Hester Industries, Inc. - Executive Summary |
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HESTER INDUSTRIES 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 Hester Industries facility in Moorefield, West Virginia has a good record in preventing releases of anhydrous* ammonia. The Hester Industries facility has a thorough emergency training program for on-site emergency responders. The facility has implemented Hester Industries 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 program 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 program, Hester Industries emphasize s 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, Hester Industries has researched and developed safe containment and disposal procedures as well as an evaluation procedure following an emergency response. All of these components make the Hester Industries HAZWOPER plan a thorough and comprehensive plan for release prevention and emergency response. The emergency response policies at the Hester Industries 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 Moorefield Volunteer Fire Department 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 Hester Industries is a producer of various kinds of cooked chicken. The NAICS co de for this process at this facility is 311615. Many areas of the plant are refrigerated to preserve the food products. Hester Industries 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 Moorefield plant has two separate ammonia refrigeration processes for the preservation of the food products. The quantity of ammonia stored in the System #1 and System #2 refrigeration processes is approximately 36,531 pounds and 16,685 pounds, respectively. Both of the processes exceed the threshold quantity of 10,000 pounds as set by 40 CFR 68 and are thus regulated. 3.0 Worst-case and Alternative Release Scenarios Worst-Case Scenario Description The largest potential release of ammonia would occur with a puncture in the liquid portion of the 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 in System #2 during a pumpout condition. The total quantity of ammonia that can be stored in the high-pressure receiver is 17,535 pounds without administrative or passive controls. The ammonia release would reach offsite endpoints and nearby receptors. Alternative Release Scenario Description The alternative release scenario for ammonia is the release from a transfer hose rupture, which occurs while ammonia is added to the HPR. The orifice is located two feet above ground level. Administrative and passive controls are not applicable to this scenario. Active mitigation of the release is human intervention (system shutdown at 30 minutes from the start of the release). The ammonia release would reach offsite endpoints and nearby receptors. 4.0 General Accidental Release Prevention Program and Chemical-Specific Prevention Steps Hester Industries has developed an OSHA PSM program for their ammonia refrigeration systems. At Hester Industries, ammonia falls under the RMP Program 3 prevention program which is identical to the OSHA PSM program. EPA has said that if the process is in compliance with OSHA PSM, then it is compliance with RMP Program 3. Thus, Hester Industries' 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 Hester Industries 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 a udits and emergency planning and response (HAZWOPER plan). The plant, therefore, maintains good training, certification, and employee awareness of operating procedures. 2. Hester Industries 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. 3. 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 Hester Industries' accident history includes the following range of dates: June 22, 1994 - June 21, 1999. According to 40 CFR Part 68.42(a), there have been no accidental releases at this facility. 6.0 Emergency Response Program As mentioned previously, the Hester Industries facility has developed an OSHA hazardous substance emergency response program called HAZWOPER. The HAZWOPER document contain detailed procedures for: 1) pre-emergency planning and coordination; 2) personnel roles and lines of authority; 3) training; 4) communication; 5) emergency recognition and prevention; 6) safe distances and places of refuge; 7) site security and control; 8) emergency alerting and response; 9) ammonia decontamination; 10) emergency medical treatment and first aid; 11) critique of response and follow-up; 12) personal protective and emergency equipment; and 13) medical surveillance. Hester Industries' emergency response plan (HAZWOPER) is a detailed 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 u pon 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. |