June 2015 marks the one-year anniversary of EO 13650 – Actions to Improve Chemical Facility Safety and Security – A Shared Commitment: Report for the President. The EO Working Group has released a fact sheet on the accomplishments to date on improving chemical facility safety and security since the publishing of the Report to the President.
Fact Sheet: Actions to Improve Chemical Facility Safety and Security
The EO Working Groups fact sheet provides the latest information on the actions that have been taken under the five elements in the EO 13650 consolidated Federal Action Plan:
- Strengthening community planning and preparedness
- Enhancing Federal operational coordination
- Improving data management
- Modernizing policies and regulations
- Incorporating stakeholder feedback and developing best practices
For more information: https://www.osha.gov/chemicalexecutiveorder/EO13650FS-ImprovingChemicalFacilitySafety.pdf
Additionally, as part of an ongoing federal effort to improve chemical risk management, advance safety and protect human health and the environment, the documents below are related to our joint progress.
How to Better Prepare Your Community for a Chemical Emergency: A Guide for State, Tribal and Local Agencies
EPA’s new fact sheet gives background on EPCRA (the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act), the law governing local preparedness for chemical emergencies and public awareness of chemicals in their communities. The fact sheet also covers the following:
- Overview of EPCRA requirements
- Roles and responsibilities of SERCs/TERCs and LEPCs/TEPCs
- Developing an emergency response plan
- Tools for planning and response
- Fire department roles in emergency planning
- Working with chemical facilities on planning and prevention
- Engaging the community
- Public access to information under EPCRA
For more information: http://www2.epa.gov/epcra/how-better-prepare-your-community-chemical-emergency-guide-state-tribal-and-local-agencies
Chemical Safety Alert: Safer Technology and Alternatives
This Alert is intended to introduce safer technology concepts and general approaches. This Alert also explains the concepts and principles and gives brief examples of the integration of safer technologies into facility risk management activities. Sources of information on process hazard analysis and inherently safer approaches to process safety are provided. OSHA and EPA are committed to developing voluntary guidance for facility owners and operators that will offer a more thorough examination of alternative measures and safety techniques and how these might be applied to existing processes to further reduce chemical and process risks.
For more information: http://www2.epa.gov/rmp/chemical-safety-alert-safer-technology-and-alternatives
Chemical Advisory: Safe Storage, Handling, and Management of Solid Ammonium Nitrate Prills
EPA, OSHA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) have issued this revised Advisory as part of an ongoing federal effort to improve chemical risk management, and to advance safety and protect human health and the environment. This advisory contains information on recent and past accidents involving Ammonium Nitrate (commonly referred to as AN), on the hazards of AN, how to manage these hazards, and appropriate steps for community emergency planning and proper emergency response. This advisory is intended to broadly disseminate lessons learned from recent incidents involving AN so that such incidents can be prevented in the future. It also provides a list of information resources, including relevant codes and standards, industry publications, and applicable statutes and regulations that will help facilities handling AN and first responders better understand the hazards so they can effectively manage the risks. The information provided is NOT intended to cover:
- All the hazards, safe practices or technical challenges associated with the manufacturing of AN
- Liquid fertilizers containing AN
- Manufacturing, storage or use of explosives or blasting agents containing AN, or
- The transportation of AN.
For more information: http://www2.epa.gov/rmp/chemical-advisory-solid-ammonium-nitrate-storage-handling-and-management
NFPA 400 Hazardous Materials Code, Chapter 11 for Ammonium Nitrate Revised
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has revised its NFPA 400 Hazardous Materials code. Chapter 11 of the code, which covers solid forms of ammonium nitrate (AN), such as fertilizer-grade mixtures with 60 percent or more AN by weight, and liquid forms containing more than 70 percent AN by weight in quantities above 1,000 pounds, was modified to address the serious hazard created by the presence of combustible materials in contact with ammonium nitrate. Significant revisions to the code for AN storage include:
- All new building construction will be required to be non-combustible and to be sprinkled.
- Existing buildings of combustible construction will be required to be sprinkled.
- A fire alarm system with fire detection in AN storage areas is required for both new and existing facilities.
- A public notification/alert system, one capable of notifying individuals within one mile of the facility of the need to evacuate, is required.
- Both pre-incident and emergency action planning is required.
- Additional guidance has been added to Annex E to help emergency responders determine when to fight fires involving AN and when to evacuate.
For more information: http://www.nfpa.org/newsandpublications/nfpa-journal/2015/may-june-2015/features/nfpa-400