Chapter 1. General of California Labor Code >> Division 5. >> Part 7.5. >> Chapter 1.

This part shall be known and cited as the California Refinery and Chemical Plant Worker Safety Act of 1990.

The Legislature finds and declares that because of the potentially hazardous nature of handling large quantities of chemicals and recent disasters involving chemical handling in other states, a greater state effort is required to assure worker safety. The Legislature also recognizes that a key element for assuring workplace safety is adequate employee training. The potential consequences of explosions, fires, and releases of dangerous chemicals may be catastrophic; thus immediate and comprehensive government action must be taken to ensure that workers in petroleum refineries, chemical plants, and other related facilities are thoroughly trained and that adequate process safety management practices are implemented.

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature, in enacting this part, that the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board and the Division of Occupational Health and Safety (OSHA) promote worker safety through implementation of training and process safety management practices in petroleum refineries and chemical plants and other facilities deemed appropriate.
  (b) To the maximum extent practicable, the board and the division shall minimize duplications with other state statutory programs and business reporting requirements when developing standards pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 7855).
  (c) It is further the intent of the Legislature, in enacting this part, that in the interest of promoting worker safety, standards be adopted by March 31, 2014.

For the purposes of this part, "process safety management" means the application of management programs, which are not limited to engineering guidelines, when dealing with the risks associated with handling or working near hazardous chemicals. Process safety management is intended to prevent or minimize the consequences of catastrophic releases of acutely hazardous, flammable, or explosive chemicals.