Heinz Frozen Food Company, Bloomsburg - Executive Summary

| Accident History | Chemicals | Emergency Response | Registration | Source | Executive Summary |

 Heinz Frozen Food Company 
                     Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania Food Processing Facility 
 
                                     EPA Risk Management Program 
                                         Executive Summary 
 
 
1.   Accidental Release Prevention and Emergency Response Polices 
 
Heinz Frozen Food Company s (HFFC) manufacturing sites comply with applicable federal, state 
and local regulations.  As with all HFFC manufacturing locations, this food processing facility has 
a formal worker safety program.  All employees are informed of hazards in the workplace.  
Employees who work with potentially hazardous substances receive proper training in the 
handling of those substances.  This facility has procedures in place to safely remove employees 
from areas in the unlikely event that a hazardous substance release were to occur, and to put in 
place emergency notification and 
response procedures. 
 
2.   Facility and Regulated Substances 
 
This Heinz Frozen Food Company food processing facility is located at 595 West 11th Street, 
Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.  Frozen prepared foods are produced at this location.  Food 
ingredients are received, blended, mixed, cooked, baked, assembled, frozen and packaged.  The 
regulated substance at this facility, anhydrous ammonia, is used in a closed-loop refrigeration 
system for product cooling and freezing. 
 
3.   Worst-Case and Alternate-Case Release Scenarios 
 
The worst-case scenario consists of the release of ammonia from the largest vessel over a period 
of ten minutes.  The maximum quantity of ammonia in the vessel is limited to 80-percent of the 
total volume of 13,840 pounds via written administrative controls, resulting in a release of 
approximately 11,000 pounds of ammonia.  There are off-site impacts under this worst-case 
scenario. 
 
The alternate-case scenario consists of the release of ammonia vapor from a safety reli 
ef valve due 
to an overpressure condition in a vessel located in the facility s machine room.  The relief valve is 
designed to vent ammonia to the atmosphere when its pressure rating is exceeded, preventing 
potential damage to other components in the refrigeration system.  The scenario results in a 325- 
pound ammonia release over a period of 18 minutes.  There are no off-site impacts under the 
alternate-case scenario. 
 
4.   General Accidental Release Prevention Program and Ammonia Specific Prevention 
 
All Heinz Frozen Food Company manufacturing locations comply with the OSHA Process Safety 
Management for Highly Hazardous Chemicals (PSM) standard relative to anhydrous ammonia.  
Therefore, this facility has programs to ensure proper operation and maintenance of the ammonia   
refrigeration system.  Further, refrigeration system operators have been trained and are 
knowledgeable in the safe operation of the refrigeration system. 
The ammonia refrigeration system at this facility has been des 
igned and constructed using good 
engineering practices and to conform to industry standards.  The system includes ammonia 
detection devices, high- and low-level switches in pressure vessels, and safety relief valves to 
avert serious overpressure.  Periodic maintenance on the refrigeration system is ensured via the 
use of a computerized maintenance management system.  Annual physical system audits are 
performed by an external refrigeration contractor to ensure system integrity.  
 
5.   Five Year Accident History 
 
During the past five years this facility has had no releases that resulted in deaths, injuries, or 
significant property damage on site or known offsite deaths, injuries, evacuations, sheltering in 
place, property damage, or environmental damage. 
 
6.   Emergency Response Program 
 
At this facility the primary emphasis is to safely evacuate all employees in the event of an 
accidental release, pursuant to the requirements of OSHA 1910.38 (a).  Coordination with the 
local fire depart 
ment and LEPC is initiated during an emergency situation.
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