When it comes to earthquakes and making sure that buildings are up to standards, seismic building codes are a great way of increasing building integrity and making sure that communities are safe in the event of a disaster. Using new or additional seismic safety provisions can be a great way to feel better about the safety of buildings should and earthquake occur and it’s easier than ever to retrofit existing buildings and design new ones to adhere to earthquake standards. It is important to remember though that these kinds of safety provisions can only make buildings earthquake-resistant, not earthquake-proof which is a big difference. These seismic codes are developed and instigated to protect people from building collapse and allow for safe evacuation. However, building collapse isn’t the only issue when it comes to earthquake safety. Things like suspended ceilings, light fixtures, windows, heating ducts, and other aspects of buildings can often be even more dangerous to people and they can block escape routes. It’s also important to remember that even buildings that are up to date with code compliancy are still susceptible to damage and this can be a costly and time consuming process to repair should there be problems with a building after an earthquake.
It’s also important to keep in mind that older buildings are generally less safe than newer buildings and can pose a hazard if they aren’t up to date with seismic codes.These codes will vary across states due to the severity and likelihood of an earthquake and some places don’t even use them as they didn’t become widely used until the mid 1990s. Even some places that are particularly earthquake prone don’t use seismic building codes or are using older, non updated versions of them that may not be as effective or helpful.
It should be noted that when it comes to keeping structures up to date with coding there are some buildings that are more important than others. Typically high occupancy buildings like arenas, schools, vulnerable populations like nursing homes and day cares, as well as critical response services such as fire stations, hospitals, police stations and the like are the first to be remedies and should be built to code or above it. It’s also a good idea to have local utilities and similar things built to code to minimize the amount of social disruption in the community.
People should also know that the codes change over time and are revised every three years to incorporate new research and reflect the most accurate safety information and prevention methods when it comes to earthquakes. Because of this it’s important that state and local governments use the latest seismic research and details in their codes in order to protect people as best the can.
For the most part building codes are very helpful when it comes to helping keep people safe in the event of an earthquake and they should be used to the very best of their capabilities prior to such a disaster. Make sure that your home and work buildings are up to date with the latest code so that you’ll be protected in the event of any seismic activity.
