Establishes measures to improve safety of scrap metal businesses.*
What changed between versions
The legal basis changed from supplementing the scrap metal regulation statute (P.L.2009, c.8) to supplementing the Uniform Fire Safety Act (P.L.1983, c.383), shifting enforcement authority from environmental protection to community affairs and fire safety.
Removed the requirement for quarterly audits of retained records and ensuring prohibited items are not on premises.
Removed the requirement to employ or contract with individuals trained in fire suppression.
Added a requirement to install and maintain heat detection equipment capable of detecting incipient fires or potential hot spots.
Added a requirement to develop a written fire safety plan in coordination with the local fire department official or fire marshal, publicly available upon request.
Added a requirement to make retained records available to any fire code official investigating a fire at the business.
Added a maximum pile height limit of 55 feet for combustible material, noncombustible material, or a combination of each.
The required fire suppression system must include an overhead system with water towers and articulating water supply heads, monitored heat detection equipment around stockpiles of at least 500 tons, and annual certification by a fire safety engineer, NFPA, and the Division of Fire Safety.
Added a new section requiring businesses with unprepared metal shredder feedstock stockpiles over 200 tons in a single stockpile for any 24-hour period to install a remotely operated fire suppression system designed to prevent hot spots from flashing into fires.
Added a new section requiring the county enforcing agency to review and approve in writing that the business meets all requirements, with approval displayed conspicuously on-site or on the business website.
Added a new section authorizing the Commissioner of Community Affairs to promulgate rules under the Administrative Procedure Act to implement the act.
Effective date changed from 6 months after enactment to 12 months. Compliance deadlines for fire suppression systems are now tiered: businesses with stockpiles over 500 tons have 24 months, and those over 200 tons have 48 months (previously a flat 60 months for all).
