An Idaho frozen food manufacturer failed to safeguard employees and was unprepared to respond to a potentially lethal release of 1,300 lb of anhydrous ammonia on December 1, 2015, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Trends and activities in globalization, technology, regulation, environmental and community stewardship, and industry consolidation have dramatically affected the cold storage industry in the last decade. 

The Refrigerating Engineers & Technicians Association reports that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is increasing efforts to identify facilities regulated under the Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program.

With the recent ammonia leak on the International Space Station and the devastating fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, we are reminded of the potentially catastrophic results of making a mistake with ammonia handling.

A Clean Air Act settlement was reached with Tyson Foods Inc., Springdale, Ark., and several of its affiliate corporations, to address threats of accidental chemical releases after anhydrous ammonia was released during incidents at several of its facilities.