Noblesville Branch - Executive Summary |
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY HAMILTON COUNTY CO-OP, NOBLESVILLE, strives to do everything feasible to ensure that all business activities are completed with a s little risk as possible. HAMILTON COUNTY CO-OP employees receive regular training in the areas of operations and safety to minimize the potential of a release due to human error. This facility is on a 9 acre complex with over 9 building where different service oriented businesses are operated. Anhydrous ammonia is received by transport truck, stored in a bulk storage vessel, and redistributed as a fertilizer for our farmer members. Our maximum quantity stored at any time is 140,000 pounds or 17,000 gallons in a 30,000 gallon capacity tank. The worst case release scenario would be to have all the ammonia released from the tank and reaching a toxic endpoint of 200 PPM at 1.10 miles from the tank. The maximum release would be at 140,000 pounds released over 10 minutes. As an alternative release scenario in the event of equipment failure, (transfer hose failure) the amount released (11908 pounds) over 2 minutes before mitigation would reach a toxic endpoint of 200 PPM at .41 miles from tank. We have instituted procedures for storage and handling of anhydrous ammonia as required by OSHA 1910.111 and the INDIANA STATE CHEMIST into our plan. We have not had release resulting in any of the criteria stated in 40 CFR 68.48 in the past 5 years. Our Emergency Action Plan is up to date and all current personnel have been trained in the procedures. In the event of an emergency involving anhydrous ammonia, the Hamilton County LEPC/HAZMAT Team will respond to the incident. Our facility is included in the county emergency plan administered by the LEPC. All new hires will receive this training as part of their new employee orientation. All agencies, contracted emergency care providers and tenants have received training in the hazards associated with a release anhydrous ammonia. It is the policy of HAMILTON COUNTY CO- OP to remain proactive of accident prevention and minimization of loss in the event of a release. We will continue to conduct self audits and compliance inspections of equipment and procedures on a schedule basis in addition to the pre-transfer inspections. Through our inspection process and insistence of maintaining equipment with the federal, state, and local agencies, the opportunity for accidental releases will have little or no chance of occurring. |