A California propane company's written plans fall into three piles: company policies, a DOT security plan, and facility operating records. Which state rules apply depends on where you operate and what work you do. The DOT security plan is a separate question; you need one only where 49 CFR 172.800 applies. Below are the official California sources and the questions to settle before you order a manual.
California rules and sources
California’s pressure-vessel Safety Orders include an important qualification: Title 8, Section 450(c), gives a more stringent Safety Order precedence when it conflicts with NFPA 58. Read the scope and exceptions in that section before applying it to equipment. Do not use an NFPA reference alone to decide what a California installation requires.
The California Office of the State Fire Marshal publishes Title 24 code-development and adoption resources. Use those resources and your local fire authority to identify the code, referenced standards and amendments for the location. Title 8, Section 450(a)(1), incorporates NFPA 58, 1998 Edition, for these workplace Safety Orders. This guide does not name the edition adopted through the fire code for your location (Title 24 and local requirements), local amendments or equipment-specific conditions; your local fire authority confirms them. Put your pressure-vessel records and the fire authority's instructions on the form, and we write them into the procedures your crew uses.
- California DIR: Title 8, Section 450, scope and NFPA 58 precedence
- California OSFM: Title 24 code development
Training rules are covered separately in propane training requirements in California; training guidance does not establish which written plans your operation needs.
DOT security plan: only where 49 CFR 172.800 applies
Check your material, quantity and transportation activity against 49 CFR 172.800. State location and truck capacity alone do not determine applicability. Not sure where your trucks fall? Call us and we will walk through the DOT line with you.
For covered operations, 49 CFR 172.802 addresses the risk assessment, personnel security, unauthorized access and en route security. Where 49 CFR 172.800 applies, the plan needs a review at least once a year and an update when circumstances change. Have a plan from years ago? Send it and we will tell you what is stale.
We write the DOT Hazmat Security Plan around those four areas, from the same form. A company policy manual, state permit or training record does not replace this plan when it is required.
Written policies should describe the work your company actually does
You do not need to sort your binders first. You fill out one form about your plant, trucks, crew and how you run. It takes about an hour, with no site visit and no meetings. We write the manual around deliveries, tank work, plant transfers, leak calls, training and recordkeeping as your crew actually does them. If we need one more thing, we call you.
The Policies & Procedures manual is the company rulebook written from your operating information. Propane Safety Pro was built by a propane operator who ran 87 branch offices across 12 states. The manual is distinct from a federal DOT security plan and a facility Operations & Maintenance manual. Not every plan named on this page is required by California law.
Get the written plans off your desk
- Tell us your state and what your crew does. We will tell you which written plans you should have and which ones are missing.
- Need the DOT security plan too? We build it from the same form.
Or call 610-228-0887.
Questions before you order
Can a California company rely on an NFPA 58 reference alone?
No. Check the applicable California Safety Orders, the adopted fire code and local requirements for the equipment and location. This guide does not identify the controlling edition for your site.
Does buying a manual make a propane company compliant?
No. A manual is a document. The company must verify applicable requirements, implement its procedures, train the people who use them and maintain the records. This guide does not determine compliance.
Do I have to gather everything before I call?
No. Tell us what your crew does; the form takes about an hour. The document-gathering checklist is there if you want a head start. The checklist does not determine state requirements or replace a site-specific review.
Or call 610-228-0887.
General information, not legal advice. Sources checked November 8, 2026; rules can change. Site-specific requirements and unknown adoption details require confirmation with the responsible authority. A manual purchase does not establish training, implementation or compliance.