§ 63.8192 - What work practice standards must I meet?

§ 63.8192 What work practice standards must I meet?

You In accordance with the compliance dates specified in § 63.8186(a)(1), you must meet the work practice requirements specified in paragraphs (a) through (f) of this section. As an alternative to the requirements specified in paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section, you may choose to comply with paragraph (g) of this section. On and after the compliance date specified in § 63.8186(a)(2) and until the compliance date specified in § 63.8186(a)(5), you must meet the work practice requirements specified in paragraphs (a) through (c) and (e) through (h) of this section.

(a) You must meet the work practice standards in Tables 1 through 4 to this subpart, except as specified in paragraph (g) of this section.

(b) You must adhere to the response intervals specified in Tables 1 through 4 to this subpart at all times. Nonadherence to the intervals in Tables 1 through 4 to this subpart constitutes a deviation and must be documented and reported in the compliance report, as required by § 63.8254(b), with the date and time of the deviation, cause of the deviation, a description of the conditions, and time actual compliance was achieved.

(c) As provided in § 63.6(g), you may request to use an alternative to the work practice standards in Tables 1 through 4 to this subpart.

(d) You must institute a floor-level mercury vapor measurement program to limit the amount of mercury vapor in the cell room environment through periodic measurement of mercury vapor levels and actions to be taken when a floor-level mercury concentration action level is exceeded. The program must meet the requirements listed in paragraphs (d)(1) through (4) of this section. As specified in § 63.8252(e)(1)(i) to implement this program, you must prepare and submit to the Administrator a floor-level mercury vapor measurement plan which must contain the elements listed in Table 5 to this subpart.

(1) You must utilize a mercury measurement device described in of Table 6 to this subpart to measure the level of mercury vapor in the cell room at floor-level.

(2) You must conduct at least one floor-level mercury vapor measurement evaluation each half day. This evaluation must include three measurements of the mercury concentration at locations representative of the entire cell room floor area. The average of these measurements must be recorded as specified in § 63.8156(c)(1). At a minimum, you must measure the level of mercury vapor above mercury-containing cell room equipment, as well as areas around the cells, decomposers, or other mercury-containing equipment.

(3) You must establish a floor-level mercury concentration action level that is no higher than 0.05 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m³).

(4) If a mercury concentration greater than the action level is measured during any floor-level mercury vapor measurement evaluation, you must meet the requirements in either paragraph (d)(4)(i) or (ii) of this section.

(i) If you determine that the cause of the elevated mercury concentration is an open electrolyzer, decomposer, or other maintenance activity, you must record the information specified in paragraphs (d)(4)(i)(A) through (C) of this section.

(A) A description of the maintenance activity resulting in elevated mercury concentration;

(B) The time the maintenance activity was initiated and completed; and

(C) A detailed explanation how all the applicable requirements of Table 1 to this subpart were met during the maintenance activity.

(ii) If you determine that the cause of the elevated mercury concentration is not an open electrolyzer, decomposer, or other maintenance activity, you must follow the procedures specified in paragraphs (d)(4)(ii)(A) and (B) of this section until the floor-level mercury concentration falls below the floor-level mercury concentration action level. You must also keep all the associated records for these procedures as specified in Table 9 to this subpart.

(A) Within 1 hour of the time the floor-level mercury concentration action level was exceeded, you must conduct each inspection specified in Table 2 to this subpart in the area where the concentration higher than the floor-level mercury concentration action level was measured, with the exception of the cell room floor and the pillars and beam inspections.

(B) You must also inspect all decomposers, hydrogen system piping up to the hydrogen header, and other potential locations of mercury vapor leaks in the area using a technique specified in Table 6 to this subpart. You must correct any problem identified during these inspections according to the requirements in Tables 2 and 3 to this subpart.

(e) You must prepare, submit, and operate according to a written washdown plan designed to minimize fugitive mercury emissions through routine washing of surfaces where liquid mercury could accumulate. The written plan must address the elements contained in Table 7 to this subpart.

(f) You must keep records of the mass of all virgin mercury added to cells on an annual basis.

(g) As an alternative to the work practice standards in paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section, you may You must institute a cell room monitoring program to continuously monitor the mercury vapor concentration in the upper portion of each cell room and to take corrective actions as quickly as possible when elevated mercury vapor levels are detected. As specified in § 63.8252(e)(1)(iv), if you choose this option, you must prepare and submit to the Administrator, a cell room monitoring plan containing the elements listed in Table 5 to this subpart and meet the requirements in paragraphs (g)(1) through (4) of this section.

(1) You must utilize mercury monitoring systems that meet the requirements of Table 8 to this subpart.

(2) You must establish an action level according to the requirements in paragraphs (g)(2)(i) through (iii) of this section.

(i) Beginning on the compliance date specified for your affected source in § 63.8186, measure and record the mercury concentration for at least 30 days using a system that meets the requirements of paragraph (g)(1) of this section.

(ii) Using the monitoring data collected according to paragraph (g)(1)(i) of this section, establish your action level at the 75th percentile of the data set.

(iii) Submit your action level as part of your Notification of Compliance Status report according to § 63.8252(e)(1).

(3) Beginning on the compliance date specified for your affected source in § 63.8186, you must continuously monitor the mercury concentration in the cell room. Failure to monitor and record the data according to § 63.8256(c) (4)(ii) for 75 percent of the time in any 6-month period constitutes a deviation.

(4) If the average mercury concentration for any 1-hour period exceeds the action level established according to paragraph (g)(2) of this section, you must meet the requirements in either paragraph (g)(4)(i) or (ii) of this section.

(i) If you determine that the cause of the elevated mercury concentration is an open electrolyzer, decomposer, or other maintenance activity, you must record the information specified in paragraphs (g)(4)(i)(A) through (C) of this section.

(A) A description of the maintenance activity resulting in elevated mercury concentration;

(B) The time the maintenance activity was initiated and completed; and

(C) A detailed explanation how all the applicable requirements of Table 1 to this subpart were met during the maintenance activity.

(ii) If you determine that the cause of the elevated mercury concentration is not an open electrolyzer, decomposer, or other maintenance activity, you must follow the procedures specified in paragraphs (g)(4)(ii)(A) and (B) of this section until the mercury concentration falls below the action level. You must also keep all the associated records for these procedures as specified in Table 9 to this subpart.

(A) Within 1 hour of the time the action level was exceeded, you must conduct each inspection specified in Table 2 to this subpart, with the exception of the cell room floor and the pillars and beam inspections. You must correct any problem identified during these inspections in accordance with the requirements in Table 2 and 3 to this subpart.

(B) If the Table 2 inspections and subsequent corrective actions do not reduce the mercury concentration below the action level, you must inspect all decomposers, hydrogen system piping up to the hydrogen header, and other potential locations of mercury vapor leaks using a technique specified in Table 6 to this subpart. If a mercury vapor leak is identified, you must take the appropriate action specified in Table 3 to this subpart.

(h) You must comply with the requirements specified in paragraphs (h)(1) through (4) of this section to reduce fugitive chlorine emissions in the mercury cell chlor-alkali production facility affected source.

(1) You must identify each piece of equipment located throughout the mercury cell chlor-alkali production facility affected source that contains chlorine gas at a concentration of at least 5 percent by volume. You may identify equipment by a list or on a process or piping diagram. You may exclude equipment that is under negative pressure.

(2) You must install ambient chlorine sensors at the mercury cell chlor-alkali production facility affected source to measure the ambient chlorine concentration.

(i) Ambient chlorine sensors must have a detection limit of 0.5 ppmv or less.

(ii) The sensors must be operated continuously to obtain a measurement at least once each 15 minutes.

(iii) You must identify the location of the sensors by a list or on a process or piping diagram.

(iv) You must operate, calibrate, and maintain these sensors in accordance with manufacturer instructions.

(v) You must keep the necessary parts for routine repairs of the sensors readily available.

(3) You must perform inspections to identify leaks of chlorine using olfactory observations according to the schedules in paragraphs (h)(3)(i) and (ii) of this section. A leak is detected when there is an olfactory observation of a leak. If a leak is detected, you must comply with the repair provisions in paragraph (h)(4) of this section.

(i) At least once each 12 hours, you must inspect each piece of equipment located throughout the mercury cell chlor-alkali production facility affected source that contains chlorine gas at a concentration of greater than 5 percent by volume for chlorine leaks, excluding equipment that is under negative pressure.

(ii) Within 1 hour of detection of a 1-hour average chlorine concentration of 2 ppmv or greater by a sensor installed and operated in accordance with paragraph (h)(2) of this section, you must inspect each piece of equipment located throughout the mercury cell chlor-alkali production facility affected source that contains chlorine gas at a concentration of greater than 5 percent by volume for chlorine leaks, excluding equipment that is under negative pressure.

(4) You must undertake a first attempt at repair no later than 1 hour after the leak is detected, and the leak must be repaired no later than 72 hours after the leak is detected. A leak is repaired when there is no olfactory observation of a leak.

[68 FR 70928, Dec. 19, 2003, as amended at 87 FR 27019, May 6, 2022]