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Hazardous Materials Business Plan Program
925-655-3200
hazmatbusinessplan@cchealth.org

Business Plan Program

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The Hazardous Materials Business Plan Program was established in 1986. Its purpose is to prevent or minimize damage to public health, safety, and the environment, from a release or threatened release of hazardous materials. It also satisfies community right-to-know laws. This is accomplished by requiring businesses that handle hazardous materials in reportable quantities to submit an annual hazardous materials business plan to the local Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) as well as prepare a site map, develop an emergency response plan, and implement a training program for employees. Contra Costa Health Services - Hazardous Materials Programs (CCHSHMP) is the CUPA for all businesses within Contra Costa County.

Businesses with reportable quantities of hazardous materials must submit a hazardous materials business plan on or before March 1st every year. A hazardous materials business plan consists of Business Activities, Business Owner/Operator Identification, Hazardous Materials Inventory, Site Map, Emergency Response/Contingency Plan, and Employee Training Plan. Each hazardous material and/or hazardous waste in a reportable quantity must be included in the Hazardous Materials Inventory. These six elements must be submitted in the California Environmental Reporting System (CERS).

Diesel barrels A reportable quantity is equal to or greater than 55 gallons of a liquid, 500 pounds of a solid, 200 cubic feet of gas, or an extremely hazardous substance at or above the chemical specific reportable quantity (40 CFR, Part 355, Appendix A). A hazardous material is defined as any material that, because of its quantity, concentration, or physical or chemical characteristics, poses a significant present or potential hazard to human health and safety or to the environment if released into the workplace or the environment. Exempt hazardous materials or modified reporting limits are listed in Hazardous Materials Business Reporting Plan Requirements. A business can use a Safety Data Sheet (SDS), contact CCHSHMP, or use other resources to determine if a material is considered hazardous.

Businesses must amend the hazardous materials business plan in CERS within 30 days if:

There is a 100 percent or more increase in quantity of the previous disclosed amount;
Any handling of a previously undisclosed hazardous material in a reportable quantity;
Change of business address;
Change of business ownership;
Change of business name; or
Substantial change in handler's operations requiring modification of the hazardous materials business plan.