American Foods Group - Green Bay - Executive Summary

| Accident History | Chemicals | Emergency Response | Registration | Source | Executive Summary |

Executive Summary 
 
Commitment - Safety Approach 
 
American Foods Group considers their employee's as their most valuable resource, their health and safety, our greatest responsibility.  As our most valuable resource, we place top priority in informing, educating, protecting, and preserving our employees as valuable members of the company.  
 
The Company's  primary focus  is to prevent the occurrence of unforeseen industrial incidents / accidents from occurring in the work environment. 
 
Facility Description & Regulated Substance 
 
The operations at the facility consists of the processing of beef and speciality meat cuts.  The facility employs approximately 1200 employees.  The refrigeration system at the facility comprises our Process, with the regulated substance being Anhydrous Ammonia.  This is a self-contained system which provides the refrigeration for the Main facility (on Acme Street) as well as  the specialty operations located at the west end of Lov-it Creamery.   
 
 
Ammonia Refrig 
eration System Description 
 
The ammonia refrigeration system is a single stage, closed-loop system that is used to provide cooling for: Carcasses, Process room, temperature control, water chilling and temper water for clean-up.  A minimal amount of freezer storage is maintained at this facility.  Storage of product is off-site at public warehouses.  
 
5-Year Accident History 
 
There have been no Anhydrous Ammonia-related incidents identified for the facility in the previous five years which resulted in significant on-site or off-site consequences. 
 
Prevention Program 
 
To accomplish the facility's goal in controlling accidental losses, the facility has established a multi- faceted Safety Program.  The objectives of the Safety Program are to achieve maximum efficiency and safety performance. 
 
The facility has implemented a prevention program for the accidental release of the Anhydrous Ammonia Process.  Elements of the program coincide with the OSHA's Process Safety Management (PSM) Standa 
rd (Safety Process Management of Highly Hazardous Chemical,  29 CFR 1910.119);  EPA's Risk Management Program (RMP) Regulation, (Risk Management Programs for Chemical Accidental Release Prevention, 40 CFR Part 68; State of Wisconsin's Ref Code: Chapter 45, Anhydrous Ammonia Refrigeration and LP Gas inspection report.   The purpose of the accidental release prevention and emergency response programs is to prevent occurrences, and minimize the consequences, of significant releases of toxic substances as well as fire, explosion, and other types of catastrophic accidents. 
 
 
Components of Accidental Release Prevention Program 
 
The facility's Accidental Release Prevention Program consists of the following elements: 
 
   -Employee Participation                -Training  
   -Process Safety Information        -Contractors 
   -Process Hazard Analysis           -Pre-Startup Safety Review 
   -Operating Procedures                  -Mechanical Integrity 
   -Hot Work Permit                            -Incident Investigation 
   -Management of Change 
             -Compliance Audits 
   -Preventative Maintenance     
 
 
Emergency Response Program 
 
An  emergency Response Program has been implemented at the facility. This program contains procedures describing how the facility will respond to Anhydrous Ammonia spills & other emergencies, including evacuation procedures.  This program has been coordinated with the Fire Department. 
 
The response plan includes such elements as Organizational Plan & Responsibilities, communication procedures, action plans, emergency first aid and medical treatment procedures, evacuation procedures, outside assistance, and response training. 
 
Summary of the Worst Case Release Scenario and Alternative Release Scenarios 
 
American Foods Group has diligently and proactively developed emergency response procedures to be followed in the unlikely event of a situation involving the release of anhydrous ammonia, which is commonly used in refrigeration systems in the food industry. 
As required by the EPA and to optimize the safe 
ty of our employees and neighbors, the company has developed a hypothetical worst case release scenario.  This model involves the release of 11,213 pounds of ammonia over a 10 minute period from a high temperature recirculator located within a separate room inside of the facility.  As a maximum intended inventory the facility could have a level of 70% of the vessel capacity.  Using a variety of factors such as extreme--and unlikely--weather conditions and mitigated release, ammonia would travel a theoretical distance before dispersing.  Based upon the model, that distance could be up to 0.8 miles.  However, industry experts consider the above scenario to be unlikely for the following reasons: 
-the weather conditions which were used for this scenario are extreme and unlikely to occur 
-Pressure safety valves limit operating pressures in these vessels 
-Industry standards were followed for the manufacture and quality control of this vessel 
-a comprehensive preventative maintenance program  
is in place to maintain the ongoing integrity of the vessel 
-Emergency response procedures would enable highly- trained personnel to respond quickly to isolate any on-site or off-site situation 
 
The hypothetical alternative release scenario for this facility is described as a fractured pump casing in the high temperature recirculator located on the roof.  As a maximum intended inventory, the facility could have a level of 78% of the vessel capacity.  This model is based upon the release of 4,845 pounds of ammonia over a 10 minute period.  Using a variety of factors, such as extreme-and unlikely-weather conditions, ammonia would travel a theoretical distance before dispersing.  Based upon the model, that distance could be up to 0.3 miles.  However, industry experts consider this hypothetical scenario to be unlikely for the following reasons: 
 
-the weather conditions which were used for this scenario are unlikely to occur 
-Pressure safety valves limit operating pressures in these vessels 
 
-Industry standards were followed for the manufacture and quality control of this vessel 
-Preventative maintenance program in place to maintain the on-going integrity of the vessel 
-Emergency response procedures would enable highly- trained personnel to respond quickly to isolate any on-site or off-site situation 
 
 
Continual Safety Updates 
 
The facility strives for continual safety improvement.  Some areas of updates in the future shall include, continued education for designated 24-hour responders on site, communication and possible hazardous response drill  with the Brown County Hazardous Response Team.  Having the Brown County  HAZMAT Team tour facility and familiarize themselves with the layout and configuration of our facility and process.
Click to return to beginning