Hormel Foods Corporation Austin Plant - Executive Summary |
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The Hormel facility located in Austin, Minnesota is a pork processing facility. The primary purpose of this facility is to process live hogs into food products for distribution to retailers. Ammonia is contained in equipment in the facility and is compressed, condensed and evaporated to remove heat from within the facility to maintain safe storage areas and remove heat from the products being handled. Chlorine is used to chlorinate water from wells and as an oxidizer in odor control systems within the facility. Chlorine is widely accepted for these applications. Chlorine is stored in steel cylinders and is conveyed through a vacuum piping system within the facility to points of use. Ammonia and chlorine are classified by EPA as toxic chemicals and it is necessary to observe certain safety precautions in handling them to prevent unnecessary human exposure, to reduce the health threat to our own workers, and reduce the threat to nearby members of the community. It is our policy to adhere to all Federal and State rules and regulations. Safety depends upon the manner in which we handle ammonia and chlorine, safety devices inherent in the design of this facility, safe handling procedures that we use and the training of our personnel. An accidental release prevention program has been in place since the start up of the existing facility in 1982. The facility was designed and constructed in accordance with the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR) guidelines, and is in compliance with State codes. The facility was recently expanded and updated (1997) which included replacing the high pressure ammonia receiver with a new tank and associated piping system. The equipment reliability has not been an issue, but the expansion does provide newer equipment and the benefits associated with new facilities. This food processing facility complies with EPAs Accidental Release Prevention Rule and with all applicable State codes and regulations. All of our a mmonia refrigeration operators are trained using a formal training program based on materials from the Refrigerating Engineers and Technicians Association (RETA), a nationally recognized authority in ammonia refrigeration. This program consists of having an effective preventive maintenance program and comprehensive employee training to insure adequate response to equipment integrity. The facility does replace Safety Relief Valves on a 5 year interval as recommended by IIAR. Our emergency response program is based upon Federal guidelines as they apply to this facility. The emergency response plan includes procedures for notification of the local fire authority, local emergency response agencies, and notification of any potentially affected neighbors. The facility emergency response plan is based on all known applicable regulations and requirements. The emergency response plan has been discussed with the Austin Fire Department and other agencies involved with response. Representati ves of the Austin Fire Department visit this plant on an annual basis. The facility has a trained team of emergency responders that are available to respond to any ammonia or chlorine release. These trained staff are skilled at responding to a release and isolating problem areas within the ammonia refrigeration and chlorine systems. There have been no reportable accidents in the past 5 years related to the ammonia and chlorine systems. In regards to the worst and alternative case release scenarios for ammonia, both release scenario's will reach offsite receptors. The alternative release scenario for chlorine will also reach offsite receptors. In all cases of a potential release, the extent of downwind areas affected is dependent on the amount of chemical released, weather conditions, wind speed and direction, etc. |