ConAgra Frozen Foods - Executive Summary |
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CON AGRA RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM DOCUMENT This document contains all required information in order to meet 40 CFR 68 "Risk Management Program" including an Executive Summary and RMP data elements (68.155 through 68.185). EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.0 Release Prevention and Emergency Response Policies The Con Agra Frozen Foods (CFF) facility in Russellville has a good record in preventing releases of anhydrous* ammonia. The CFF facility has a thorough emergency training program for on-site emergency responders. The facility has implemented CFF's HAZWOPER plan (emergency response program) which is a plan designed for the safety of its employees', the community and the environment. This detailed emergency response plan includes procedures for handling an emergency - the established action plan and appropriate personnel involved in containing a hazardous release (HAZMAT team). As part of this emergency response plan, CFF emphasizes a thorough training program and medical surveillance of the HAZMAT team prior to and after an incident. With the potential dangers associated with a hazardous chemical release, CFF has researched and developed safe containment and disposal procedures as well as a evaluation procedure following an emergency response. All of these components make the CFF HAZWOPER plan a thorough and comprehensive plan for release prevention and emergency response. The emergency response policies at the CFF facility ensure that there is emergency response coverage 24 hours - 7 days per week. There are also provisions for coordination with outside agencies such as the Russellville Fire Department, ambulance, police, sheriff and highway patrol in the event of an emergency. *From this point in the Executive Summary, anhydrous ammonia will be synonymous with ammonia. 2.0 Process Description and Regulated Substances CFF is a producer of prepared frozen food products. The NAICS code for these processes at this facility is 311412 . The facility is capable of producing and packaging various frozen dinners including burritos, tomales, egg rolls, Healthy Choice, Banquet, and Marie Calender entrees. CFF has one regulated substance under 40 CFR 68: ammonia. Ammonia is used as a refrigerant in the refrigeration of the foods in the various areas of the plant. The ammonia threshold for triggering applicability to 40 CFR 68 is 10,000 pounds. The quantity of ammonia stored on-site is approximately 256,494 pounds. Thus, 40 CFR 68 is applicable to the Con Agra Frozen Foods (CFF) plant in Russellville, Arkansas. 3.0 Worst-case and Alternative Release Scenarios Worst-Case Scenario Description The largest potential release of ammonia will occur with a puncture in the liquid portion of a high pressure receiver. Taking the specific definition of the worst-case from 40 CFR 68.25, the largest quantity of ammonia that can be stored in a vessel is in the high pressure receiver during a pump-out situation. The total quantity of ammonia that ca n be stored in the high pressure receiver is 40,321 pounds. Administrative controls are not applicable to this scenario. The release would reach offsite endpoints and nearby public receptors. Alternative Release Scenario Description The alternative release scenario that meets both selection criteria is an ammonia release from the 3/4" pipe which breaks off a high pressure receiver 5 feet above the ground (at base of the tank) as a result of a truck backing into it. The pipe would break in such a way as to produce a vertical jet release. The release would reach offsite endpoints and nearby public receptors. 4.0 General Accidental Release Prevention Program and Chemical-Specific Prevention Steps Con Agra Frozen Foods (CFF) has developed an OSHA PSM program for their ammonia refrigeration system. All of the OSHA PSM documents are located at the plant in Russellville. At CFF, ammonia falls under the RMP Program 3 prevention program, which is identical to the OSHA PSM program. E PA has said that if the process is in compliance with OSHA PSM, then it is compliance with RMP Program 3. Thus, CFF's ammonia PSM has been reviewed and determined to be complete for the RMP document. There are several aspects of the ammonia prevention program that are key: 1. The ammonia PSM program at CFF includes provisions for employee involvement, procedures for working with contractors, pre-startup safety reviews and managing change within the system. The different sections of the PSM document detail employee participation (hazard analysis team), process safety information, process hazard analysis (PHA - what-if/checklist), operating procedures, training, mechanical integrity, hot work permits, management of change, incident investigation, compliance audits and emergency planning and response (HAZWOPER plan). The plant, therefore, maintains good training, certification, and employee awareness of operating procedures. 2. CFF has researched information pertaining to the prop erties and hazards of ammonia, sought professional assistance from experts in the ammonia refrigeration industry, and used many internal resources to develop the "ConAgra Frozen Foods - Ammonia Refrigeration Reference Manual". Block flow diagrams and P&ID's have been developed and are updated as the ammonia refrigeration system audits are completed. 3. CFF has established a hazards analysis team (comprising of plant employees) responsible for updating existing operating procedures for the refrigeration system and also verifying and documenting the mechanical integrity of the system. 4. In the event of a catastrophic release or an incident which could have resulted in a catastrophe, investigations will be undertaken (this is a policy of the PSM document). Necessary preventative measures will be taken to reduce the risk of incident reoccurrence. 5.0 Five-year Accident History The review of CFF's accident history includes the following range of dates: June 22, 1994 - June 21, 199 9. To date, there have been two accidents involving the release of ammonia at the Russellville facility that are required to be reported in this RMP document according to 40 CFR 68.42(a). Details of the incidents are located in the Data Elements Section 6. 6.0 Emergency Response Program As mentioned previously, the CFF facility has developed an OSHA hazardous substance emergency response program called HAZWOPER (document located at the plant). The sections of the HAZWOPER document contain detailed procedures for pre-emergency planning and coordination, personnel roles and lines of authority, training, communication, emergency recognition and prevention, safe distances and places of refuge, site security and control, emergency alerting and response procedures, ammonia decontamination, emergency medical treatment and first aid, critique of response and follow-up, personal protective and emergency equipment, and medical surveillance. CFF's emergency response plan (HAZWOPER) is a de tailed document which discusses the role of employees and management in an emergency situation. All emergency response personnel undergo training and records of this training are maintained and updated on site. The plan outlines specific procedures for evacuations, incident alarms and alerting. Depending upon a given situation, the Fire Department will be called to provide back-up emergency responders and equipment. The Fire Department will be called for all fire related emergencies. The incident commander has ultimate control of implementation of the emergency response plan. 7.0 Planned Changes to Improve Safety Based on the completed Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) for ammonia, a list of action items were developed and their status monitored to ensure that implementation was accomplished. Also, for any Incident Investigation report issued, recommendations are made for improved safety. |