The owner or operator of a Brewery, which uses anhydrous ammonia, as a refrigerant at the facility had a reportable release of ammonia on October 12, 2011 at or about 2:19 a.m.  Approximately 664 pounds of anhydrous ammonia spilled, leaked, pumped, emitted, discharged, or escaped into tbe ambient air and/or air from the facility.  Company had knowledge of the release on October 12, 2011...

Section 550 of the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2007 authorized the Department to regulate the security of chemical facilities that, in the discretion of the Secretary, present high levels of security risk. Under the Section 550 authority, on April 9, 2007, DHS issued the CFATS interim final rule, codified at 6 CFR part 27. See 72 FR 17688. [2] Additionally, in November 2007,...

Count 1. Violation of 40 C.F.R. § 68.69(c) 40 C.P.R.§ 68.69(c) requires, in relevant part, that owners and operators must annually certify that operating procedures are current and accurate. Respondent requires that operating procedures certifications are complete by May 26 of each calendar year. Respondent failed to certify procedures by this deadline for two processes in 2009. Through its failure...

On the most basic level, can a PSM/RMP program function and comply with all regulatory requirements and NOT have a calibrated direct-reading instrument? This is not meant to be a trick question, but rather looking to “ground me” in my expectations.  Having grown up in the PSM/RMP era in petrochem for 20 years, having a calibrated direct-reading instrument available was like having...

U.S. Department of TransportationPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety AdministrationOffice of Hazardous Material Safety2013 (All Column Values) Hazmat Summary by Transportation Phase CLICK HERECLICK HERE to work with the database

Last week I shared an article from allgov.com that provided some data on Ammonia releases.  The article was not well received by some folks and others appreciated the info, which is par for the course when you post this kind of material.  But some have gone off the deep-end and called the article “spin” and “propaganda” against ammonia.  For the record, the article’s...

    2014 Fatality Tracker Electrical 31 (2013 = 32) (2012 = 68) Forklift/Manlift 34 (2013=62) (2012 = 52) Mining* 389 2013=87*) (2012 = 92*) *no longer includes China Explosions 137 (2013=194) (2012 = 241) Cranes 14 (2013=51) (2012 = 52) Falls 74 (2013=106) (2012 = 99) Work Zone 20 (2013=42) (2012 = 62) Trenching 10 (2013=25) (2012 = 44) LOTO/Guards 28 (2013=31) (2012 = 44) Confined Space...

The host facility, an anhydrous ammonia storage facility,  contracted with a company, who in turn, contracted with Respondent (sub-contractor) to perform services on pipelines within the facility. Respondent provides sixteen different services or “lines”, as it refers to them. Each of these lines is comprised of crew members that have been trained and tested in that particular discipline....

At approximately 0645 (UTC+1) on 26 May 2014, three crew members on board a cargo ship were found unconscious in the main cargo hold forward access compartment, which was sited in the vessel’s forecastle. The crew members were recovered from the compartment but, despite intensive resuscitation efforts by their rescuers, they did not survive. … HomeRead More »

Respondent owns and operates an agricultural chemical manufacturing facility. Respondent has been subject to the RMP requirements since June 21, 1999, as provided in 40 C.F.R. § 68.1O(a)(1), because the facility used, stored, manufactured, or handled more than the TQ of 10,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia in a single process as of that date. Respondent became subject to the RMP requirements for aqueous...

Respondent owns and operates a liquefied petroleum gas manufacturing and storage facility. On January 26, 2005 Respondent submitted to U.S. EPA a Risk Management Plan (RMP) for its Facility. On July 5, 2012, U.S. EPA conducted an inspection at Respondent’s Facility to determine its compliance with 40 C.F.R. Part 68. Respondent held 10,000 lbs. or more of butane and propane for use in its operations...

Respondent’s denaturant process contains a mixture with a NFPA rating of 4, and is therefore a flammable mixture as specified in 40 C.F.R. § 68.115(b)(2). On or about May 2-3, 2012, EPA conducted an inspection to determine compliance with RMP 40 C.F.R. Part 68. Respondent’s denaturant process stores approximately 715,000 pounds, with the entire weight of the mixture being treated as a regulated...