Section 215.20  Safety

a)         All competent attendants shall be certified to understand the properties of ammonia, to become competent in safe operating practices, and to take appropriate actions in the event of a leak or an emergency.  Certified competent attendant training programs shall be approved by the Department every 3 years.

1)         Certified competent attendants shall complete an attendance-based or temporary online certified competent attendant training approved by the Department or an equivalent training program approved by the Department.

2)         Certification shall be for a period of 3 years and refresher training shall be at least every 3 years.  Documentation of completed training shall be maintained by the certified competent attendants or their employer.

3)         Any person who conducts anhydrous ammonia safety training to certify individuals as certified competent attendants shall:

A)        Be a certified competent attendant by attending a Department-sponsored certified competent attendant training program annually;

B)        Train with a Department-approved training program and associated materials; and

C)        Submit to the Department a roster of individuals trained, including their name, company name, home address, company address and date of training.

4)         Any person or entity who conducts online temporary certified competent attendant training shall submit a roster of individuals trained, with their name, company name, company address and date of the training.  The online temporary training program shall be approved by the Department and reapproved every 3 years.

b)         Persons involved with the loading or unloading of anhydrous ammonia as defined in this Subpart, into permanent storage vessels from cargo tanks shall satisfy the safety requirements of this Section if they meet USDOT transportation regulations and are not subject to the requirements of a certified competent attendant.

c)         Persons at commercial facilities that hold a current USDOT Special Permit issued by the Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration pertaining to loading and unloading operations are not subject to the requirements of a certified competent attendant.

d)         All growers or grower farm operators who transport or apply anhydrous ammonia, or otherwise maintain anhydrous ammonia equipment, shall be certified to understand the properties of ammonia, to become competent in safe operating practices, and to take appropriate actions in the event of a leak or an emergency.  Initial certification shall be achieved no later than April 1, 2022.

1)         Certified grower training shall be offered at no cost to the grower or grower farm operator via the attendance-based or online training program available on the Department's website.

2)         Certification shall be for a period of 3 years and refresher training shall be at least every 3 years.  Documentation of completed training shall be maintained by the grower or grower farm operator.

3)         The attendance-based and on-line certified grower training program shall be reviewed and approved by the Department every 3 years.

4)         Any person who conducts certified grower training shall:

A)        Qualify as a certified competent attendant by attending a Department-sponsored certified competent attendant training program annually;

B)        Train using the Department-approved training program and associated materials; and

C)        Submit to the Department a roster of individuals trained, including their name, home address and date of training.

5)         The Department will record the names, home addresses, and date of training of individuals who completed certified grower training.

e)         All permanent storage installations shall have on hand, at minimum, the following equipment for safety and emergency purposes:

1)         One full-faced respirator with one spare ammonia canister that has not exceeded its expiration date in a readily accessible location.  A self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) can meet this requirement only when the facility is trained in accordance with OSHA for rescue or emergency response to a release as defined by OSHA.

2)         One pair of protective gloves impervious to anhydrous ammonia.

3)         One pair of protective boots impervious to anhydrous ammonia.

4)         One protective slicker and/or protective pants and jacket, all impervious to anhydrous ammonia.

5)         Chemical splash goggles.

6)         An easily accessible emergency shower and a plumbed eyewash unit or at least 150 gallons of clean potable or potable quality water in a single open top container that is readily accessible.

f)         Each cargo tank transferring agricultural anhydrous ammonia, except an implement of husbandry, shall carry:

1)         At least 5 gallons of clean water in a container designed to provide ready access to the water for flushing any area of the body contacted by ammonia.

2)         One pair of protective gloves impervious to ammonia.

3)         One full-faced respirator with one spare ammonia canister, in a readily accessible location, that has not exceeded its expiration.

4)         Chemical splash goggles.

g)         Releases over the RQ amount, unless otherwise permitted by law, require the responsible party to make certain immediate notifications, which include the local emergency response system (911), National Response Center (NRC), State Emergency Response Commission (SERC), and the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC).

(Source:  Amended at 44 Ill. Reg. 18281, effective October 29, 2020)