PPG Industries, Inc., Works No. 15, Fresno - Executive Summary |
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PPG Industries, Inc., Works No. 15, Fresno, CA ACCIDENTAL RELEASE PREVENTION AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE POLICIES The PPG Fresno facility complies with OSHA's Process Safety Management Rule (29 CFR 1910.119), applicable California and federal EPA regulations, and applicable Coast Guard and Department of Transportation requirements. PPG also follows the Responsible Care (registered service mark)* Codes of Management Practice, including the Responsible Care (registered service mark)* Community Awareness Code of Management Practice, and PPG's own Community Awareness and Emergency Response (CAER) Policy to assure emergency preparedness and foster community right-to-know. PPG's CAER Policy requires each manufacturing plant to have a pro-active community awareness and emergency response program to handle emergencies that might happen in that facility. All of these activities form an integral part of PPG's overall Environment, Health and Safety Policy, whose goal is "to man ufacture, sell, and distribute products worldwide in a manner that is safe and protective of our employees, neighbors, customers and other stakeholders, and the environment." REGULATED SUBSTANCES HANDLED. The PPG Fresno facility is part of the Flat Glass business unit of PPG Industries, Inc. Works 15 produces flat glass from mineral raw materials and also produces tempered flat glass. The facility stores and uses ammonia in an air pollution control system to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides from the flat glass melting furnace. WORST-CASE AND ALTERNATIVE CASE RELEASE SCENARIOS. An off-site consequence analysis was performed for the largest quantity of ammonia at the facility. The EPA's RMP*Comp software was utilized in this process. EPA rules require that such a worst case scenario be analyzed which would involve the highly unlikely release in ten minutes of the entire contents of the largest storage container. Based on the distances to endpoint determined by RMP*Comp using the EPA specified assumptions, offsite concentrations of ammonia would cause offsite impact. An alternative case release scenario (ACRS) was developed for ammonia. This scenario would involve a release resulting from a delivery hose rupture. Analysis followed the guidelines provided by EPA and used the DNV Technica, PHAST, version 5.2 computer program to perform the end-point calculations. The fast flow preventers present in the ammonia system piping were the only controls considered as mitigating the effect of the release. The deluge water spray vapor knock-down nozzles and Fresno Fire Department hazardous materials emergency response would further mitigate a release, but they were not considered in the reported modeling. Evaluation of this ACRS did not show an off site impact. GENERAL ACCIDENTAL RELEASE PREVENTION PROGRAM AND CHEMICAL SPECIFIC PREVENTION STEPS. Personnel and environmental, health and safety measures are included in all phases of the PPG Fresno operation. D etailed engineering and design standards are used. These standards may include national codes and standards, quality assurance inspections, over pressure protection systems, flammable and toxic gas detectors, emergency shutdown systems, a fire water system and computer controls for the processes. Employees at the facility receive job-appropriate training. Training is an ongoing process that includes periodic retraining as necessary. Safety, environmental, operating and training procedures are subject to periodic reviews and updates, as appropriate. Additional systems are in place to review proposed changes and assure that new training requirements are met. Another system assures a detailed review for hazards in each operating unit on a prescribed frequency. The PPG Fresno facility has an array of maintenance and inspection programs that minimize the possibility of equipment or piping failures. Preventive maintenance programs are utilized. Piping systems are inspected and tested prior to installation. The piping is monitored by a variety of methods. Maintenance personnel and supervisors are included in many of the training and testing programs that the operators utilize. Additional training and procedures have been developed for activities that are specific to maintenance. FIVE-YEAR ACCIDENT HISTORY. The Risk Management Plan regulation requires that serious accidental releases occurring in the last five years be listed in this plan. In the fifteen years that PPG Fresno has been using this chemical, the facility has never had such an accidental release of ammonia. EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM. Facility specific, as well as PPG wide, procedures have always been a part of the PPG environment, health and safety process. PPG Fresno provides information on hazardous materials at least annually to local emergency management. The plant has a written program for notifying officials and evacuating employees if a serious incident occurs. PPG will continue to wor k with the appropriate civil and private emergency response organizations to coordinate plans for protecting both our employees and community neighbors in the event of an accidental release or emergency. PLANNED CHANGES TO IMPROVE SAFETY. PPG is committed to the process of continuous improvement. This commitment extends beyond production into the environmental and safety aspects of all operations. As part of a $40 million plant upgrade and melting tank repair, an improved production system will be installed in early 2000, eliminating the need to use and store ammonia. For additional information, contact the PPG facility manager at 559-485-4660. For additional information about PPG Industries, Inc., visit the PPG home page at www.ppg.com. >> * RESPONSIBLE CARE IS A REGISTERED SERVICE MARK OF THE CHEMICAL MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION. << |