On June 20, 2009, an ammonia line ruptured during maintenance at a poultry processing plant in Robeson County, North Carolina, killing one employee and injuring several others. The North Carolina Department of Labor (NCDOL) has published a Hazard Alert titled, “Ammonia Refrigeration Systems: Process Safety Management Is Vital to Employee Safety.” This accident should remind employers of the hazards of anhydrous ammonia as a refrigerant at food processing plants.
What Is Anhydrous Ammonia?
Anhydrous ammonia (ammonia gas) occurs naturally and is an important source of nitrogen that is needed by plants and animals. It is commercially produced by the reaction of nitrogen and hydrogen under conditions of high temperature and pressure.
Ammonia (CAS 7664-41-7) boils at ‒28.1? F and is highly soluble in water. Anhydrous ammonia is typically shipped as a liquid under pressure and readily converts to a gas when released to air, forming a white “smoke” by freezing moisture in the air.
Why Is Ammonia Hazardous?
Ammonia is considered a high health hazard because it is corrosive to the skin, eyes, and lungs. Exposure to 300 ppm is immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH).
Ammonia is also flammable at concentrations of about 15% to 28% by volume in air. When mixed with lubricating oils, its flammable concentration range is increased. It can explode if released in an enclosed space with a source of ignition present, or if a vessel containing anhydrous ammonia is exposed to fire. Fortunately, ammonia has a low odor threshold (20 ppm), so most people will seek relief at much lower concentrations.
What Industries are at Risk?
Ammonia is widely used as a refrigerant in a variety of industries, including:
- Meat, poultry and fish processing facilities
- Dairy and ice cream plants
- Wineries and breweries
- Fruit juice, vegetable juice and soft drink processing facilities
- Cold storage warehouses
- Other food processing facilities
- Seafood processing facilities aboard ships
- Petrochemical facilities
Process Safety Management
The key to preventing ammonia leaks is hazard recognition. Facilities that use 10,000 pounds or more of anhydrous ammonia must comply with OSHA’s Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard, 29 CFR 1910.119. A key provision of this standard is the requirement for the employer to conduct a hazard analysis for each process that is covered by the PSM standard. The hazard analysis (i.e., a careful review of what could go wrong and what safeguards must be implemented to prevent releases of highly hazardous chemicals). Process hazard analyses must be updated and revalidated at least every five years and retained for the life of the process.
The PSM Standard requires a written program that includes other employer requirements, such as, but not limited to, compiling process safety information on all covered processes; written operating procedures; pre-startup safety review; mechanical integrity of process equipment (including hoses used for the transfer of a highly hazardous chemical); management of change to process equipment; and communication between host employer and contractor employers regarding how the work of the contractors’ employees will impact a covered process. The PSM Standard also requires the issuance of hot work permits for hot work operations conducted on or near a covered process, incident investigations (including “near misses”) within 48 hours, and employee involvement and training.
Preventing Ammonia Leaks
Some of the operations associated with ammonia refrigeration systems are ammonia receiving and storage, the condenser area, piping and pressure vessels, refrigeration spaces, and the machine room. Ammonia receivers and storage vessels are permanently connected to a mechanical refrigerating system by inlet and outlet pipes for the storage of the liquid refrigerant.
Ammonia refrigeration systems are closed systems for which the most obvious hazard is an ammonia release. A release can occur as a result of improper ammonia receiving operations or ammonia storage in vessels or the use of improper hoses.
Ammonia is delivered by an outside source (e.g., rail car, over-the-road tank car or cylinder) to a facility. The ammonia is transferred to the storage vessel or some other portion of the system using pumps, compressors, or simply differential pressure.
Once the transfer is complete, workers must perform standard shutdown operations to turn off the pumps or compressors and to disconnect the hoses.
Hoses that are used for loading or unloading ammonia into or from refrigeration systems have a limited life. The user must be alert to any signs of deterioration before hose failure can occur. Hoses that are designed and marked for use with ammonia must be used and replaced according to manufacturer recommendations.
Accidental release of ammonia from storage vessels due to vessel failure can result from improper design and installation (including improperly designed relief valves), thermal expansion or contraction, corrosion, overfilling, or external damage (e.g., from a forklift).
Available Resources
The NCDOL OSH Division’s Consultative Services Bureau provides free services to employers around the state.
Environmental Resource Center® Webcasts Go Greener
Throughout that period, thousands of handbooks were shipped worldwide, consuming millions of pages of paper, and countless gallons of fuel. Beginning July 1, course materials for most Environmental Resource Center? webcasts will be delivered electronically, which will further reduce the environmental impact of online training.
With handbooks for some courses exceeding 1,000 pages, the new e-books, will not only save paper and fuel, they will be much easier to search. However, for those who love the touch and feel of paper, bound versions of the book will be available for a nominal fee. One year of free handbook updates will continue to be offered for both the electronic and bound handbooks.
A bound version of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations will continue to be provided with both the online and face-to-face IATA training.
New MSDS Requirement for Tank Ships Carrying Oils and Oil Products
These new measures require that all tank ships subject to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention carrying Annex I cargoes and all ships using Annex I marine fuels have Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) aboard. This Safety of Life at Sea Convention requirement will become effective January 1, 2011. It does not apply to inland barges or any other ship not subject to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention.
After January 1, 2011, nations party to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention can be expected to verify that ships subject to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention have MSDSs as required. After that date, all U.S. flagged vessels under the Safety of Life at Sea Convention traveling overseas should expect foreign administrations to ask for MSDSs for each Annex I cargo and marine oil fuel on board.
Also after that date, all foreign flagged vessels under the Safety of Life at Sea Convention in U.S. ports should expect the Coast Guard to ask for MSDSs in fulfillment of the United States’ duties as a party to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention. The Coast Guard expects that ship’s personnel receive MSDSs in a working language or languages understood by them. The Coast Guard expects that occupational exposure limits referenced in a MSDS be based on an internationally-recognized standard.
IMO has recommended a format for the MSDS and the Coast Guard encourages the use of this recommended format and content, which is set out in the Federal Register notice. Some nations party to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention may require MSDSs to follow the IMO recommendations for format and content.
In most cases, vessels will already have MSDSs for all cargoes that usually will contain the recommended information. In some cases, certain recommended data may not apply to the bulk liquid in question (data not applicable should be so noted); however, some member nations may require all of the recommended information.
Federal Worker Safety is Focus of OSHA’s Nationwide Inspection Program
OSHA has announced that it is continuing its nationwide program to emphasize workplace safety and health for federal workers and for those contractors whose work is supervised on a daily basis by federal agency personnel.
The Federal Agency Targeting Inspection Program () directive provides the procedures OSHA field staff must follow when conducting safety inspections at some of the most hazardous federal workplaces. The federal agencies targeted have experienced a large number of lost time injuries based on data from their fiscal 2008 Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs reports.
“OSHA’s mission of protecting worker safety doesn’t begin and end with private industry,” said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA, Jordan Barab. “It also extends to those who work in federal agencies. This directive is part of OSHA’s continued efforts in assuring that the men and women who work to improve the lives of American citizens are provided safe working environments.”
This targeted inspection program was developed in 2008 in response to a Government Accountability Office audit report. Field inspectors conducted 109 inspections of high hazard federal worksites during 2008 and found multiple violations of OSHA safety and health standards. FEDTARG09 continues OSHA’s commitment to inspect the occupational safety and health programs of federal organizations.
OSHA’s Office of Federal Agency Programs (FAP) serves as the point of contact for the federal sector regarding occupational safety and health issues. The FAP’s purpose is to ensure that each federal agency is provided with guidance for implementing an effective occupational safety and health program. In addition, the FAP provides the president with progress reports on the safety and health programs of federal agencies.
NIOSH Revokes Certificates of Approval for JTN Respirators
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has revoked the following certificates of approval issued to Jiangsu Teyin Nonwoven Fabrics Co., Ltd. (JTN):
- TC-84A-4244
- TC-84A-4245
- TC-84A-4380
- TC-84A-4381
- TC-84A-4382
- TC-84A-4384
- TC-84A-4385
- TC-84A-4386
- TC-84A-4389
- TC-84A-4406
- TC-84A-4407
- TC-84A-4408
- TC-84A-4490
- TC-84A-4501
As of June 22, 2009, no JTN respirator model can be listed as NIOSH approved. Revocation also means that respirators bearing NIOSH approval numbers listed above can no longer be manufactured, assembled, sold, or distributed.
NIOSH has revoked these approvals in accordance with the authority granted in 40 CFR 84.43(c), which states, “The Institute reserves the right to revoke, for cause, any certificate of approval where it is found that the applicant’s quality control test methods, equipment, or records do not ensure effective quality control over the respirator for which approval was issued,” and the authority granted in 42 CFR 84.34 which states, “The Institute reserves the right to revoke, for cause, any certificate of approval issued pursuant to the provisions of this part. Such causes include, but are not limited to, misuse of approval labels and markings, misleading advertising, and failure to maintain or cause to be maintained the quality control requirements of the certificate of approval.”
Promote Lightning Safety: When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors
“When thunder roars, go indoors,” is a simple phrase, but it’s one that officials with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and the National Weather Service (NWS) believe could save lives and alert people to the dangers of lightning.
“Every day, thousands of children across the state are participating in outdoor sporting events, whether it’s baseball, soccer, tennis, golf, swimming and more,” said IEMA Director Andrew Velasquez III. “We’re very pleased to see a major youth baseball organization like Little League take a proactive approach to protect their players, and we strongly encourage other organizations will follow their fine example.”
Velasquez explained that the catch-phrase, “When thunder roars, go indoors,” is an easy way to remember that if you can hear thunder, you’re close enough to the storm to be struck by lightning, even if it isn’t raining. At the first sound of thunder, people should go to a substantial building or hard-topped car and stay there for 30 minutes after hearing the last rumble of thunder before resuming outdoor activities.
That’s the message Tim Ward, a Little League district administrator from Rushville, Illinois, has been sharing with his fellow district administrators, tournament officials, and umpires associated with the Little League organization in Illinois. Earlier this month, Ward invited Heather Stanley, meteorologist with the NWS office in Lincoln, to speak about lighting safety to tournament directors a district meeting in Rushville. Ward also coordinated the distribution of a NWS lightning safety brochure for coaches and sports officials to his fellow Little League district administrators in Illinois.
“Lightning safety awareness campaigns have made a huge difference in keeping people safe across the country,” said Chris Miller, Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the NWS in Lincoln. “Sixty years ago, an average of 260 people died from lightning strikes every year. Thirty years ago, the average was 100 people killed by lightning annually. Today that average is around 60 deaths, and last year lightning killed 28 people—the lowest total since 1940. It is clear that education and awareness about the dangers of lightning has saved lives.”
Outdoor lightning safety tips include:
- Get away from water—stop activities in or near water, such as swimming, boating, fishing and camping and seek a substantial shelter. A safe shelter is fully enclosed with a roof and four walls. Tents, picnic shelters or pavilions will not keep you safe.
- If no substantial shelter is available, seek refuge in a hard-topped vehicle with the windows up.
- Do not seek shelter under tall, isolated trees. This will increase your risk of being struck.
Indoor lightning safety tips include:
- Avoid contact with corded phones. Phone use is the leading cause of indoor lightning injuries.
- Stay away from windows and exterior doors, which can provide a path for a direct strike to enter your home.
- Stay off of porches and decks. Even if a porch is covered, it does not offer any protection from lightning strikes.
- Avoid contact with electrical equipment or cords. Direct strikes and power surges due to lightning cause significant damage to personal property each year. If you plan to unplug any electrical equipment, do so well before the storm arrives.
- Stay away from plumbing and plumbing appliances. Do not take a shower or bath during a thunderstorm.
Tips on Working Safely in Hot Weather
Those hot, hazy days of summer are approaching. The heat can be especially harmful for those who work outdoors in direct sunlight or in hot environments, making them susceptible to heat-induced illnesses such as heat stress, heat exhaustion, or the more serious heat stroke.
“Working in extreme temperatures is not only uncomfortable, it can be life-threatening,” said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA, Jordan Barab. “As we move into the summer months, it is important for workers and their employers to minimize the chances of heat-induced illnesses, and imperative that they recognize the signs of heat stress and take proper precautions to reduce the chances of illness or death.”
High temperature and humidity, physical exertion, and lack of sufficient water intake can lead to heat-related stress. Symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke include confusion, irrational behavior, loss of consciousness, abnormally high body temperature, and hot, dry skin.
OSHA advises workers to take preventive measures such as reducing physical exertion and wearing light, loose-fitting clothing. The agency advises employers to provide workers with water and regular rest periods in a cool recovery area.
OSHA Proposes More than $1.1 Million in Penalties to Milk Specialties Co.
OSHA has cited Milk Specialties Co. in Whitehall, Wisconsin, with violations of federal workplace safety and health standards and proposed $1,145,200 in penalties.
OSHA began a December 2008 inspection in response to a complaint alleging a variety of safety hazards at the company’s whey processing plant. Willful citations have been issued for the employer’s failure to comply with OSHA’s confined space entry and control of hazardous energy requirements. Untrained employees entered confined spaces and performed maintenance and cleaning on powered equipment without protection from various hazards. Proposed penalties for the 17 willful violations total $1,071,000. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and health.
“I am committed to ensuring workers return home to their families safe and healthy at the end of every shift,” said Secretary of Labor, Hilda L. Solis. “Employers must fully address hazards, properly train their employees and plan their work in a safe manner.”
Seventeen serious citations, with proposed penalties totaling $52,400, include combustible dust and electrical hazards; lack of exit route lighting and signage; lack of confined space evaluations; uninspected fire extinguishers; and untrained and uncertified powered industrial truck operators, among other issues. A serious citation is issued when death or serious physical harm is likely to result if an accident were to occur from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
Four repeat violations with penalties totaling $21,800 address the guarding of floor and wall openings, ladders and respiratory protection, and other issues addressed in previous inspections of this company. OSHA issues a repeat citation when it finds an employer’s violation is substantially similar to a previously cited condition that was affirmed as a violation through a final order of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Milk Specialties has been inspected by OSHA 15 times since 1974, including four inspections in Wisconsin between 2006 and 2008, with citations resulting from many of the same safety and health hazards cited in the most recent inspection.
The company engages in the research, development, and manufacture of protein and fat products for nutritional applications and feeding regimes that include products such as pasteurized milk extenders, spray-dried protein encapsulated fats, dried whey permeates, and condensed whey and liquid whey products.
OSHA Recognizes Coca-Cola Danone Waters LLC as VPP Star Site
OSHA has certified Coca-Cola Danone Waters (CCDA) LLC, operating in Milesburg, Pennsylvania, as a star site, the highest honor in the agency’s prestigious Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP).
“We recognize Coca-Cola Danone Waters for maintaining high employee safety and health standards at its site,” said OSHA Harrisburg Area Director, Bryan Seal, who honored the company at a special ceremony at its Milesburg site. “This company is noted for having an injury and illness rate nearly 70 percent below the industry average for three years.”
A wholly-owned subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Co., CCDA manufactures bottled water products including fluoridated spring water and purified spring water.
CCDA is one of 2,160 worksites representing more than 270 industries nationwide that have earned entry into OSHA’s VPP. Requirements include a high degree of management commitment and employee involvement; a high-quality worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control program; and comprehensive safety and health training for all employees. Each of these elements must be effective, in place, and in operation for at least one year before a company can apply to join the VPP. Companies in the VPP achieve average injury and illness rates 50 percent below the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) average for other companies in their respective industries.
Indiana Department of Labor Honors Futurex Industries with Safety Award
The Indiana Department of Labor is pleased to announce the certification of the Bloomingdale, Indiana site of Futurex Industries in the Indiana Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (INSHARP). Celebrating its 40th year of operation, Futurex Industries manufactures custom plastic sheets and film. Futurex’s custom manufactured product serves the needs of many industries. The company operates three facilities in the state, in Bloomingdale, Terre Haute, and Marshall.
The occupational well-being of their employees is a value that Futurex management holds in high regard. Management openly promotes and allocates resources needed to advance the company’s workplace safety and health program. Employees are permitted to halt operations to address occupational safety or health concerns, and the company’s safety committee meets monthly to discuss safety and health concerns.
A Governor’s Workplace Safety Award was also presented to Futurex Industries in February 2009, for their efforts to reduce and eliminate work-related injuries and illnesses.
The INSHARP award ceremony was held on Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at Futurex’s Bloomingdale, Indiana, facility. The ceremony provided an opportunity for the company’s employees, staff, and management to showcase their exemplary status to the media, state officials, and local elected officials.