SFA orders ice supplier to suspend operations after ammonia leak at Jurong premises

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has ordered Jurong Marine Cold Storage to temporarily suspend operations of its ice-making facility and cold store following an ammonia leak at its premises on Jun. 29.

As a precautionary measure, the SFA will be testing food products from the premises to determine if the leakage could have affected ice or food, the agency said in a statement.

Also known as JM Ice, the company provides cold storage space for frozen food, and manufactures food-grade ice for factories, supermarkets, restaurants, and more.

Ammonia leak

The leak on Jun. 29 sent two workers to the hospital after they were exposed to ammonia vapour, a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) spokesperson said in response to Mothership's queries.

Both have since been discharged.

There were no other reported injuries, according to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), who were alerted to the incident at 11:45am that day.

When they arrived at the scene, they evacuated Jurong Marine Cold Storage's compound at 11 Fishery Port Road and its vicinity.

The SCDF hazardous materials (HazMat) specialists traced the leak to a pipe in a room within the premises.

In an update at 4:48pm, the SCDF said there were no further leaks within the premises.

MOM is investigating the incident to determine its cause.

The spokesperson shared that the leak happened when technicians were carrying out routine maintenance work on the ice-making machines.

The ministry has also instructed the company to review its maintenance procedures, gas detection and monitoring systems, and emergency response procedures.

Safety

SFA explained that ammonia is commonly used as a refrigerant in industrial cold storage facilities.

The agency will monitor the situation closely and continue working with the company to take the necessary measures.

The MOM spokesperson also reminded employers to ensure that refrigeration systems and equipment are properly maintained, and that appropriate risk control measures are in place to protect workers from hazardous substance releases.