HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMITTEE

Petaluma, Ca.

August 23, 2002

In Attendance:

Cary Fergus - Petaluma Fire Department

Greg Granados - Aerojet Fire

Randy Collins - Healdsburg Fire Dept

Stephanie Christenberry -Santa Clara Fire Dept

And Stephanie’s Mom

Tim Rapella - Santa Rosa Fire Dept

Kent Miller - Stockton Fire Dept

Larry Monette - Retired, former Santa Clara Fire Dept

Ron Keefer - Menlo Park Fire District

  1. Kent Miller brought committee members up to date on last month’s decision to rewrite the refrigeration section of the Fire Code. Due to a recent warehouse refrigeration project in Stockton, the Stockton Fire Department has decided to use ASHRE 15 as the regulations for refrigeration systems instead of regulations currently written in the Uniform Fire Code. Rewrite efforts are to begin after the Code Hearings in September.
  2. Cary Fergus reported on a problem he’d been having with public storage facilities. One in particular, he noted, was storing large amounts of Freon for a commercial air conditioning company. Committee members agreed that public storage facilities are a problem, many of us admitting that hazardous materials, including clandestain drug lab waste, have been reported and found at many of these locations. Most jurisdictions have given a set of guidelines to business owners that includes a prohibition of hazardous materials storage, but we’re all quick to admit that this in not an answer. To control the problem, members suggested possible changes to the Fire Code, or State Legislation, that more squarely places blame on the property or business owner.
  3. The NFPA Hazardous Materials Committee will be meeting in September to vote on a rewrite to NFPA 430 on Oxidizers. A pre-print of the rewrite seems to indicate that the maximum allowable quantities noted in NFPA 430 will be in conflict with their own Building Code, NFPA 5000. (…and the battle goes on!)
  4. Stephanie Christenberry reported on a countywide problem regarding auto lubrication facilities. It appears that some are not in compliance with above ground tank regulations, finding that they don’t have proper secondary containment, spill control, and overfill protection. The City of Santa Clara is working with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s to find the extent of the problem and what needs to be done to rectify the situation. Stephanie also reported that an enforcement action has begun against a local Dry Cleaning business that was illegally disposing of Perchlorethelyene by pouring it down the sanitary sewer. This individual has owned other Dry Cleaning businesses in Santa Clara County, so the County District Attorney is involved for further investigations.

Submitted by…

Ron Keefer, Co-Chair
Kent Miller,Co-Chair