Knouse Foods, Orrtanna Plant - Executive Summary

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

SEE ATTACHED ASCII FILE WHICH CONTAINS THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
KNOUSE FOODS, ORRTANNA PLANT 
ORRTANNA, PENNSYLVANIA 
 
Accidental Release Prevention and Emergency Response Policies 
 
Knouse Foods has developed this Risk Management Plan (RMP) and previous Process Safety Management Plan (PSMP) to ensure the safety of all persons who could be affected by an accident or incident that might occur at the Knouse Foods, Orrtanna Plant.  Subsidiary concerns are minimization  of damage to the environment or Knouse Foods equipment, property and product as well as compliance with the regulations. 
 
Ammonia Refrigeration System Cold Storage No. 1 
 
Knouse Foods, Orrtanna Plant is a process and storage facility for apples.  The facility is equipped with an anhydrous ammonia refrigeration system serving coolers, freezers, and production water chillers.  The total system capacity of refrigerant is 18,000 pounds of ammonia. 
 
Worst-case Release Scenario 
 
The worst-case rel 
ease scenario was calculated to be the failure of the largest single ammonia storage vessel in the refrigeration system.  The vessel holds 5,800 pounds of ammonia during normal operating charge.  In addition, it was assumed that an additional 580 pounds of ammonia contained in the pipeline to the storage vessel would also be released for a total worst-case scenario of 6,380 pounds of ammonia.  The off-site consequences analysis for the worst-case release scenario was modeled using RMP*Comp v.1.06. The release duration was 10 minutes with a release rate 351 pounds per minute (lbs/min).  Mitigation measures considered included release into the building.  The results of the modeling indicated that the toxic endpoint of 0.14 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of ammonia would be reached at a distance of 1.1 miles from the release point. 
 
Alternative Release Scenario 
 
The alternate release scenario assumed that a leak develops in the piping system of the refrigeration system.  Based on the curre 
nt ammonia detection systems and procedures for quickly responding to the alarm, it was assumed that 150 pounds of ammonia would be released.  The off-site consequences analysis for the alternate release scenario was modeled using RMP*Comp v.1.06. The release duration was 1 minute with a release rate of 150 lbs/min.  Mitigation measures considered included release into the building.  The results of the modeling indicated that the toxic endpoint of 0.14 mg/L of ammonia would be reached at less than 0.1 mile from the release point. 
 
General Accidental Release Prevention Program and Chemical-Specific Prevention Steps 
 
Knouse Foods has developed and implemented a PSMP in compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Process Safety Management Standard 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1910.119, for operation of the ammonia refrigeration system at Knouse Foods, Orrtanna Plant.  The PSMP has been revised to comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Risk M 
anagement Program regulations, 40 CFR Part 68. 
 
The PSMP and RMP for the Knouse Foods, Orrtanna Plant includes detailed sections on the following: 
 
Employee Participation 
Process Safety Information 
Process Hazard Analysis 
Operating Procedures 
Training 
Contractor Safety 
Pre-startup Safety Review 
Mechanical Integrity 
Hot Work 
Management of Change 
Incident Investigation 
Emergency Planning and Response 
Compliance Audits 
Off-site Consequences Analysis. 
 
In addition to the PSMP and RMP, Knouse Foods maintains the following documents as part of the safety program at Knouse Foods, Orrtanna Plant: 
 
On-site Emergency Response Plan, Orrtanna, Pa. Plant 
Evacuation Plan, Orrtanna Plant 
Employee Evacuation Instructions, Orrtanna Plant 
Work Rules publication 
Knouse Foods Safety Program (manual) 
 
Five-year Accident History 
 
Knouse Foods maintains detailed hazardous materials incident reports for the ammonia refrigeration system.  There have been no reportable releases of ammonia from the system in the 
last five years.  
Click to return to beginning