SECTIONS 7850-7853 - California Statutes

LABOR CODE

SECTION 7850-7853

7850. This part shall be known and cited as the California Refinery
and Chemical Plant Worker Safety Act of 1990.

7851. 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.

7852. (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 at the earliest reasonably possible date, but in no case
later than July 1, 1992.

7853. 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.