The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has fined Taylor Farms USD650,000 over a chemical accident involving a forklift at its food processing facility in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.

In a joint statement with the Justice Department, the EPA said there was an ammonia leak at the food processing plant in April 2020 after a forklift bumped refrigeration equipment in a fruit storage room.

Hundreds of employees were evacuated, with 14 taken to hospital.

The EPA said an inspection of the facility a year earlier had identified numerous concerns, including that the facility's evaporators were not protected from potential forklift impacts.

Taylor Farm's Rhode Island facility uses approximately 16,000 lbs. (7,260 kg) of anhydrous ammonia as a refrigerant, which is toxic to humans and flammable at certain vapour concentrations.

The EPA said a worst-case release of ammonia from the facility could affect other businesses, a residential area, an elementary school, an airport and an Air National Guard base. 

The authority said the fines were related to violations of the Clean Air Act and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.

Taylor Farms will also conduct safety audits at its 19 other food processing plants in the United States to assess whether their ammonia refrigeration systems are being safely designed and operated.   

EPA New England regional administrator David W. Cash says: "Carefully following chemical accident prevention regulations is necessary to safeguard workers and nearby communities.

“We are pleased that under this settlement, Taylor Farms will assess the other ammonia refrigeration systems within their corporate family to see if they comply with industry standards of care. We urge other corporations to take this step."