Penn Foam Corporation - Executive Summary |
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Penn Foam Corporation has approached the hazard of accidental release by ensuring that even the largest possible spill would be contained and pose no threat to public receptors. It is our policy that only trained and authorized personnel have access to the storage area of the hazardous substance. Containment, monitoring and safe procedures represent our policy and commitment to safety for our employees, the public and the environment. Penn Foam Corporation is a manufacturer and fabricator of flexible polyurethane foam. We manufacture the foam in a continuous slab that is then cut down and fabricated by numerous methods to produce parts for many different applications and end users. The one extremely hazardous substance we have at our facility, Toluene Diisocyanate(mixed isomers), is used in the manufacturing process as a reactant. The maximun quantity of this substance at our facility at any given time is 63,000 pounds. To determine the effects of the worst-case r elease scenario, we used the Area Locations of Hazardous Atmospheres(ALOHA) model. The worst-case scenario consists of a spill of the entire quantity, 63,000 pounds, contained in the storage tank. The entire quantity would be contained by concrete dikes. The storage area is a climate controlled room on the interior of a single storied building. Under these conditions, release by vaporization of a liquid is so minimal that the RMP*Submit software used to submit our data does not allow such small values to be entered. Therefore, the data submitted represents higher release rate and distance to endpoint than the actual model data. The true release rate would be 0.000822 pounds/minute and a distance to endpoint of less than 0.006193 miles(10 meters). Through regular inspection and multi-valve transfer lines, a release of this size is highly unlikely. Prevention of a spill is a major concern at our facility. Only trained and authorized managment personnel are permitted access t o the chemical storage room. These personnel visually inspect for leaks on a daily basis. We also perform thorough monthly inspections of the tank and transfer lines. There are multiple valves on the transfer lines which allow containment of the majority of possible leaks from these lines. The tank itself has been ultrasonic tested and certified by an independent company within the last year and is registered with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Penn Foam Corporation has not had an accidental release within the past five years. There has been no accidental release during the entire history of this facility. Due to the effective containment of any possible release of the hazardous substance, Penn Foam has choosen to prevent any possible danger to its employees by not implementing its own emergency response plan. Employees of Penn Foam will not repond to a release of the regulated substance. Instead, the local emergency response commitee will be notified and will respond to any accidental release. Even though the worst-case scenario would not effect the majority of our facility, all personnel would be evacuated from the building and meet at a designated area well beyond the toxic endpoint of the hazardous substance. Evacuation drills are conducted and analyzed on a regular basis. Thanks to the effective containment of any release, we are able to make the safety of our employees our priority. Penn Foam is currently investigating monitors and alarms that may detect an accidental release. We hope to find an automated system that can notify appropriate personnel if a release were to occur outside of our normal operating hours. We will continue to explore ways we can prevent an accidental release and minimize the impact if a release were to occur. |