Agrilink Foods, Inc. - Fairwater - Executive Summary |
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This is to inform all interested persons, including employees that Agrilink Foods, Inc. - Fairwater is complying with OSHA's Process Safety Management Standard (called Process Safety Management or PSM), Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1910.119, and EPA's Risk Management Program regulations (called RM Program), Title 40 CFR Part 68, to manage the risks associated with the storage, handling, and processing of hazardous chemicals. In this way we promote overall plant, worker, and public safety. These programs enable our facility to reduce the occurence, and minimize the consequences, of significant releases of toxic substances as well as fires, explosions, and other types of catastrophic accidents. Overall, these programs prevent accidental fatalities, injuries, and illnesses and avoid physical property damage. Our safety programs are applied to any activity involving hazardous chemicals including any use, storage, handling, or the on-site movement of such chemicals. Any group of vessels which are interconnected and separate vessels which are located such that a hazardous chemical could be involved in a potential release shall be considered a single process. Our safety programs reduce accidents because they focus on the rules, procedures, and practices which govern individual processes, activities, or equipment. These rules are detailed and improved as necessary. They are also communicated to and accepted by all employees at the facility. The ammonia refrigeration system at Agrilink Foods Inc. - Fairwater consists of three totally independent refrigeration systems. Engine room #1 contains 47,520 pounds of anhydrous ammonia. Engine room #2 contains 10,956 pounds of anhydrous ammonia. Engine room #3 contains 5,778 pounds of anhydrous ammonia. Each of the engine rooms is equipped with a high pressure receiver (the largest vessel in each engine room) with the following maximum fill volume (assumes a fill volume of 80%): Engine ro om #1 - 14,124 pounds Engine room #2 - 9,192 pounds Engine room #3 - 888 pounds Engine rooms #1 & 2 are used for the freezing of vegetables. The main products frozen are green peas and sweet corn. Minimal amounts of celery, carrots, lima beans, green beans, and onions may be frozen. Engine room # 3 is used to cool the frozen storage warehouse. Failure of the high pressure receiver and intercooler in Engine room #1 would result in a release of 21,000 pounds of ammonia during a 10 minute period. In this worst-case scenario the released ammonia could travel a total distance of 2.6 miles before dispersing enough to no longer pose a hazard to the public. This scenario seems unlikely because of the mechanical integrity program for regular maintenance, inspection and testing, and replacement of equipment, if necessary; the installation of ammonia sensors in the system to warn of leaks; alarms and an auto-dialing system in place to warn operatin g personnel of process upsets; and the emergency response plan and equipment in place at the facility. Failure of a pump seal or gasket rupture could result in a release of 6000 pounds of ammonia over a 60 minute time period. A release of this nature could result in the ammonia traveling a distance of 0.2 miles before dispersing enough to no longer pose a hazard to the public. This scenario is unlikely for the following reasons: the mechanical integrity program for regular maintenance, inspection and testing, and replacement of equipment, if necessary; and the emergency response plan and equipment in place at the facility. This facility's general accidental release prevention program and ammonia-specific prevention steps are based on OSHA PSM standard 29 CFR 1910.119 and EPA RM Program regulations in 40 CFR Part 68. The key prevention steps at the facility consist of the following: - Process Safety Information - Process Hazard Analysis - Standard Operating Procedu res - Training - Mechanical Integrity Program - Management of Change - Pre-startup Safety Review - Compliance Audits - Incident Investigation - Employee Participation - Hot Work Permit - Contractor Qualifications Our safety programs have effectively helped Agrilink Foods Inc. - Fairwater to avoid a reportable release during the past five years. Continuing efforts to maintain, inspect and test equipment, along with continual review and revision of operating procedures will allow us to continue our good safety record. This facility's emergency response program is based on the OSHA requirements for Emergency Action Plans (29 CFR 1910.38 and 1910.119) and HAZWOPER (29 CFR 1910.120). We have trained employees for emergency response and maintain a written emergency response plan. This plan is coordinated with the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) and the local fire department. The trained emergency responders receive annual refresher training. We conduct annual drills for implementaion of the emergency response plan at the facility. Agrilink Foods Inc. - Fairwater continues to review operating procedures and response plans in order to ensure safety at the facility |