Jurong Marine Cold Storage to suspend ice-making, cold store ops after ammonia leak on its premises

SINGAPORE – Cold storage provider and ice supplier Jurong Marine Cold Storage has been ordered to temporarily suspend operations of its ice-making facility and cold store after an ammonia leak on its premises on June 29.

The directive was issued by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), which said in a statement on June 30 that it would also be testing food products from the premises to determine if the leakage could have affected ice or food.

The leak at Jurong Marine Cold Storage’s premises at 11 Fishery Port Road happened at about 11.45am on June 29, when technicians were carrying out routine maintenance work on the ice-making machines, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said separately on June 30.

The leak was traced to a pipe in a room within the company’s premises, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force on June 29.

MOM is investigating the incident, its spokesperson added.

Two workers were taken to the hospital after they were exposed to ammonia vapour. Both workers have since been discharged, according to the ministry.

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

“As a general safety measure, employers should 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,” the ministry’s spokesperson said.

Jurong Marine Cold Storage describes itself on its website as a manufacturer of food-grade ice.

Ammonia is commonly used as a refrigerant in industrial cold storage facilities.

The main health risk from an ammonia leak comes from inhaling the gas or direct contact which, at high levels, could hurt one’s skin, eyes, throat and lungs, and cause coughing and burns, said SFA.

The Straits Times had contacted Jurong Marine Cold Storage on June 29, and has yet to receive a response.