Earthquake Preparedness And Businesses

Did you know that in California it is mandatory for a business to seismically brace non-structural items? Under Title 24, Section 1613A of the California Building Code, if you own a business you must undertake earthquake preparedness measures. While that may seem a little daunting to the uninitiated, the reality is that non-structural seismic mitigation is a relatively seamless process. The building code outlines the following: movable items that are five feet or taller must be braced, along with things like cabinets and bookcases that are at least six feet tall, equipment that weighs more than 400 lbs and is more than four feet high, plus temporary containers of flammable or hazardous materials. Vessels, including tanks and pressurized spheres on braced or un-braced legs, bins or hoppers, batteries on racks and all other self-supporting structures that are not otherwise covered also need to be secured. Phew! That sure seems like a lot, but don’t be fazed by it. If this information is news to you, the good news is that earthquake preparedness and seismic bracing and non-structural seismic mitigation etc all services are available online. Search for non-structural seismic mitigation in Google and you will find Quake Hold Industrial and many more to cater to your service. Equipment Fastening When we talk about fastening equipment what we really mean is that expensive items in labs, clean rooms, data centers and so on should be secured. HPLCs, centrifuges, mass spectrometers and more can all be fastened in place so that they won’t come crashing down in the next earthquake. Not only is it a matter of adhering to building codes, it’s also good business practice to secure your equipment to prevent damage and loss, not to mention avoiding potential injuries to your employees.

Don’t feel bad if you’re not totally familiar with the concept of non-structural seismic mitigation or the seismic protection products and services that are available these days because unless you’ve been living in earthquake country for a while you may not have had reason to look into it. But now that you know a little more about it, as well as the fact that you need to do it, you at least know where to get information. Risk Assessment To help determine your needs contact an earthquake preparedness company to schedule a free risk assessment of your business. As we’ve been urging you repeatedly this year, if you run a business in a seismically active zone you need to become pro-active about earthquake preparedness and we strongly encourage you to start today.