Where Can I Get More
Information?
If you have access to the Internet, you can get
copies of the rule and a wide variety of
technical assistance materials at the home
page of EPA's Chemical Emergency
Preparedness and Prevention Office
(http://www.epa.gov/swercepp/).
You also may obtain copies of these materials
as well as answers to your specific questions
from EPA's hotline at (800) 424-9346 during
normal business hours.
The International Institute of Ammonia
Refrigeration can be reached at:
1101 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20006
(202)857-1110
The full text of the rule can be found in Title
40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (40
CFR part 68), which is available at most
public libraries.
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RMP SERIES
EPA's Risk
Management
Program
How Does It Affect Operators
of Ammonia Refrigeration
Systems?
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Does This Apply to Me?
What's It All About?
Compliance Tips
Under a new EPA chemical accident
prevention rule, some operators of ammonia'
refrigeration systems will have to implement
a risk management program and file a risk
management plan (RMP) with EPA by June
21,1999. If you store or use a total of more
than 10,000 pounds of ammonia at your
facility in one or more interconnected tanks,
receiver vessels, or pipelines, you are likely
to be subject to this rule. If you operate two
refrigeration systems with adjacent
equipment, consider the total quantity of
ammonia in both systems when determining
whether this rule applies to you.
If you have other chemicals at your facility,
you can get a complete list of substances
regulated under this rule and their thresholds
from EPA.
The risk management program rule (also
known as Clean Air Act section 112(r), the
RMP rule, or part 68) is designed to prevent
serious chemical accidents that could affect
public health and the environment and to
improve the response to any accidents that do
occur.
The rule requires covered facilities to develop
and to implement an integrated system to
identify hazards and manage risks. If you are
subject to this rule, you must analyze worst-
case releases, document a five-year history of
serious accidents, coordinate with local
emergency responders, and file a risk
management plan with EPA. If your worst-
case release could affect the public, you also
must analyze more realistic alternative
scenarios and develop and implement a
prevention program that includes, among
other steps, identification of hazards, written
operating procedures, training, maintenance,
and accident investigation. If your employees
respond to accidental releases, you must
implement an emergency response program.
The RMP you submit to EPA will summarize
your'program and will have to be made
available to the public.
The good news is that many ammonia
refrigeration system operators already are
complying with many of the prevention
requirements because these steps are part of
the way you operate safely. If you are subject
to the OSHA Process Safety Management
Standard, you are likely to be in compliance
with almost all of the prevention program
requirements and may need to take no other
steps to satisfy this part of EPA's rule. If you
already have an emergency response plan,
you are likely to be in compliance with that
part of EPA's rule as well.
Besides helping you prevent accidents, the
rule can improve the efficiency of your
operation by ensuring that your workers are
trained in proper procedures and by using
preventive maintenance to reduce equipment
breakdowns.
EPA is working with the International
Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration (EAR) to
develop a guidance document specifically for
operators of ammonia refrigeration systems
that will help you understand the
requirements as they relate to your
operations. The ammonia refrigeration
system guidance will make compliance less
burdensome by providing industry-specific
information and analyses.
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