(1) The department may adopt rules necessary to effectuate any of the statutory duties of the department in the interest of public health, safety, and welfare and to promote the safe handling of liquefied petroleum gas and proper installation, storing, selling, utilizing, transporting, servicing, testing, repairing, and maintaining of liquefied petroleum gas equipment and systems. The department shall adopt rules reasonably necessary to assure the competence of persons to safely engage in the business of liquefied petroleum gas, including, but not limited to, the licensure, testing, and qualifying of such persons for the protection of the health, welfare, and safety of the public and persons using such materials. These rules shall be in substantial conformity with generally accepted standards of safety concerning the same subject matter and shall not extend, modify, or conflict with any laws of this state or the reasonable implications of such laws.

(2) The department shall promulgate and enforce rules setting forth minimum general standards covering the design, construction, location, installation, and operation of equipment for storing; handling; transporting by tank truck, tank trailer, or pipeline; and utilizing liquefied petroleum gases and specifying the odorization of such gases and the degree thereof. The rules shall be such as are reasonably necessary for the protection of the health, welfare, and safety of the public and persons using such materials and shall be in substantial conformity with the generally accepted standards of safety concerning the same subject matter.

(3) Rules in substantial conformity with the published standards of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) are deemed to be in substantial conformity with the generally accepted standards of safety concerning the same subject matter.

(4) Rules in substantial conformity with the published standards in Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations relative to liquefied petroleum gas pipelines shall be deemed to be in substantial conformity with the generally accepted standards of safety concerning the same subject matter. Violation of any provision of the rules adopted pursuant to this subsection may be enjoined under the provisions of s. 527.09. Any person who violates any provision of the rules adopted pursuant to this subsection shall be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $25,000 for each such violation for each day that such violation persists, except that the maximum civil penalty shall not exceed $500,000, in aggregate, for any related series of violations. Any such civil penalty may be compromised by the department. In determining the amount of such penalty or the amount agreed upon in compromise, the appropriateness of such penalty to the size of the business of the person charged, the gravity of the violation, and the good faith of the person charged in attempting to achieve compliance after notification of a violation shall be considered. Each penalty shall be a lien upon the real and personal property of such person and enforceable by the department as statutory liens under chapter 85, the proceeds of which shall be deposited in the General Inspection Trust Fund, as provided in s. 527.0201.

History.—s. 5, ch. 24302, 1947; s. 1, ch. 61-158; ss. 10, 13, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 73-286; ss. 1, 2, ch. 75-83; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 1, ch. 77-457; s. 21, ch. 78-95; ss. 3, 6, ch. 80-390; ss. 4, 18, 19, ch. 81-175; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 1, 2, ch. 82-6; s. 4, ch. 86-69; ss. 2, 3, ch. 87-34; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 8, ch. 94-335; s. 4, ch. 2000-269; s. 4, ch. 2003-132; s. 1, ch. 2011-106; s. 19, ch. 2011-222; s. 9, ch. 2016-11; s. 58, ch. 2018-84.

Note.—Former s. 526.16.