FARMERS COOPERATIVE ELEVATOR COMPANY (PATTERSON) - Executive Summary

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FARMERS COOPERATIVE ELEVATOR COMPANY 
302 WEST FIRST 
HALSTEAD, KANSAS 67056-1699 
 
 
For futher information contact: Keith Mueller, Safety Director 
 
Risk Management Plan - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
 
1. The Facility Policy 
 
     The owners, management, and employees of Farmers Cooperative Elevator Company are committed to the prevention of any accidental releases of anhydrous ammonia. If an accidental release should occur, the facility is prepared to work with the local fire department, or other authorities, to mitigate any release and minimize the impact of the release to people and the environment. 
 
2. Facility Information 
 
     The primary activity at the facility is the storage of fertilizer for sale to farmers. 
 
     Anhydrous ammonia is received, stored, and distributed for direct application for crop production nutrients. 
 
     The maximum quantity stored at this facility would be 210,000 pounds (40,800 gallons) in our 30,000  gallon and our 18,000 gallon storage tanks. The maxium quant 
ity handled would be the unloading of a transport truck holding 46,000 pounds (8,930 gallons). 
 
3. The worst-case release scenario and the alternative release scenario 
 
     a. The worst-case release scenario would be the release of the total contents of a storage tank released as a gas over 10 minutes. The maximum quantity released would be 132,000 pounds, which represents the volume of the largest tank at 85 % (percent) capacity as limited by design standards. The distance to the end point (point if dispersion to 220 ppm) is 2.41 miles.   
 
     b. The alternative release scenario based on the five year accident history  ( or the most likely potential incident ) is a release from a break in a transfer hose. The distance to the endpoint ( point of dispersion to 200 ppm) is .47 miles.                                               
 
 
4. The accidental release prevention program 
 
     The facility has implemented the provisions of "Safety Requirements for the Storage and Handli 
ng of Anhydrous Ammonia, K-61.1", published by The American National Standards Institute, Inc., and the standards fo the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 29 CFR 1910.111. "Storage and handling of anhydrous ammonia".  
 
 
 
 
5. The Five-year Accident History 
 
     a. There have been no accidental releases of anhydrous ammonia  in the past five years that: 
 
           -have caused any deaths, injuries, or significant property damages at the facility; nor 
 
           - to our knowledge, have resulted in offsite deaths, injuries, evacuations, property damage, 
             or environmental damage. 
 
6. The emergency response program 
 
     The facility has: 
 
     a. A written emergency action plan, in accordance with OSHA standard, 29 CFR 1910.38. 
 
     b. Provided state and local authorities the emergency planning and community right-to-know information 
         as required under SARA Title III (EPCRA). 
 
     c. A written emergency response program, in accorda 
nce with OSHA standard, 29 CFR 1910.120, 
         including pre-emergency planning and employee training. 
 
7. Planned changes to improve safety 
 
     Safety improvement is an on-going process at the facility. Periodic evaluations are preformed to assess 
     the maintenance of safe conditions. There are no additional specific anhydrous ammonia safety 
     recommendations for implementation at this time.
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