United States

Environmental Protection

Agency

Office of Solid Waste

and Emergency Response

(5104)

EPA 550-B-00-006

May 2000

www.epa.gov/ceppo/

RMP SERIES

Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention Office Printed on recycled paper

RISK MANAGEMENT

PROGRAM GUIDANCE

FOR

AMMONIA

REFRIGERATION

(40 CFR PART 68)
This document provides guidance to help owners and operators of stationary sources to

determine if their processes are subject to regulation under section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act

and 40 CFR part 68 and to comply with regulations. This document does not substitute for

EPA’s regulations, nor is it a regulation itself. Thus, it cannot impose legally binding

requirements on EPA, states, or the regulated community, and may not apply to a particular

situation based upon circumstances. This guidance does not represent final agency action, and

EPA may change it in the future, as appropriate.
FOR UPDATES

To keep up to date on changes to this document and to the risk management program rule, and to

find other information related to part 68 and accident prevention, visit EPA’s Chemical Emergency

Preparedness and Prevention Office website at: 

www.epa.gov/ceppo/

THIS EDITION

This document is a revision of the November 1998 Risk Management Program Guidance for Ammonia

Refrigeration. The revisions are needed to reflect several amendments to 40 CFR part 68 as well as to

reflect the availability of the software for submission of RMPs. The specific changes include the

following:

g The change from SIC codes to NAICS codes to define the industrial sectors subject to

Program 3; and

g The final requirements for submission of RMPs.

Other regulatory changes are not included in this document because they are not relevant to ammonia

refrigeration (e.g., the exemption of flammable fuels).

The revisions also update items, such as web page addresses, where needed. Pages that include

substantive revisions to the previous text are noted by a new date in the footer. Appendices C and D in

the 1998 document, which provided EPA and OSHA contacts, have been eliminated; addresses for

websites that provide this information and are updated frequently are included in the Technical

Assistance appendix.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1 GENERAL APPLICABILITY

1.1 Introduction 1-1

1.2 General Provisions 1-3

1.3 Regulated Substances and Thresholds 1-5

1.4 What is a Process 1-5

1.5 Threshold Quantity in a Process 1-8

1.6 Stationary Source 1-11

1.7 When You Must Comply 1-13

CHAPTER 2 APPLICABILITY OF PROGRAM LEVELS

2.1 What Are Program Levels 2-1

2.2 Program 1 2-3

2.3 Quick Rules for Determining Program 1 Eligibility 2-10

2.4 Program 3 2-10

2.5 Program 2 2-11

2.6 Dealing with Program Levels 2-11

2.7 Summary of Program Requirements 2-13

CHAPTER 3 FIVE-YEAR ACCIDENT HISTORY

3.1 What Accidents Must Be Reported 3-1

3.2 What Data Must Be Provided 3-1

3.3 Other Accident Reporting Requirements 3-9

CHAPTER 4 OFFSITE CONSEQUENCE ANALYSIS

4.1 Worst-Case Release Scenario Analysis 4-3

4.2 Alternative Release Scenario 4-13

4.3 Defining Offsite Receptors 4-19

4.4 Documentation 4-23

Appendix 4A Brief Summary of the Various States in Which Ammonia Exists in a Typical

Refrigeration Facility 4-25

Appendix 4B Equations for Log-Log Graphs and Calculations 4-30

Appendix 4C Information about Accidental Releases of Ammonia 4-34

CHAPTER 5 MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

5.1 General Information 5-1

5.2 How to Meet the Management System Requirements 5-1
CHAPTER 6 PREVENTION PROGRAM (PROGRAM 3)

6.1 Prevention Program 3 and OSHA PSM 6-1

6.2 Process Safety Information (§ 68.65) 6-2

6.3 Process Hazard Analysis (§ 68.67) 6-5

6.4 Operating Procedures (§ 68.69) 6-8

6.5 Training (§ 68.71) 6-10

6.6 Mechanical Integrity (§ 68.73) 6-10

6.7 Management of Change (§ 68.75) 6-13

6.8 Pre-Startup Review (§ 68.77) 6-13

6.9 Compliance Audits (§ 68.79) 6-14

6.10 Incident Investigation (§ 68.81) 6-14

6.11 Employee Participation (§ 68.83) 6-16

6.12 Hot Work Permits (§ 68.85) 6-16

6.13 Contractors (§ 68.87) 6-17

Appendix 6-A PHA Techniques 6-19

CHAPTER 7 EMERGENCY RESPONSE

7.1 Non-Responding Sources 7-1

7.2 Elements of an Emergency Response Program 7-2

7.3 Developing an Emergency Response Program 7-5

7.4 Integration of Existing Program 7-8

7.5 Have I Met Part 68 Requirements 7-11

7.6 Coordination with Local Emergency Planning Committees 7-14

CHAPTER 8 RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN

8.1 Elements of the RMP 8-1

8.2 RMP Submission 8-2

8.3 Resubmission and Updates 8-3

CHAPTER 9 IMPLEMENTATION

9.1 Implementing Agency 9-1

9.2 Reviews/Audits/Inspections 9-2

9.3 Relationship with Title V Permit Programs 9-4

9.4 Penalties for Non-Compliance 9-4

CHAPTER 10 COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC

10.1 Basic Rules of Risk Communication 10-1

10.2 Sample Questions for Communicating with the Public 10-4

10.3 Communication Activities and Techniques 10-13

10.4 For More Information 10-18

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A PART 68
APPENDIX B SELECTED NAICS CODES

APPENDIX C TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

APPENDIX D OSHA GUIDANCE ON PSM

APPENDIX E HAZARD ALERT
LIST OF BOXES AND EXHIBITS

IN RMP GUIDANCE

LIST OF EXHIBITS

CHAPTER 1

Exhibit 1-1 Evaluate Facility to Identify Covered Processes

Exhibit 1-2 Process

Exhibit 1-3 Stationary Source

CHAPTER 2

Exhibit 2-1 Evaluate Program Levels for Covered Processes

Exhibit 2-2 Program Level Criteria

Exhibit 2-3 Develop Risk Management Program and RMP

Exhibit 2-4 Comparison of Program Requirements Program

CHAPTER 3

Exhibit 3-1 Atmospheric Stability Classes

CHAPTER 4

Exhibit 4-1 Steps for an Offsite Consequence Analysis

Exhibit 4-2 Required Parameters for Modeling Ammonia

Exhibit 4-3 Ten-Minute Building Release Attenuation Factors for Prolonged Releases

Exhibit 4-4 Distances to Toxic Endpoint for Anhydrous Ammonia Liquefied Under Pressure

Exhibit 4-5 Distances to Toxic Endpoint for Anhydrous Ammonia 

Exhibit 4-6 Release Rates and Distances to Toxic Endpoints for Leaks of Anhydrous Ammonia

(Alternative Scenario)

Figure 4-1 Guidance on Effectiveness of Building Mitigation for Worst-Case Scenarios

Figure 4-2 Worst-Case Scenario — Predicted Distances to Toxic Endpoint for Anhydrous Ammonia

Figure 4-3 Alternative Case Scenario — Predicted Distances to Toxic Endpoint for Anhydrous

Ammonia

Figure 4-4 Guidance on Effectiveness of Building Mitigation for Alternative Scenarios

Figure 4-5 Simplified Presentation of Worst Case and Alternative Scenario on a Local Map

Two Stage Ammonia System

Single Stage Ammonia System

Figure 4-A.1 Vapor Pressure of Ammonia as a Function of Temperature

CHAPTER 5

Exhibit 5-1 Sample Management Documentation

CHAPTER 6

Exhibit 6-1 Comparable EPA and OSHA Terms 

Exhibit 6-2 Summary of Program 3 Prevention Program 

Exhibit 6-3 Process Safety Information Requirements

Exhibit 6-4 Process Hazard Analysis Requirements

Exhibit 6-5 Operating Procedures Requirements

Exhibit 6-6 Mechanical Integrity Chart

Exhibit 6-7 Management of Change Requirements

Exhibit 6-8 Pre-startup Review Requirements

Exhibit 6-9 Incident Investigation Requirements

Exhibit 6-10 Employee Participation Requirements

Exhibit 6-11 Hot Work Permits Requirements

Exhibit 6-12 Contractors Chart
Exhibit 6a-1 Applicability of PHA Techniques

Exhibit 6a-2 Time and Staffing for PHA Techniques

CHAPTER 7

Exhibit 7-1 Federal Guidance on Emergency Planning and Response

Exhibit 7-2 Federal Emergency Planning Regulations

Exhibit 7-3 Integrated Contingency Plan Outline

CHAPTER 8

Exhibit 8-1 RMP Updates

CHAPTER 10

Exhibit 10-1 Seven Cardinal Rules of Risk Communication

LIST OF BOXES

INTRODUCTION

State Programs

If You Are New to Regulations

What Is a Local Emergency Planning Committee?

CHAPTER 1

State Programs

Qs and As: Stationary Source

Qs and As: Process

Qs and As: Compliance Dates

CHAPTER 2

Q and A: Process and Program Level

Qs and As: Public Receptors

Q and A: Determining Distances

Q and A: Environmental Receptors

Qs and As: Accident History

Qs and As: OSHA

CHAPTER 3

Qs and As: Property Damage

Qs and As: Accident History

CHAPTER 4

RMP*Comp

How to Obtain Census Data and LandView

How to Obtain USGS Maps

CHAPTER 6

Qs and As: Process Safety Information

Qs and As: Offsite Consequences

CHAPTER 7

What Is a Response

What Is a Local Emergency Planning Committee?

How Does the Emergency Response Program Apply?
CHAPTER 8

Qs and As: RMP Updates

Q and A: Revising a PHA

CHAPTER 9

Qs and As: Delegation

Qs and As: Audits

CHAPTER 10

What Does Your Worst-case Distance Mean?

What Does It Mean That We Could Be Exposed If We Live/Work/Shop/Go to School X Miles Away?

If There Is An Accident, Will Everyone Within That Distance Be Hurt? What About Property Damage?

How Sure Are You of Your Distances?

What Are You Doing to Prevent Releases?

What Are You Doing to Prepare for Releases?

Why Are Your Distances Different from the Distances in the EPA Lookup Tables?

How Likely Are the Worst-case and Alternative Release Scenarios?

Is the Worst-case Release You Reported Really the Worst Accident You Can Have?

What about the Accident at the [Name of Similar Facility] That Happened Last Month?

What Actions Have You Taken to Involve the Community in Your Accident Prevention and Emergency

Planning Efforts?

Can We See the Documentation You Keep on Site?
TABLE OF POTENTIALLY REGULATED ENTITIES

This table is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides a guide for readers

regarding entities likely to be regulated under 40 CFR part 68 and covered by

this guidance document. This table lists the types of entities that EPA is now

aware could potentially be regulated by this rule (see Appendix B for a more

detailed list of potentially affected NAICS codes). Other types of entities not listed

in this table could also be affected. To determine whether your facility is covered

by the risk management program rules in part 68, you should carefully examine

the applicability criteria discussed in Chapter 1 of this guidance and in 40 CFR

68.10, which is available in Appendix A of this document . If you have questions

regarding the applicability of this rule to a particular entity, call the EPCRA/CAA

Hotline at (800) 424-9346 (TDD: (800) 553-7672)(see Appendix C, Technical

Assistance, for other sources of information).

Category NAICS

Codes

SIC

Codes

Examples of Potentially Regulated

Entities

Cold storage

facilities

11

311

4224

4228

4931

01

20

514

518

411

Agricultural operations

Food processors

Frozen and refrigerated foods distributors

Beer and wines distributors

Refrigerated warehouses