AMMONIA RELEASE REPORTING GUIDELINES - Salinas Valley ...

AMMONIA RELEASE REPORTING GUIDELINES 

FOR FACILITIES WITH LIMITED RESOURCES OR LIMITED TRAINING WHO DEPEND ON OUTSIDE 

RESPONDERS 

Facility Name: ______________________________________________________ 

The following procedures have been adopted for this site as of ________________(date). 

AREA EVACUATION AND ISOLATION 

If any strong or irritating odor of ammonia is discovered by any employee, an evacuation of the area 

shall be immediately implemented and all employees shall be directed to assemble in the area located 

___________________________________________________ (example: in the building east of the 

production area). 

If area isolation is not sufficient a full evacuation will be signaled by the activation of alarms. If the 

ammonia detection system activates the alarm system, the ammonia refrigeration system will be ‘shut 

down’ automatically at 150 ppm. This will be verified by maintenance personnel. If the refrigeration 

system lacks automatic shut-down the system will be manually shut-down following established 

procedures. 

• At any reported or threatened uncontrollable emergency call 911 immediately. 

• At any reported injury requiring first aid outside of the facilities capabilities call 911 immediately 

• At any discovery of the odor of ammonia or other hazardous material release by any employee, that 

employee shall immediately contact the on site contractor and maintenance crew, or supervisor. 

• Upon receiving a report, the most senior and most trained individual along with a watch person (as 

part of required buddy system) shall immediately investigate following the company’s Standard 

Operating Procedures. 

Consider Life Safety, Alert your Response team, Notify 911, Contain the release and Evacuate upwind. 

Consider Sources of ignition, Isolation of liquid, Management of pressure, use of Positive Pressure 

ventilation, and consult Emergency response plan. 

• Choose to investigate, evacuate or isolate based on available information and observations from a 

safe distance. 

• Locate the release point and determine by risk assessment from a safe distance the severity of the 

release and report to superiors. 

• Decide if mitigation can be performed immediately from a safe distance.

Mitigation Examples: First determine whether the release is coming from the high side or low side of 

the refrigeration system. 

• High Side: Immediately shut the ammonia system down by activating the nearest “emergency shutdown 

switch. Leave condensers on to reduce pressure. 

• Low Side: Immediately shut the ammonia distribution (feed) system down by closing the nearest 

liquid, king liquid and or hot gas valves. Allow the system to pump down the low side. Isolate 

point of release. Lower or raise system suction operating pressure at the leak point to zero or a 

couple inches of vacuum. 

REPORTING GUIDELINES AND DEFINITIONS 

“Immediately” is defined as soon as practicable after the report is received with 15 minutes given as a 

guideline. Reporting can’t hamper life safety or safely stopping the release. 

A non-threatening level of ammonia is defined by NIOSH as less than 25 ppm. 

Any employee that expresses discomfort at low levels of ammonia shall be allowed to leave the area 

until the area is clear of any residual ammonia. The employee shall be interviewed to determine if any 

injury is being reported and if so, the release reporting shall be implemented. 

Reporting is required where a significant release or threat of a significant release results or could result: 

1. In injury 

2. In damage to environmental or public receptors 

3. In any amount of ammonia leaving the property; 

4. In any amount of ammonia entering sewers or storm drains 

5. In significant interruption of facility activities exceeding area isolation or evacuation. 

NOTE: Any of the above 1-5 shall prompt reporting to the following agencies immediately (at least 

within 15 minutes). 

911 for emergency personnel 

Fire, Police, Hazmat, Coast Guard 

Monterey County CUPA 755-4511 

California OES 1-800-852-7550 

National Reporting Center 1-800-424-8802 

Cal OSHA (24 hour) 1-916-263-2800 

Neighboring Facility 

See neighboring facilities notification numbers attached. 

DISCLAIMER: This guidance is intended to serve as a reference for facility personnel in their 

development of facility reporting and emergency response policies and shall not replace or supercede 

guidance from the California Office of Emergency Services or pertinent laws and regulations.


FOR FACILITIES WITH LIMITED RESOURCES OR LIMITED TRAINING. WHO DEPEND ON 

OUTSIDE RESPONDERS 

IF TRAINED, 

QUALIFIED 

CONTRACTOR IS 

AVAILABLE ON SITE, 

REFER TO 

FLOWCHART 

FOR FACILITY WITH 

EXTENSIVE 

RESOURCES AND 

TRAINING 

NOTE: 

If the administering 

and responding 

agencies are familiar 

with the facility 

policies and personnel, 

downtime may be 

minimized. 

Small (Insignificant) 

Release 

IRRITATING ODOR OF 

AMMONIA PRESENT 

EVACUATE ROOM 

(All personnel who do not 

have the appropriate PPE 

or emergency response 

training) 

IF NO CONTRACTOR 

ON SITE, REPORT TO 

LOCAL CUPA 

DIAL 911 

Do not allow personnel 

back into the evacuated 

room(s) until approved by 

local CUPA or 

administering agency 

DOCUMENT 

APPROVAL FROM 

CUPA or administering 

agency: 

DOCUMENT 

RE-ENTRY ON 

FORM EPR-2 

NOTE: Applies to cold 

room or processing room 

where production or nonservice/maintenance 

employees are present. 

Disclaimer: This table is intended to comply with OES requirements as defined in the OES Booklet California Hazardous Material 

Spill/Release Notification Guidance and Monterey County Health Dept. interpretation. Defer to OES requirements if there is a discrepancy.


FOR FACILITIES WITH EXTENSIVE RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL TRAINING WHO WILL 

RESPOND THEMSELVES 

Small (Insignificant) Release 

IRRITATING ODOR OF 

AMMONIA PRESENT 

EVACUATE ROOM 

(All personnel who do not 

have the appropriate PPE or 

emergency response training) 

NOTE: Applies to cold room 

or processing room where 

production or nonservice/maintenance 

employees are present. 

MONITOR ROOM & DOCUMENT RESULTS USING: 

• Proper ammonia detector (hand held suitable for accurate measurements between 0-50 ppm, calibrated within time 

frame and using procedure recommended by manufacturer. 

• Personnel who have been trained on the specific ammonia detector (Include: sampling method, frequency and 

locations monitored) 

• Logging of: Time, Locations and PPM’s measured 

• PPE - Ammonia Safety Protective Gear or Level C (Example: APR, Air Purifying Respirator) 

IF LESS THAN 25 PPM AMMONIA IF GREATER THAN 25 PPM AMMONIA 

EVACUATE AREA AND ISOLATE TO 

100 FEET MINIMUM FROM NON- 

REFRIGERATION PERSONNEL. 

CONTINUE MONITORING AND 

DOCUMENTING UNTIL SOURCE OF 

THE AMMONIA ODOR IS IDENTIFIED 

AND REPAIRED 

NO REPORTING REQUIRED Complete 

Internal Incident Report 

Learn from it! 

NOTE: 

If the administering and 

responding agencies are 

familiar with the facility 



minimized. 

EVACUATE ROOM (All personnel who do not have the 

appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) or 

emergency response training) 

REPORT TO LOCAL CUPA 

DIAL 911 

REPORT TO STATE OES: DIAL 1-800-852-7550 

IF OVER 100 LBS RELEASED IN 24 HRS OR IF ANY 

SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT GOES OFFSITE REPORT TO 

NRC: DIAL 1-800-424-8802 

DOCUMENT APPROVAL 

FROM CUPA or 

administering agency: 

DOCUMENT 

RE-ENTRY ON 

FORM EPR-2 

Disclaimer: This table is intended to comply with OES requirements as defined in the OES Booklet California Hazardous Material Spill/Release Notification 

Guidance and Monterey County Health Dept. interpretation. Defer to OES requirements if there is a discrepancy.


FOR FACILITIES WITH EXTENSIVE RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL TRAINING WHO WILL 

RESPOND THEMSELVES 

Facility Name: ______________________________________________________ 

The following procedures have been adopted for this site as of ________________(date). 

AREA EVACUATION AND ISOLATION 

If any strong or irritating odor of ammonia is discovered by any employee, an evacuation of the 

area shall be immediately implemented and all employees shall be directed to assemble in the 

area located ___________________________________________________ (example: in the 

building east of the production area). 

If area isolation is not sufficient a full evacuation will be signaled by the activation of alarms. If 

the ammonia detection system activates the alarm system, the ammonia refrigeration system will 

be ‘shut down’ automatically at 150 ppm. This will be verified by maintenance personnel. If the 

refrigeration system lacks automatic shut-down the system will be manually shut-down 

following established procedures. 

Consider Life Safety, Alert your Response team, Notify 911, Contain the release and Evacuate 

upwind. 

Consider Sources of ignition, Isolation of liquid, Management of pressure, use of Positive 

Pressure ventilation, and consult Emergency response plan. 

• At any reported or threatened uncontrollable emergency call 911 immediately. 

• At any reported injury requiring first aid outside of the facilities capabilities call 911 

immediately 

• At any discovery of the odor of ammonia or other hazardous material release by any 

employee, that employee shall immediately contact the on site contractor and maintenance 

crew, or supervisor. 

• Upon receiving a report, the most senior and most trained individual along with a watch 

person (as part of required buddy system) shall immediately investigate following the 

company’s Standard Operating Procedures. 

Consider Life Safety, Alert your Response team, Notify 911, Contain the release and Evacuate 

upwind. 

Consider Sources of ignition, Isolation of liquid, Management of pressure, use of Positive 

Pressure ventilation, and consult Emergency response plan. 

• Choose to investigate, evacuate or isolate based on available information and observations 

from a safe distance. 

• Locate the release point and determine by risk assessment from a safe distance the severity of 

the release and report to superiors.

• Decide if mitigation can be performed immediately from a safe distance. 

Mitigation Examples: First determine whether the release is coming from the high side or low 

side of the refrigeration system. 

• High Side: Immediately shut the ammonia system down by activating the nearest 

“emergency shut-down switch. Leave condensers on to reduce pressure. 

• Low Side: Immediately shut the ammonia distribution (feed) system down by closing the 

nearest liquid, king liquid and or hot gas valves. Allow the system to pump down the low 

side. Isolate point of release. Lower or raise system suction operating pressure at the leak 

point to zero or a couple inches of vacuum. 

Investigation and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) Requirements 

Ammonia Concentrations Unknown 

To investigate release and monitor ammonia concentrations if there is no liquid ammonia splash 

potential - use Ammonia Safety Protective Gear or Level C PPE. Note that an Air Purifying 

Respirator (APR) with ammonia rated cartridges is required. 

Ammonia Concentrations 0-50 PPM 



Respirator (APR) with ammonia rated cartridges is required until areas have been monitored. 

Ammonia Concentrations 50 PPM-300PPM 



Respirator (APR) with ammonia rated cartridges is required. 

Evacuate and isolate area based on severity and exposures to a minimum distance of 100 ft. 

Monitor levels down wind. Down wind isolation distance will depend on ammonia 

concentrations. 

Ammonia Concentrations Greater Than 300 PPM - Do Not Enter. 

Level B or Level A PPE Required for Emergency Responders. 

Incident Command System Must Be Implemented Prior To Entry 

REPORTING GUIDELINES AND DEFINITIONS 

“Immediately” is defined as soon as practicable after the report is received with 15 minutes given 

as a guideline. Reporting can’t hamper life safety or safely stopping the release. 

A non-threatening level of ammonia is defined by NIOSH as less than 25 ppm.

Any employee that expresses discomfort at low levels of ammonia shall be allowed to leave the 

area until the area is clear of any residual of ammonia. The employee shall be interviewed to 

determine if any injury is being reported and if so, the release reporting shall be implemented. 

Reporting is required where a significant release or threat of a significant release results or could 

result: 

1. In injury 

2. In damage to environmental or public receptors 

3. In any amount of ammonia leaving the property; 

4. In any amount of ammonia entering sewers or storm drains 

5. In significant interruption of facility activities exceeding area isolation or evacuation. 

NOTE: Any of the above 1-5 shall prompt reporting to the following agencies immediately 

(at least within 15 minutes). 

911 for emergency personnel 

Fire, Police, Hazmat, Coast Guard 

Monterey County CUPA 755-4511 

California OES 1-800-852-7550 

National Reporting Center 1-800-424-8802 

Cal OSHA (24 hour) 1-916-263-2800 

Neighboring Facility 

See neighboring facilities notification numbers attached. 

DISCLAIMER: This guidance is intended to serve as a reference for facility personnel in their 

development of facility reporting and emergency response policies and shall not replace or 

supercede guidance from the California Office of Emergency Services or pertinent laws and 

regulations.


ALL FACILITIES 

Significant Release 

SIGNIFICANT 

AMMONIA RELEASE 

EVACUATE ROOM OR AREA 

NOTE: 

Applies to all areas! 

(All personnel who do not have the appropriate PPE or emergency response training) 

NOTE: 

If the administering 

and responding 

agencies are familiar 

with the facility 



minimized. 

Activate Facility Emergency Response Plan. 

Consider Life Safety, Alert your Response 

team, Notify 911, Contain the release and 

Evacuate upwind or Shelter in Place. 

REPORT TO LOCAL CUPA 

DIAL 911 

REPORT TO STATE OES 

DIAL 1-800-852-7550 

IF OVER 100 LBS IS RELEASED IN 24 HRS OR 

IF ANY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT GOES 

OFFSITE REPORT TO NRC 

DIAL 1-800-424-8802) 

After release mitigated, in 

consultation with the Incident 

Commander and CUPA or 

administering agency, reenter 

evacuated areas. 

Document re-entry on Form 

EPR-2 

Disclaimer: This table is intended to comply with OES requirements as defined in the OES Booklet California Hazardous Material Spill/Release Notification 

Guidance and Monterey County Health Dept. interpretation. Defer to OES requirements if there is a discrepancy.

FORM: EPR-1 

EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION 

INFORMATION TO HAVE WHEN MAKING THE REPORT CALLS 

1. Your Name: 

2. Date: 

3. Company/Responsible Operation Name: 

4. Site Address: 

5. Duration of the release (not total time of incident but total spill time): 

6. Medium or Media: AIR WATER GROUND 

7. Number of injured (if any): 

8. Number hospitalized (if any): 

9. Number of persons evacuated from 

neighboring facilities or residences (if any) 

10. Estimate the quantity lost. From most equipment, relief valves are set at less than 60 Lb per minute 

of Ammonia (equivalent to 81 Lb per minute of Air) release rate). A rough estimate would be 1 Lb 

per second of ammonia released. (Field verify for greater accuracy) 

____________Seconds X 1 LB/Second = ________________ Lb Approximate Quantity Released. 

11. Do you have a completed Form EPR-2 in hand? 

MAKE THE FOLLOWING CALLS 

12. Document the name of person on the other end of the telephone line. 

• State Office of Emergency Services (OES) (1-800-852-7550) 

• Name: Date: 

Time Case # 

• Local Administering Agency (AA / CUPA) (831 755 4511 – Monterey County) 

Name: Date: 

Time Case # 

• National Response Center: (1-800-424-8802) 

Name: Date 

Time Case 

(Standard Form used with permission of WPS) 

DISCLAIMER: This form is intended to serve as a reference for facility personnel in their development of facility 

reporting policy

FORM: EPR-2 

EMERGENCY RESPONSE CHECKLIST 

Location of Leak: Date: 

Time of Day leak noticed: Time of day for end of incident: 

WEATHER CONDITIONS PRESENT DURING INCIDENT 

Temperature: Wind Direction: Speed: 

Humidity Fog? Rainy? Cloudy? Clear? 

1. Is everyone accounted for? 

2. Fire Department name and phone number – HazMat to dispatch from “911” 

a) Did you call the Fire Dept. for help? Y / N What time was the call ? 

3. Do you need police for traffic control? Y / N What time was the call ? 

4. Are there any injured ? Y / N How many ? 

5. Do the injured need more than on site first aid ? Y / N 

6. How did you transport them? Ambulance or Co-worker : 

7. Time of Transportation : _______________________ Destination: 

8. OSHA will need to be notified of any employee injury. Time of Call: 

9. Name of OSHA individual who took your call: 

10. Where any rooms (on-site) evacuated due to ammonia leak? (If Yes, complete below) 

Name of _____County Health Department person(s) who authorized re-entry: 

Date and Time of authorized re-entry: 

WHAT HAPPENED? 

(Standard Form used with permission of WPS) 

DISCLAIMER: This form is intended to serve as a reference for facility personnel in their development of facility 

reporting policy

Important Contacts: 

Specialists and hotline service here are a number of information specialists and hotline services 

available to provide information on hazardous substances. Examples include: 

• National Response Center (U.S. Coast Guard). This 24-hour service can give information on all 

aspects of release management. The law requires that employers notify the NRC for many 

releases. The telephone number is 800-424-8802. 

• Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry (ATSDR). This 24-hourservice will assemble an 

expert team of toxicologists and response experts and will come on site if needed. The telephone 

number is 888-422-8737. 

• CHEM-TEL Inc. - This 24-hour service will provide information on products as provided in 

manufacturers' MSDSs. The telephone number is 800-255-3924. 

• CHEMTREC - This 24-hour service will provide information on products as provided in 

manufacturers' MSDSs. It can assist in identifying and contacting a manufacturer of a product or 

shipment. The telephone number is 800-424-9300 or 703-527-3887. 

• National Pesticide Information Center. This 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time service will 

provide information on pesticides. The telephone number is 800-858-7378. 

• Rapid Response Information System (RRIS). This 24-hour service can be used as a reference 

guide, training aid, and an overall planning and training resource for response to a chemical, 

biological, and/or nuclear terrorist incident. 

• Regional Poison Control Centers (state-wide resources). This 24-hour service can provide 

information on the health risks associated with chemicals. It may have information on other 

hazards and appropriate responses. See the local telephone book for telephone numbers. 

• Manufacturer, importer, or distributor. The manufacturer, importer, or distributor of a hazardous 

substance may have a 24-hour hotline. Look for this telephone number on the MSDS or label. 

• Local Police, Fire, Medical, Hazmat, and Coast Guard 911 

• Monterey County CUPA 831-755-4511 

• California OES 1-800-862-7550 

• Cal OSHA (24 hour) 1-916-263-2800

AMMONIA RELEASE REPORTING GUIDELINES - Salinas Valley ...

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