West Hershey Plant - Executive Summary

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The West Hershey Plant of Hershey Foods Corporation, located at 1033 Old West Chocolate Ave., Hershey, PA, is a facility for chocolate manufacturing.  The manufacturing processes include the full spectrum from raw ingredients handling and processing to the shipping of finished products ready for the consumer.  Processing that is done at this facility includes milk receiving, milk pasteurization and evaporation, chocolate processing, chocolate products moulding, packaging, storage, and rail/truck shipping.  The regulated substance for this facility is anhydrous ammonia.  Anhydrous ammonia is used for cooling of fluid in a separate utility building for the purpose of providing cooling capabilities to various stages of the manufacturing operation.  The anhydrous ammonia process has a total system capacity of approximately 20,000 pounds. 
 
Hershey Foods has implemented numerous programs that demonstrate the company's philosophy of supporting a safe work environment and utilizing operating p 
rinciples for sound environmental management of the manufacturing operations.  The company has established a corporate Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Steering Committee which is chaired by the Vice President, Manufacturing.  The steering committee develops EHS policies and procedures as well as safety and environmental training programs which are implemented company-wide to ensure consistency of the programs.   
 
Hershey Foods training programs go beyond standard mandated training.  Training programs currently being conducted range from general safety and environmental awareness for all employees to comprehensive, program specific training sessions for target groups based on job requirements.  Training, which is conducted in classrooms and on-the-job is documented and employees are often evaluated through a competency testing program.  Written programs have been implemented which include specific action to be taken by facility employees as well as emergency response personnel in 
the event of an emergency or accident in the facility.  Written operating procedures for operating and maintenance personnel have been implemented for anhydrous ammonia systems inspection and maintenance.  In addition, adherence to formal preventive maintenance programs and testing parameters for anhydrous ammonia systems is monitored and documented.  A Chemical Review Committee reviews and approves all new chemicals prior to introduction at the facility.  The committee provides recommendations on training, safety and equipment needed for safe chemical storage, handling and use.  The West Hershey Plant has an Emergency Response Plan that coordinates with the Hershey Plant Integrated Contingency Plan.  The facility has not had any accidental releases of anhydrous ammonia from this covered process in the five years prior to the submission of this Risk Management Plan (RMP).  
 
This facility also complies with OSHA Process Safety Management standards (28 CFR 1910.119). 
 
The facility is si 
tuated on 193 acres, located northwest of downtown Hershey, in Derry Township, Dauphin County, PA.  Adjacent properties are typically residential, light commercial and agricultural uses. 
 
The Worst Case release for this facility assumes that the 10,000 pound anhydrous ammonia receiver on the roof of the Utility Building ruptures.  The receiver discharges a gas liquefied by pressure under worst case meteorological conditions of F Stability and 1.5 meters per second.  All ten thousand pounds contained in the receiver are assumed released over ten (10) minutes.  
 
The Worst Case Impact Area is one and eight tenths miles in radius.  There are about 7,100 people living in the Worst Case release area who could be affected by this release.  Located within this area are several schools, a hospital, recreational areas, and commercial and industrial areas.  
 
The alternative case scenario #1, is the release of anhydrous ammonia inside the Compressor Room, caused by forklift damage to a compressor  
receiver.  A release in the Compressor Room will trigger an alarm and initiate the operation of the ceiling ventilation fans.  It is estimated that the release expected under this scenario will be approximately two hundred (200) pounds over a period of ten (10) minutes.  Taking into account the mitigating effect of the building, the release rate from the building was determined to be approximately 6.4 pounds per minute. It is assumed that the release occurs under meteorological conditions of D Stability and 3.0 meters per second at an ambient temperature of 25 C.   
 
The Alternate Scenario #1 Impact Area is one tenth (0.1) of a mile in radius.  There are approximately 10 people living in the impact area who could be affected by this release.  There are no schools, hospitals, parks or other sensitive receptors located within this area.
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