Section 25503 Of Article 1. Business And Area Plans From California Health And Safety Code >> Division 20. >> Chapter 6.95. >> Article 1.
25503
. (a) The office shall adopt, after public hearing and
consultation with the Office of the State Fire Marshal and other
appropriate public entities, regulations for minimum standards for
business plans and area plans. All business plans and area plans
shall meet the standards adopted by the office.
(b) The standards for business plans in the regulations adopted
pursuant to subdivision (a) shall do all of the following:
(1) Set forth minimum requirements of adequacy, and not preclude
the imposition of additional or more stringent requirements by local
government.
(2) Take into consideration and adjust for the size and nature of
the business, the proximity of the business to residential areas and
other populations, and the nature of the damage potential of its
hazardous materials in establishing standards for paragraphs (3) and
(4) of subdivision (a) of Section 25505.
(3) Take into account the existence of local area and business
plans that meet the requirements of this article so as to minimize
the duplication of local efforts, consistent with the objectives of
this article.
(4) Define what releases and threatened releases are required to
be reported pursuant to Section 25510. The office shall consider the
existing federal reporting requirements in determining a definition
of reporting releases pursuant to Section 25510.
(c) A unified program agency shall, in consultation with local
emergency response agencies, establish an area plan for emergency
response to a release or threatened release of a hazardous material
within its jurisdiction. An area plan is not a statute, ordinance, or
regulation for purposes of Section 669 of the Evidence Code. The
standards for area plans in the regulations adopted pursuant to
subdivision (a) shall provide for all of the following:
(1) Procedures and protocols for emergency response personnel,
including the safety and health of those personnel.
(2) Preemergency planning.
(3) Notification and coordination of onsite activities with state,
local, and federal agencies, responsible parties, and special
districts.
(4) Training of appropriate employees.
(5) Onsite public safety and information.
(6) Required supplies and equipment.
(7) Access to emergency response contractors and hazardous waste
disposal sites.
(8) Incident critique and followup.
(9) Requirements for notification to the office of reports made
pursuant to Section 25510.
(d) (1) The unified program agency shall submit to the office for
its review a copy of the proposed area plan within 180 days after
adoption of regulations by the office. The office shall notify the
unified program agency as to whether the area plan is adequate and
meets the area plan standards. The unified program agency shall
submit a corrected area plan within 45 days of this notice.
(2) The unified program agency shall certify to the office every
three years that it has conducted a complete review of its area plan
and has made any necessary revisions. If a unified program agency
makes a substantial change to its area plan, it shall forward the
changes to the office within 14 days after the changes have been
made.
(e) The inspection and enforcement program established pursuant to
paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 25404.2, shall
include the basic provisions of a plan to conduct onsite inspections
of businesses subject to this article by the unified program agency.
These inspections shall ensure compliance with this article and shall
identify existing safety hazards that could cause or contribute to a
release and, where appropriate, enforce any applicable laws and
suggest preventative measures designed to minimize the risk of the
release of hazardous material into the workplace or environment. The
requirements of this subdivision do not alter or affect the immunity
provided to a public entity pursuant to Section 818.6 of the
Government Code.