Hazardous Materials Business Plan Program

A Hazardous Materials Business Plan (HMBP) provides the Ventura County Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA), local fire agencies, and the public with information on hazardous materials at businesses and most government facilities. California Health and Safety Code, Chapter 6.95 and California Code of Regulations, Title 19 requires businesses that store, use, or handle hazardous materials at or above specified threshold amounts to provide the CUPA with a HMBP.  The CUPA provides the HMBP data to the local fire agencies.  These agencies use the information during hazardous materials emergency responses. 

The CUPA is responsible for HMBP program compliance for the unincorporated area and within the cities of Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Fillmore, Camarillo, Port Hueneme, and Ojai.  However, within the cities of Oxnard, Santa Paula, and Ventura, the city fire departments are responsible for HMBP program compliance.

Hazardous materials are items which are toxic, flammable, corrosive, reactive, explosive, oxidizers, or radioactive.  This includes substances which:

• require a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) (California Labor Code, Section 6360); or,
• are listed as a radioactive material (Code of Federal Regulations, Title 10, Appendix B); or,

• are a hazardous waste (California Health and Safety Code, Chapter 6.5).

A HMBP is required for individual hazardous materials at or above the following threshold amounts:

• 55 gallons of liquid
• 500 pounds of solid
• 200 cubic feet of compressed gas
• Extremely Hazardous Substances over the threshold planning quantities
• Radioactive material in quantities requiring an emergency plan as required in Code of Federal Regulations, Section 10, Parts 30, 40, and 70.

New facilities must submit a HMBP to the CUPA within 30 days after bringing hazardous materials onsite or taking ownership at an existing HMBP facility. Submit the following: HMBP Forms Packet.

The CUPA requires a copy of the HMBP be maintained onsite and available for inspection.  The CUPA conducts routine HMBP inspections to:

• Ensure compliance with HMBP laws, regulations, and local policies.
• Provide guidance on preventing or minimizing the risk of hazardous materials spills or releases.
• Verify hazardous materials inventories and update HMBP information.

Annually, a facility must review and certify the HMBP is complete, by either, CUPA inspection, submitting a Certification Statement or providing a revised HMBP.  Also, an amended HMPB must be submitted within 30 days for any of the following:

• 100 percent or more increase of a previously disclosed material
• Any undisclosed material(s)
• Change of facility address
• Change of facility ownership
• Change of facility name

Additional HMPB information can be found at the California Emergency Management Agency.

Per the federal Community-Right-to-Know laws the general public can obtain the hazardous materials inventory for any HMBP facility by filing a Records Search Request Form.