Chemical Risk Management
Chemical Risk Management
DGC submitted their Risk Management Plan (RMP) to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on June 17, 1999.
There have been no releases of ammonia at Dakota Gasification Company since the plant has been in operation that have had an adverse impact on the community or that met the EPA Risk Management Program (RMP) criteria for offsite impacts.
What is Chemical Risk Management?
Risk management is something we all practice daily. We go to work on less-traveled routes to avoid accidents, wear seat belts to prevent injury, and use sunscreen to avoid sunburn. Chemical risks in the workplace are managed in much the same way. Operations are constantly checked, equipment is tested regularly, and employees are trained. Chemical risk management includes these safety steps:
- Eliminate or reduce hazards
- Prevent Incidents
- Minimize or contain incidents
- Prepare the public for possible incidents
- Respond Promptly to emergencies
Risk Management: A New EPA Regulation
Companies that handle toxic and flammable chemicals are required to follow many existing federal, state, and local laws and regulations to ensure the risks posed by these materials are managed safely. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a new regulation that required Dakota Gasification Company to develop a risk management program (RMP), summarize it in a plan, and make the information in that plan available to the public. This information should encourage community dialogue about how to prevent chemical accidents and reduce risk. The regulation applies to 140 toxic and flammable chemicals. If a facility has more than a Threshold Quantity (TQ) of any one of these chemicals in a process, it must follow the RMP requirements for that chemical.
RMP Rule Components
- Risk Management Plan - Summarizes the overall risk management program, submitted to EPA, and available to state and local emergency planning officials and the public.
- Hazard Assessment - Requires facilities to analyze both worst-case scenarios and alternative release. Also requires companies to compile a five-year accident history.
- Worst-Case Scenario - Defined as the largest vessel at a facility containing an RMP-regulated chemical releasing its contents in 10 minutes. Assumes all active safety systems fail and low wind speed. Intended by EPA to encourage community dialogue.
- Alternative Release Scenarios - Events that are "more likely" than the worst-case scenario where safety systems work correctly, but an offsite impact can still occur. This scenario is used for emergency planning.
- Five-Year Accident History - Includes RMP chemical accidents that created safety or environmental impacts or required official shelter-in-place or evacuations. Purpose is to provide the public with an ongoing report card on how the facility is doing at preventing accidents.
- Accident Prevention Program - How the site prevents and detects accidental releases using a "layers of protection" approach. Very similar to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) process safety management standard.
- Emergency Response Program - Ensures that the site is prepared to respond in the event of an emergency. Requires that facilities have a plan to address public notification, emergency medical treatment and procedures for emergency response. The facility must coordinate its plan with the community and respond promptly to requests from local officials for additional information.