Cottonseed Fire Protocol
This information outlines important guidelines and precautions for fire prevention and response in cottonseed storage facilities. Here is a breakdown of the key points:
Common Causes Of Fire
■ Sparks from gin machinery, especially gin stands, are a primary cause of fires.
■ Installing spark inhibitors or arrest systems at the gin can significantly reduce the risk of fire being blown into the cottonseed bulk house.
■ Other potential causes include operation and maintenance of front-end loader equipment, improper electrical wiring or placement of loading equipment.
■ Front-end loader operations: no slamming or dragging the loader bucket on the floor.
■ No open flames: A general hot works protocol must be
implemented.
Flashover Situations
■ Flashovers can occur when excess lint buildup in the cottonseed bulk house catches fire and quickly spreads.
■ After a flashover, check for possible hot spots that may
develop.
Detection And Response To Hot Spots
■ Check outside walls for settled fire and use temperature monitoring systems or portable heat detection to locate hot spots.
■ If a hot spot is found, use water sparingly to cool it.
■ Notify the insurance company immediately.
Specialist Assistance
■ We will dispatch a cotton seed specialist to handle the
situation, reducing the loss of quantity and quality.
■ Until specialists arrive, use the least water required to control the fire.
What Not To Do
■ Do not spray the entire pile or let the fire department do so, as it may cause chemical reactions and deterioration of cotton seed quality.
■ Do not use chemical foams, as they can destroy any
salvage opportunities.
■ Only allow employees to walk or crawl on the cottonseed pile with proper safety measures.
Know What To Do
■ Notify the insurance company immediately.
■ Have a plan and meet with the local fire department before the season.
■ Cut off the flow of seed from the gin.
■ Turn off aeration fans; do not use them to remove smoke.
■ Clean the bulk cotton seed house at the end of the season to reduce flashover risk and damage.
■ Monitor seed temperatures daily during ginning and weekly after ginning when the cottonseed pile reaches the ideal temperature range.
This information is provided by the National Cotton Ginners’
Association.
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FDA Registration Due This Year
The Food and Drug Administration reminds Human and Animal Food Facilities to register or renew their registrations. This registration has been around for quite a few years.
The renewal is required on all even numbered years. It requires facilities engaged in manufacturing/processing, packing or holding food for consumption by humans or animals in the United States to register with the FDA. Cotton gins must register as a holder of animal feed ingredients since they handle cottonseed and gin by-products (gin trash).
The registration and renewal periods are open between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2024. If a facility’s registration is not renewed by Dec. 31, 2024, it will expire. There is no fee associated with registration/renewal. You must submit the renewal information electronically through your FDA Industry Systems account. The following link is for an FDA Registration of Food Facilities Users Guide: rb.gy/4rqb7j.
Your registration must include a Unique Facility Identifier recognized by FDA. Each company must have a specific UFI for each registered facility. You cannot use the general headquarters’s address for all location submittals if they are at different addresses. Currently, the FDA recognizes the Data Universal Numbering System number as the only acceptable UFI. The DUNS number is assigned and managed by Dun & Bradstreet and can be obtained or verified by visiting D&B’s website.
Food facility registration requirements were initiated with the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 and amended by the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act in 2011.
If you have any questions, contact TCGA for assistance. You can also email FDA at FURLS@fda.gov.