§ 59.698. May EPA enter my facilities for inspections?
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/us/cfr/t40/s§ 59.698·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
(a)We may inspect your portable fuel containers, testing, manufacturing processes, storage facilities (including port facilities for imported containers or other relevant facilities), or records, as authorized by the Act, to enforce the provisions of this subpart. Inspectors will have authorizing credentials and will limit inspections to reasonable times—usually, normal operating hours.
(b)If we come to inspect, we may or may not have a warrant or court order.
(1)If we do not have a warrant or court order, you may deny us entry.
(2)If we have a warrant or court order, you must allow us to enter the facility and carry out the activities it describes.
(c)We may seek a warrant or court order authorizing an inspection described in this section, whether or not we first tried to get your permission to inspect.
(d)We may select any facility to do any of the following:
(1)Inspect and monitor any aspect of portable fuel container manufacturing, assembly, storage, or other procedures, and any facilities where you do them.
(2)Inspect and monitor any aspect of test procedures or test-related activities, including test container selection, preparation, durability cycles, and maintenance and verification of your test equipment's calibration.
(3)Inspect and copy records or documents related to assembling, storing, selecting, and testing a container.
(4)Inspect and photograph any part or aspect of containers or components use for assembly.
(e)You must give us reasonable help without charge during an inspection authorized by the Act. For example, you may need to help us arrange an inspection with the facility's managers, including clerical support, copying, and translation. You may also need to show us how the facility operates and answer other questions. If we ask in writing to see a particular employee at the inspection, you must ensure that he or she is present (legal counsel may accompany the employee).
(f)If you have facilities in other countries, we expect you to locate them in places where local law does not keep us from inspecting as described in this section. We will not try to inspect if we learn that local law prohibits it, but we may suspend your certificate if we are not allowed to inspect.