Risk management programs due June 21

by Karen Schaefer

for the Business Journal

If you have propane tanks at your facility, this thought has probably crossed your mind: What would we do if one exploded?

That's a scenario the EPA wants you to think about as you develop a risk management program.

Three years ago, the EPA developed new air regulations that the Missouri Department of Natural Resources will begin to implement June 21, 1999. The rules will affect 140 listed substances.

The three most common substances, and the quantities that trigger the regulations, are:

?Propane 67,000 gallons (proposed by EPA April 20, 1999)

?Chlorine 2,500 pounds

?Ammonia 10,000 pounds

As a reference point, 18,000 gallons of liquid equals 67,000 pounds of propane.

If your facility stores, handles or produces a regulated substance, you must develop a risk management program. Several factors determine the amount of information you must provide in your plan.

Most businesses in Springfield fall into Category 2, which includes non-rural businesses storing flammable gases for heating or for standby power generation. These businesses must document a risk management program that contains four basic elements:

?Management system