Ammonia Refrigeration Safety
Ammonia is a popular refrigerant used by industrial facilities such as chemical manufacturing plants, food processing plants and cold storage warehouses. Because ammonia poses a significant risk to plant personnel and the public within the vicinity of facilities, this refrigerant should be properly managed during the operation and maintenance of ammonia refrigeration systems.
Manage Compliance and Safety
According to OSHA PSM Standard 29 CFR 1910.119, any activity involving a highly hazardous chemical, including the use, storage, manufacture, handling, movement of such chemicals on-site, or any combination of these activities, is referred to as a "process." For instance, any group of interconnected and separate vessels that are situated so that a release of a highly hazardous chemical is possible shall be regarded as a single release.
Elements You Should Include In Your PSM Program
It is the employer’s responsibility to provide a workplace — under the general-duty clause of OSHA and the EPA — free from recognized hazards and consistent with good recognized practice. To make sure your facility is compliant, keep in mind the following elements that are relevant to ammonia refrigeration systems and that OSHA inspectors will look for when they review your PSM program:
- Process Safety Information
- Process Hazards Analysis
- Operating Procedures
- Emergency Planning and Response
- Mechanical Integrity
Compliance Audits
The requirements of the OSHA Process Safety Management Standard 29 CFR 1910.119 apply to ammonia refrigeration systems that contain 10,000 pounds or more of ammonia.
Our Approach
For more than two decades, ioMosaic has provided OSHA PSM-related services. Our team of experts pioneered many of the current risk assessment techniques for processes that handle ammonia and other hazardous chemicals. We understand and employ the best hazard identification techniques, including preliminary or inherent hazard analysis, checklist and what-if, hazard and operability (HAZOP), and failure modes and effects analyses (FMEA).
Risk Management Tools
The advanced computer simulation tools in Process Safety Office® enable us to assess and design effective pressure relief and vent containment systems to protect facilities, particularly those that handle highly hazardous chemicals, making us the perfect ammonia refrigeration experts for your company.
A Global Reach
We understand the safety and risk processes needed or adhered to worldwide, and we deliver practical, locally compliant solutions to safety and risk challenges facing our clients. Contact us today for answers to your tough questions. We'd love to hear from you.