BASF shows off safety approach

Plant has a professionally-trained emergency response team present on every shift.

By: Nick D’Amore
   Members of the South Brunswick Area Community Advisory Panel toured the BASF plant on Cranbury-South River Road and were given a thorough rundown of various safety techniques and programs as well as how its material is produced.
   "We have nothing to hide and are very happy to show our plant off," said Edward Kelley, assistant site manager and CAP representative from BASF.
   CAP is made up of 14 members and includes area residents and representatives from local chemical plants.
   The group has toured the facilities of the three chemical plants in the area — BASF, Air Products and Rhodia.
   Members visited BASF on April 19 and were able to see the inner workings of the plant, said Mr. Kelley.
   "It was good for members to see how our product is made," he said.
   BASF’s product is Styropor Expandable Polystyrene (EPS) beads. During the plant tour, members were shown how the company makes the beads into various shapes and sizes.
   Mr. Kelley said customers of BASF use Styropor to insulate walls of buildings and as protective packaging for stereos and appliances. Bike helmets and floatation devices also are made from Styropor. Among the finished products made at the plant are coolers.
   Mr. Kelley gave the CAP members an overview of BASF’s safety training, programs and procedures.
   Among the various precautions and preventive measures taken at the BASF plant is that it has a professionally-trained emergency response team present at every shift, said Mr. Kelley.
   "We routinely monitor our production wells, ponds and waste," he said.
   The plant uses its own well-water system to provide the water used in its production of EPS, said Mr. Kelley. There also are three storm water ponds that provide "non-contact cooling water" that runs through pipes to cool the equipment.
   "The water is then percolated back into the pond," said Mr. Kelley. The ponds are sampled quarterly to make sure they are uncontaminated.
   In addition, the staff has monthly safety meetings and emergency drills.
   "Every shift has an unannounced drill that even the supervisor isn’t aware of," said Mr. Kelley.
   When false alarms go off, he said, they are treated as if they were real alarms. These alarms are documented and critiqued to see if everything functioned as it should.
   "The tour and presentation were good and very enlightening," said CAP member Hank Klein of Monmouth Junction.
   "They are open and honest," he said.
   The tour was led by Ron Gabbard, process and production development manager, who showed CAP members how the Styropor is produced for the first time.
   The actual ESP bead-making machine is similar to a popcorn maker and makes from 500 to 600 pounds of ESP an hour, said Mr. Gabbard. Softening the beads is 212 degrees of steam.
   One concern raised by CAP members was the billowing clouds of white smoke that can be seen rising from the plant. Mr. Kelley and Mr. Gabbard were quick to point out that the smoke is actually water vapor and not a pollutant of any kind.
   BASF is a founding member of the CAP organization, which was formed in 1992. Its plant operates 24 hours a day and employs 120 people.
   To become a member of CAP, contact CAP facilitator Judy Hoffman at 1 (800) 848-3907, pin number 2145.