Ekuk Plant - Executive Summary |
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RMP EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EKUK PLANT WARD'S COVE PACKING COMPANY COMPANY POLICY - Ward's Cove Packing Company's Ekuk Plant recognizes that any ammonia release has the potential to effect both plant personal and off-site people in the vicinity of the plant. It is the policy of the company to insure that all ammonia releases are promptly reported to plant management for immediate and effective response actions. Plant management's oversight of ammonia operations is designed to (1) provide all employees a safe working environment, (2) maintain plant equipment in proper operating condition, (3) train plant personal assigned to ammonia equipment to properly operate the equipment and respond to equipment malfunctions, (4) provide safety gear to personnel responding to equipment malfunctions, and (5) comply with regulatory requirements applicable to the use of ammonia. DESCRIPTION OF OPERATIONS - The Ekuk Plant processes fish products in large freezer compartments using anhydrous ammonia as the refrigerant fluid. The 25,000 pounds of ammonia on-site is contained in a sealed system where it is continuously recycled as either a liquid or a gas through compressing, condensing and expansion (cooling coils) equipment. The maximum working pressure of the system is approximately 150 pounds per square inch above atmospheric pressure. Ammonia is an alkaline gas that can be suffocating and extremely irritating to the eyes, throat and respiratory tract. High gas concentrations can cause burning and blistering of the skin. The normal control response for ammonia released to the atmosphere is dilution by dispersion and absorption in water. ACCIDENT SCENARIOS: Worst Case -This RMP assumes release of the entire plant ammonia inventory over a ten minute period. A scenario such as this is considered possible only if the entire refrigeration system is destroyed by a major catastrophe such as an earthquake. A release of this magnitude would cause an off-site impact potentially e ffecting 600 people in nearby residences. Guidance documents prepared by the Science Applications International Corporation of Reston, Virginia were used to estimate the off-site impact area. Alternative Scenario - The leakage of ammonia through the equivalent of a one-quarter inch diameter orifice has been used in this RMP as descriptive of a more likely event. This amount of leakage could be caused by a gasket rupture or pump seal failure. A release of this magnitude possibly could cause an off-site impact and was also analyzed using guidance documents prepared by the Science Applications International Corporation of Reston, Virginia. Accident History - In the last five years the plant has had no reportable ammonia leaks. RESPONSE PROGRAM - The Ekuk Plant usage of ammonia falls under OSHA's Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals regulations and EPA's Risk Management Program regulations A process hazards analysis and an emergency response plan have been comple ted by Ekuk Plant personal and consultants and are utilized by this facility. |