Monitoring

SB 740 (Cortese) Skilled and trained workforce in hazardous materials management

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Existing law establishes an accidental release prevention program for the state. Under that law, stationary sources subject to the accidental release prevention program may be required to prepare and submit a risk management plan (RMP) to prevent accidental releases of certain substances.

Existing law imposes criminal penalties upon a stationary source that knowingly violates the requirements of the accidental release prevention program.

Existing law requires an owner or operator of a stationary source that is engaged in certain petroleum-related activities, and with one or more covered processes that require the preparation and submission of an RMP, when contracting for the performance of construction, alteration, demolition, installation, repair, or maintenance work at the stationary source to require that its contractors and any subcontractors use a skilled and trained workforce to perform all onsite work within an apprenticeable occupation in the building and construction trades.

Existing law defines “skilled and trained workforce” to include, among other criteria, skilled journeypersons who are paid at least a rate equivalent to the applicable prevailing hourly wage rate.

SB 740 would extend that workforce requirement to contracts awarded, extended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2024, by an owner or operator of a stationary source that is engaged in manufacturing hydrogen, biofuels, lithium batteries, or certain specified chemicals, in mining or beneficiating lithium, or in capturing, sequestering, or using carbon dioxide in specified conditions.

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