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Businesses must complete a Hazardous Materials Business Plan (Business Plan) for the safe storage and use of chemicals. Firefighters, health officials, planners, public safety officers, health care providers and others rely on the Business Plan in an emergency. They use it to prevent or lessen damage to the health and safety of people and the environment when a hazardous material is released. The Hazardous Materials Business Plan Program is also known as the Community Right to Know Program and any citizen has the right to review these plans upon request.
Hazardous Materials
Hazardous materials are any substances that can harm public health or the environment.
Some examples of hazardous materials include:
- flammable liquids and solids
- petroleum-based products, such as motor oil, gasoline and diesel fuel
- acids and bases, such as pool chemicals and drain cleaners
- paints
- inks
- fertilizers
Hazardous Materials Business Plan
The Business Plan must include:
- owner/operator information including emergency contacts
- the type and quantity of reportable hazardous materials
- site map
- spill prevention procedures
- emergency response procedures
- employee training program
- record keeping procedures
In general, you must submit a Business Plan if your business handles and/or stores a hazardous material equal to or greater than the minimum reportable quantities. These quantities are 55 gallons for liquids, 500 pounds for solids and 200 cubic feet (at standard temperature and pressure) for compressed gases. Radioactive materials and extremely hazardous substances are reportable in any amount.
Exemptions From Filing
You are exempt from the regulations and do not have to file a Business Plan if you do not have other reportable hazardous materials and:
- the hazardous materials are contained solely in consumer products for direct distribution to the general public;
- you are a physician, dentist, podiatrist, veterinarian, or pharmacist who stores oxygen, nitrogen, and/or nitrous oxide in quantities of not more than 1,000 cubic feet for each material;
- you store 55 gallons or less of any specific type of lubricating oil and your total quantity does not exceed 275 gallons for all types of lubricating oil. Lubricating oil does not include used oil;
- you store no more than 300 gallons of propane that is used for the sole purpose of heating employee work areas.
Submitting a Business Plan
- You must complete and submit a Business Plan within 30 days of handling or storing a hazardous material equal to or greater than the minimum reportable quantities.
- You must review and update the entire Business Plan every three years or sooner if significant changes occur.
- You must revise and submit a Business Plan within 30 days if your business makes significant changes. Some of these changes include but are not liminted to: new ownership or emergency contacts, major increases or decreases in hazardous materials storage, changes in location of hazardous materials, and/or significant operational changes.
- San Mateo County Environmental Health will inspect your business at least once every two years to determine if the Business Plan is complete and accurate. The inspection will also include a review of emergency response procedures and employee training records.
- If staff find a deficiency, they will issue a Notice to Comply with a specific time frame for correcting the problem, typically 30 days.
- If no changes have occurred since the last Business Plan submission, you may submit a one-page annual certification form in lieu of the annual Business Plan update.
- Two copies of the Business Plan must be submitted to this agency. One copy will be maintained at our office and one copy will be forwarded to the local fire department following review.
- Although electronic versions of the Business Plan are not currently accepted by this agency, you are encouraged to use the Unidocs Hazardous Materials Online Inventory Database. This online inventory database will enable you to more easily complete and/or revise the Business Plan. The Unidocs database has report features that can be used to generate the Business Plan copies that are then submitted to this agency.
Call San Mateo County's Hazardous Materials Business Plan Program at (650) 372-6200 for more information. Hazardous Materials Business Plan forms and information are available at:
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