Excel Specialty Products - Executive Summary |
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This facility is committed to the safety of its employees and the community, and to the quality of the environment. Our mission includes a commitment to act as responsible neighbors in our communities. We will accomplish our mission by adhering with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. The facility has developed an emergency response plan and has coordinated response activities with the Nebraska City Fire Department. This facility produces meat products for market distribution and ultimately for public consumption. Anhydrous ammonia is the only risk management program regulated substance processed at the facility in excess of threshold quantities. Ammonia is used for mechanical refrigeration throughout the plant for all areas that require cooling. The system includes receiving tanks, compressors, chillers, freezers, condensers, and associated piping, valves, and other equipment. Our worst-case release scenario for the ammonia refrigeration system is a failure of an accumul ator tank, resulting in a release of ammonia. The maximum quantity of ammonia in the tank is limited to 75 percent of capacity (approximately 7,600 pounds). The distance to endpoint for this scenario is 1.6 miles according to the look-up tables provided in the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) guidance document for ammonia refrigeration systems. Public receptors identified within 1.6 miles of the facility include residences, schools, a hospital, recreational areas, and commercial/industrial areas. A state park was identified as an environmental receptor within the distance to endpoint. An alternative release scenario was also analyzed. The alternative release scenario examined a release of approximately 2,700 pounds of ammonia resulting from a vehicle striking and damaging a 500-gallon nurse tank. The distance to endpoint for the alternative release scenario is 0.3 miles. Public receptors identified within 0.3 miles of the facility include residences, industrial facilities, and a recreational area. No environmental receptors were identified. This facility complies with the EPA's accident prevention rule and all applicable state and local codes and regulations. In addition, the facility complies with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Process Safety Management regulation. Our prevention program includes written operating and mechanical integrity procedures, safe work practices, a contractor safety program, management of change, and pre-startup safety reviews. In addition, we have implemented a training program to ensure that our employees are knowledgeable in the hazards of the process and in their specific job functions. If an incident does occur, it is thoroughly investigated and the findings of the investigation are communicated to all affected employees. We believe our prevention program is key to minimizing the risk to our employees, the public, and the environment. In the past five years, we have not had an accident involving amm onia that resulted in any on-site deaths, injuries, or significant property damage; or that resulted in any offsite deaths, injuries, property damage, environmental damage, evacuations, or shelterings in place. In the event of an emergency involving ammonia, we will notify the Nebraska City Fire Department and request that they respond to the emergency. Our emergency response plan has been coordinated with the fire department and they have inspected our facility. Although we do not have any active projects to improve the safety of our systems, it is our policy to continuously work towards better and safer systems. |