McCain Foods USA, Inc. - Easton, ME Facility - Executive Summary

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

McCain Foods USA, Inc. is committed to being a responsible member of the community by giving top priority to operating in a safe and environmentally sound manner. This commitment is documented in the Easton facilitys accident prevention and emergency response plans, which are available to all employees. 
 
McCains Easton facility is a potato processing plant which produces frozen potato products, such as french fries and tater tots, for the retail and service markets. Ammonia, a regulated toxic substance, is used in the refrigeration system at the facility. The refrigeration system consists of three single stage systems. The first is a low temperature system, which provides cooling for freezer tunnels and specialty freezers. The second system is the cold storage temperature system, which provides cooling for the cold storage and loading dock areas. A third system is the high temperature system, which provides cooling for the refrigerated precool units of the process tunnels, loading do 
ck, batter room, AC chiller, process chiller, retrograder, and for the flash liquid ammonia cooler. The maximum capacity of the entire refrigeration system is approximately 55,000 pounds of ammonia. A more complete description of the refrigeration system is found in the Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Plan and in drawings developed as part of the Process Safety Management program. 
 
The worst-case release scenario associated with the ammonia refrigeration system at the facility is the release of the total contents of the high pressure receiver, the largest single vessel associated with the process. The capacity of the receiver of 35,850 pounds. However, McCain has written operating procedures that prevent the high pressure receiver from being filled to more than 80 percent capacity, or 28,679 pounds. Because the high pressure receiver is located inside the building, the worst-case release was assumed to occur in an enclosure, but with direct contact with outdoor air via windows a 
nd doors. It is extremely unlikely that this worst-case release would occur due to the safety measures instituted by the facility. Numerous alternative release scenarios were considered. An alternative release scenario that might result in an offsite impact was identified as the severing of the hose while a tanker truck is charging the system with ammonia. This ammonia release was assumed to occur outside the building. The USEPAs Risk Management Program Guidance for Ammonia Refrigeration was used to determine the distance to endpoint for each scenario. In each case, the resulting distance to endpoint extends offsite. However, no residences are located within the distance to endpoint for the alternative release scenario. 
 
The ammonia refrigeration system has been equipped with safeguards to prevent, detect, and mitigate accidental releases of ammonia. These safety systems are described in detail in the facilitys Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Plan and Process Safety Managemen 
t program files. Included is ammonia detection equipment installed in the ceiling of the service building, which will trigger an alarm on the computer and in the service building should ammonia concentrations exceed a specified level. The refrigeration department has been automated so that the operator can view most of the refrigeration process using the Man Machine Interface RS View Computer. This system maintains the predetermined set points established by the operator, allowing the equipment to start or stop, load or unload while maintaining safe pressures. Control systems have been designed to maintain operating parameters within acceptable limits. The system is equipped with alarms and monitors to alert personnel when the operating parameters exceed the acceptable limits. The facility also conducts training of personnel to familiarize them with operation of the ammonia refrigeration system, safety systems and procedures, and actions to be taken should a release of ammonia occur.  
 
 
The facility complies with OSHAs Process Safety Management regulation and with the USEPAs Accidental Release Prevention regulations, 40 CFR Part 68, as well as applicable state and local regulations. During the past five years, there have been no accidents involving ammonia at the facility that caused onsite deaths, injuries, or significant property damage or known offsite deaths, injuries, property damage, environmental damage, evacuations, or sheltering in place. 
 
The facility has developed an emergency response program to minimize the effects of any accidental releases of ammonia on employees, the public, and the environment. The facility has a trained emergency response team, appropriate equipment and supplies, and a detailed emergency preparedness plan. During a chemical emergency, the Facility Emergency Coordinator (FEC) coordinates the response within the facility. The FEC is also the primary liaison between the facility and local, State, and Federal emergency responders. In  
the event of a release of ammonia above 100 pounds and/or a release that could potentially extend beyond the facilitys boundaries, it is the companys policy to notify the local emergency response agency, the State Police, the Easton fire department, and the National Response Center, as well as key McCain personnel. A mutual aid agreement exists between the facility and the Easton fire department. 
 
A new ammonia refrigeration system was installed at the facility this year. Because of the new system, all prevention, safety, and emergency response procedures were recently reviewed and revised as appropriate. Additional safety improvements are not currently planned.
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