TWIN CITY FOODS INC. PASCO DIV. - Executive Summary |
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR TWIN CITY FOODS INC PASCO DIV. MAY 17,1999 THIS PLANT WAS NEW ON 7-1-1998. IT IS 200,000 SQ FT. DESIGNED FOR THE PROCESSING OF SWEET CORN,WHICH IS HARVESTED,PROCESSED AND FROZEN IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER OF EACH YEAR. THE FACILITIES ALSO INCLUDE COLD STORAGE AREA. THE AMMONIA REFRIGERATION SYSTEM WAS ALSO NEW IN 1998 AND IS CONSIDERED STATE OF THE ART. HIGH EFFICIENCY SCREW COMPRESSORS AND TOP QUALITY COMPONENTS WERE USED THROUGHOUT. THE MAJORITY OF THE REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENT IS SUPPORT FOR FRESH PACK OPERATIONS LASTING 6-8WEEKS PER YEAR. AFTER WHICH THE AMMONIA IS PUMPED BACK TO HOLDING VESSELS UNTIL REQUIRED THE NEXT SEASON . 15% OF THE REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENT IS ON LINE TO SUPPORT COLD STORAGE OPERATIONS 12 MONTHS EACH YEAR. APPROXIMATELY 36,000 LBS OF AMMONIA IS ON SITE FOR OUR OPERATIONS. PER THE MECHANICAL CODE OUR REFRIGERATION SPACES ARE MONITORED BY AMMONIA DETECTION SYSTEMS,WITH AUDIO AND VISUAL ALARMS,CENTRAL STATION MONITOR ING,AND AUTOMATIC EXHAUST SYSTEMS INTERLOCKED TO SHUNT BREAKERSWHICH ISOLATE PROTECTED SPACES FROM ELECTRICALY INDUCED EXPLOSION. A 15,000 GAL. WATER TANK IS PIPED TO ALL RELIEF VALVES IN CASE OF OVERPRESSURIZATION AND SUBSIQUENT RELIEF VALVE VENTING. OUR OPERATIONS STAFF CONSISTS OF THREE OPERATING ENGINEERS TRAINED IN THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF ALL REFRIGERATION AND BOILER EQUIPMENT. THEIR EMERGENCY RESPONSE EQUIPMENT INCLUDES RADIOS,SCBA'S CANNISTER MASKS CLASS A SUITS AND MONITORS. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE TRAINING ARE ON GOING YEAR ROUND. OFFSITE SAFETY TRAINING IS UTILIZED WHEN AVAILABLE. THIS PLANT HAS DOCUMENTED PROCEEDURES COVERING THE ACCIDENTAL RELEASE OF AMMONIA ON SITE. THIS IS PART OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE "PROCESS SAFETY MANAGEMENT" PROGRAM AS DICTATED BY WAC296-67-013. TWIN CITY FOODS POLICY IS SAFETY FIRST. FOR A DISCRIPTION OF THE WORST CASE SENARIO SEE APPENDIX A, FOR THE ALTERNATIVE SCENARIO SEE APPENDIX B IN THE EVENT OF A RELEASE TH AT WE ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN ON SITE, WE IMMEDIATLY NOTIFY THE PASCO FIRE DEPT @911 AND BENTON CO. HAZMAT AT SAME. SUBSEQUENT TO THE FILING OF THIS REPORT OUR PLANT MANAGERS WILL MEET WITH BOTH THE PASCO FIRE DEPT. AND FRANKLIN CO. LEPC TO EXPAND AND CO-ORDINATE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THIS AREA. |