we may have. We have located our equipment in areas that are isolated from incidental contact and have trained our employees to be aware of the refrigeration equipment throughout plant and cognizant of associated safety issues. Ammonia, which is a standard in the commercial refrigeration industry, provides an energy efficient source of cooling for our facility and is far gentler to the environment as compared to the ozone depleting chlorofluorocarbons (i.e. Freon) that are used in other refrigeration applications. As part of our refrigeration system, a 605 cubic foot reservoir is needed to accumulate the ammonia before it is pumped to our chiller units. The level in this tank is electronically monitored and controlled, with a mechanical float backup, to maintain an operation level of ammonia of less than 50 percent of the tank volume. Alternatively, schedule 80 seamless piping is used throughout the system, to transport the refrigerant to the refrigeration units. This piping, which is rated 22 times stronger than normal operating pressure, is insulated and covered with a PVC vapor barrier to help prevent deterioration. There is, however, sufficient refrigerant present in the tank and in the piping for its vapor to affect the neighboring community if the vessel or piping were to lose their integrity. Because of this, we const antly strive to maintain the highest degree of safety of our system. As an additional level of safety, we have a plant-wide early-warning detection system, and installed automatic shutdowns help us react to, and minimize, any potential problem. We have an annunciator system to alert us to potential problems, and aid us in a rapid evacuation of plant personnel. As one of our proactive measures, our staff has coordinated with the Village's Fire Department and their Hazardous Materials Response Team, to inform and protect our workforce as well as our neighbors. Training and coordination between our operators and maintenance people and the Fire Department continues to take place to maintain the highest level of community safety. We are continuously analyzing and improving our system, policies and procedures by means of detailed internal audits. We have a strong safety and prevention program and are committed to be an industry leader in these areas. |