Riverside Fire Department
  1. Divisions
  2. Prevention
  3. Hazardous Materials Business Plans

Hazardous Materials Business Plans

Other programs the division implements include the Hazardous Materials Business Plan (HMBP) and investigating environmental crimes in conjunction with the Riverside County District Attorney's Environmental Crimes Task Force and the APSA (Aboveground Petroleum Storage Act) program.

 

Hazardous Materials Business Plan Pre-Checklist

 

Business Plans

Federal, State and local laws require that a Hazardous Material Business Plan be submitted by any business that uses, stores, and/or handles a hazardous material or a mixture containing a hazardous material in reportable quantities. The Fire Department shall be responsible for implementing and enforcing two of the six Unified Programs set forth in Chapter 9.48 of the Riverside Municipal Code. The elements of the Unified Programs consist of:

  • Hazardous Materials Release Response Plans and Inventories (Hazardous Materials Business Plan)
  • Aboveground Petroleum Storage Act (APSA)
  • California Fire Code

As a result of Assembly Bill 2286, effective January 1, 2013, the California Environmental Reporting System (CERS) is the only approved method for filing Hazardous Materials Business Plans. The City of Riverside Fire Prevention Division implements the Hazardous Materials Business Plan program within the city limits. Businesses are required to submit their plan electronically annually. Maintaining accurate inventories, site maps and prevention plans will allow emergency responders the ability to pre-plan responses based on hazards specific to the business. The City of Riverside is a Participating Agency (PA) to the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA).

Business plans must be reviewed and submitted annually. The annual due date for these reviews is based on the expiration date of the annual permit issued by the County of Riverside Department of Environmental Health.

Chemical Inventory Thresholds

A Hazardous Materials Handler is identified as any facility storing hazardous materials and/or wastes in quantities greater than or equal to:

  • 55 gallons of a liquid substance            
  • 500 pounds of a solid substance
  • 200 cubic feet of compressed gas

Please note that for acutely or extremely hazards materials, these amounts are less.

Reporting a Hazardous Materials Release

Any threatened release of significant release of a hazardous material must be reported. A threatened release is a condition creating a substantial probability of harm to the extent where it is reasonably necessary to take immediate action to prevent, reduce, or mitigate damages to persons, property, or the environment. A significant release is subjective and may depend on a variety of factors such as the amount, the hazardousness of the material or waste, and the proximity of sensitive receptors such as schools, drains, and waterways, among other factors.

A release of a reportable quantity (RQ) of a hazardous material must also be reported. RQs are listed in the CERCLA lists. Another way to determine if a RQ has been exceeded is to use the Department of Energy’s online RQ calculator.

 

WHO TO CONTACT:

In accordance with State and Federal laws immediate reporting should be made to the following:

  • 911 for emergency assistance
  • Cal OES State Warning Center – (800) 852-7550
  • City of Riverside Fire Prevention Division – (951) 826-5737
  • National Response Center (NRC) at (800) 424-8802, if a release exceeds federal reportable quantity (RQ)

Release Reporting Guidelines (documents to be linked on the left side of page)

Closure Reports

Any person or business which has previously been required to submit a HMBP shall submit a closure work plan to the City of Riverside Fire Department at least 30 days prior to the closure, relocation, sale or exchange of the business and/or the real property on which the business is located. This report will describe the work to be performed to properly clean, inspect, sample and close the facility. The closure report shall be approved by the City of Riverside before the removal of hazardous or potentially hazardous materials or hazardous wastes from property prior to implementation.

If underground storage tanks are also being closed, a separate tank closure permit must be obtained from the County of Riverside Department of Environmental Health and the City of Riverside Fire Department and must be referenced in the overall closure plan.

Permits

No person shall operate or maintain a business where hazardous materials are handled without a valid permit issued by the County of Riverside Department of Environmental Health. Permits are issued to facilities who have paid all assessed fees and are in full compliance with no outstanding violations, including the annual HMBP update. If payment of fees is not received, a late penalty of 20% will be assessed after 60 days and an additional 80% after 90 days in accordance with our fee resolution.

 

HMBP Guidance

CERS Guidance