Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: HEAT

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employmnent and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that operating and emergency procedures were not developed, procedural training had not been conducted, and adequate detection equipment / alarms were not in place to prevent, detect, and/or mitigate the effects of an ammonia release from the ammonia refrigeration system: A.) Meadowbrook Dairy, 2365 Buffalo Road, Erie, PA 16510 - Company employees were potentially exposed to a release of ammonia due to a lack of operating and emergency procedures. Operating and emergency procedures had not been developed and implemented for the purpose of preventing and/or mitigating the effects of an onsite ammonia release. American National Standards Institute / American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers 15-2010 (ANSI/ASHRAE) Safety Standard for Refrigeration Systems, Section 11.7 Responsibility for Operation and Emergency Shutdown states: It shall be the duty of the person in charge of the premises on which a refrigeration system containing more than 55 lb (25 kg) of refrigerant is installed to provide a schematic drawing or panel giving directions for the operation of the system at a location that is convenient to the operators of the equipment. Emergency shutdown procedures, including precautions to be observed in case of a breakdown or leak, shall be displayed on a conspicuous card located as near as possible to the refrigerant compressor. These precautions shall address a. instructions for shutting down the system in case of emergency; b. the name, address, and day and night telephone numbers for obtaining service; and c. the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all corporate, local, state, and federal agencies to be contacted as required in the event of a reportable incident. When a refrigerating machinery room is used, the emergency procedures shall be posted outside the room, immediately adjacent to each door. International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR) Bulletin 110, Section 5.2.2 states: Confirm that the operating procedures are complete and address steps for each operating phase. Ensure that the operating procedures include operating limits, safety and health considerations, and safety systems and their functions. ABATEMENT NOTE: Among other methods, feasible and acceptable means to correct the condition described in Instance A. include but are not limited to: 1.) Complying with applicable requirements noted in ANSI/ASHRAE 15-2010 Safety Standard for Refrigeration Systems and IIAR Bulletin 110 regarding operation and emergency shutdown procedures. B.) Meadowbrook Dairy, 2365 Buffalo Road, Erie, PA 16510 - Company employees were potentially exposed to a release of ammonia due to a lack of operational and emergency training on the ammonia refrigeration system. Training for employees operating and maintaining the process had not been conducted. IIAR Bulletin 110, Section 5.2.3 states: The Employer shall verify that training has been completed for the following items and personnel: a. Employees involved in operating the process shall be trained in an overview of the process and the operating procedures. The training shall include safety and health hazards, emergency operations and safe work practices. The training shall be documented and it shall be verified that the employees understood the training. b. Employees involved in maintaining the on-going integrity of the equipment shall be trained in an overview of the process and its hazards. The training shall include the procedures applicable to the employees' tasks. ABATEMENT NOTE: Among other methods, feasible and acceptable means to correct the condition described in Instance B. include but are not limited to: 1.) Complying with applicable requirements noted in IIAR Bulletin 110 regarding employee training. C.) Meadowbrook Dairy, Engine Room - Company employees were potentially exposed to a release of ammonia due to a lack of an ammonia detector that actuates audible and visual alarms, inside and outside of the Engine Room, and engages the mechanical ventilation in the Engine Room. ANSI/ASHRAE 15-2010 Safety Standard for Refrigeration Systems Section 8.11.2.1 states: Each refrigerating machinery room shall contain a detector, located in an area where refrigerant from a leak will concentrate, that actuates an alarm and mechanical ventilation in accordance with Section 8.11.4 at a value not greater than the corresponding TLV- TWA (or toxicity measure consistent therewith). The alarm shall annunciate visual and audible alarms inside the refrigerating machinery room and outside each entrance to therefrigerating machinery room. The alarms required in this section shall be of the manual reset type with the reset located inside the refrigerating machinery room. ABATEMENT NOTE: Among other methods, feasible and acceptable means to correct the condition described in Instance C. include but are not limited to: 1.) Complying with applicable requirements noted in ANSI/ASHRAE 15-2010 Safety Standard for Refrigeration Systems regarding ammonia detectors, alarms, and mechanical ventilation.