Midwest Grain Products Inc. - 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. We believe in being responsible neighbors in our communities. To ensure our commitment, we adhere with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. The facility has coordinated emergency response activities with the Atchison Fire Department. This facility produces gluten, starch, alcohol products. Propylene oxide is the only risk management program regulated substance processed at the facility in excess of threshold quantities. Propylene oxide is used in the process for manufacturing starch. The system includes a storage tank, a day tank, pumps, piping, and valves. The tanks are provided with secondary containment. Safety systems associated with the system include pressure relief devices, a nitrogen purge system, a vapor detection system, a sprinkler/deluge system, and a tank dump system. Our worst-case release scenario for the propylene oxide system is a failure of t he storage tank, resulting in a release of propylene oxide. The maximum quantity of propylene oxide in the tank is limited by administrative controls to approximately 62,000 pounds. The containment system is sufficient to hold the entire contents of the tank. The distance to endpoint for this scenario is 0.7 miles according to the look-up tables provided in the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) guidance document for offsite consequence analysis. Public receptors identified within 0.7 miles of the facility include residences, schools, recreational areas, and commercial/industrial areas. There were no environmental receptors identified within the distance to endpoint. An alternative release scenario was also analyzed. The alternative release scenario examined a release of approximately 11,000 pounds of propylene oxide resulting from a hole in a tank fitting. The distance to endpoint for the alternative release scenario is 0.1 miles. Public receptors identified within 0.1 miles of t he facility include a commercial/industrial area. No environmental receptors were identified. It should be noted that neither release scenarios accounted for the mitigating effects of the safety systems used on propylene oxide system. These systems would significantly reduce the release rate to atmosphere and therefore reduce the distance to endpoint. 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 propylene oxide 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 propylene oxide, we will immediately notify the Atchison Fire Department and request that they respond to the emergency. The fire department has inspected our facility and is familiar with our operations. It is our policy to continuously work towards better and safer systems. We are planning to do a complete mechanical integrity check of the propylene oxide tank system in August of 1999. |