There has been much written about the Ammonimum Nitrate (AN) stored at the West Fertilizer facility in West, TX. The investigation is still on-going; however, investigators have confirmed that AN was stored on site and it is their leading suspect in the explosion that killed a dozen emergency responders. Last week the media focus shifted to how the state of TX has no state codes to control/oversee the handling and storage of Ammonimum Nitrate. I want to show the contrast between a state that has its own codes and the state of TX which does not have a set of codes that pertain to AN. In the state of OH (my home state) there are a number of state HAZMAT codes that would come into play if a business wanted to store AN on site. These codes all require a “permit” from the SFMO, as well as some very prescriptive storage and handling requirements, very similar to PSM/RMP standards. PLEASE note that AN is a CLASS 4 Oxidizer in the state of OH Codes. Here they are…
Storing Ammonium Nitrate in Ohio
