Refrigeration processes that contain more than 10,000 lb of anhydrous ammonia refrigerant are subject to a number of environmental and safety regulations, including the following:
▪ Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals (the PSM Standard), 29 CFR 1910.119
▪ Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Risk Management Plan (RMP) Rule, 40 CFR, Part 68
▪ EPA’s Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA), 40 CFR parts 350 to 372,
▪ Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’s) Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standard, 6 CFR Part 27.
These regulations require periodic reporting and other actions, such as employee training and the implementation of hazard prevention programs and emergency response plans. This paper provides a brief summary of the listed rules, as they apply to ammonia refrigeration processes, and describes the following regulatory changes and trends:
▪ OSHA 2009 PSM Covered Chemical Facilities National Emphasis Program, which will include a focus on ammonia refrigeration facilities
▪ EPA’s recently implemented RMP e*Submit procedure
▪ Recent changes to the Tier II reporting for Florida facilities
▪ Rulemaking related to the DHS chemical facility antiterrorism standard.
This paper should be helpful to ammonia refrigeration facility owners and operators who are struggling to stay in compliance with the many regulations applicable to their process. Additionally, the references and website links listed on the bibliography of this paper will serve as resources to further assist such owners and operators in the future, as regulations continue to change. All website addresses were checked on February 16, 2010.
Paper published with permission.
