Earthquake Risk and the Workplace David Bonowitz, S.E. Chair, SEAONC Existing Buildings Committee Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation Catastrophe Preparedness Conference April 7, 2006

Issues How can we enhance worker safety? How can we enhance worker safety? What have past earthquakes taught us? What have past earthquakes taught us? What do engineers know that we don’t? What do engineers know that we don’t? Earthquake losses Earthquake losses Your perspective vs. the building code’s Your perspective vs. the building code’s Four open secrets Four open secrets

EQ losses: What’s at risk? Life safety Life safety Building and contents Building and contents Business continuity Business continuity Public services Public services Tax base Tax base Community resilience Community resilience Neighborhood character & history Neighborhood character & history Good will Good will

1. No code for existing buildings Upgrades sometimes triggered Upgrades sometimes triggered Change of occupancy Change of occupancy Major renovation Major renovation Otherwise up to owner, tenants Otherwise up to owner, tenants Exceptions Exceptions Hospitals (SB 1953) Hospitals (SB 1953) Unreinforced masonry (SB 547) Unreinforced masonry (SB 547)

Vulnerable structure types Unreinforced masonry Unreinforced masonry Tilt-ups Tilt-ups Unbraced cripple walls Unbraced cripple walls Hillside houses Hillside houses Soft story apartments (and HOGs) Soft story apartments (and HOGs) Non-ductile concrete frames Non-ductile concrete frames Parking structures (precast concrete) Parking structures (precast concrete)

Unreinforced masonry

6800 in in % mitigated 60% mitigated Remaining risk Remaining risk Life safety Life safety Housing Housing Building value Building value Small business Small business Neighborhood character, history Neighborhood character, history URM in the Bay Area

Tilt-ups Evolving code since 1971 Evolving code since 1971 Significant damage in 1994 Significant damage in 1994 Thousands in Bay Area Thousands in Bay Area No mandatory retrofit No mandatory retrofit

Tilt-ups Remaining risk Remaining risk Building value Building value Contents value Contents value Business continuity Business continuity 1994

Non-ductile concrete frames Pre-1976 inventory not quantified Pre-1976 inventory not quantified All occupancies All occupancies Hard to spot from street Hard to spot from street Complex and expensive to retrofit Complex and expensive to retrofit 1971

Non-ductile concrete frames: 1994

Non-ductile concrete frames Remaining risk Remaining risk Life safety Life safety Building value Building value Business continuity Business continuity Emergency response Emergency response Tax base Tax base Good will Good will

2. Nonstructural hazards count Often overlooked in construction Often overlooked in construction Sometimes life-threatening Sometimes life-threatening Falling hazards Falling hazards Egress Egress Hazardous materials Hazardous materials Fire Fire Often more costly and disruptive Often more costly and disruptive

Nonstructural hazards Precast panels Precast panels Ceilings Ceilings Shelves/equip Shelves/equip Hazmat Hazmat 1964

Nonstructural hazards Precast panels Precast panels Ceilings Ceilings Shelves/equip Shelves/equip Hazmat Hazmat 2005

Nonstructural hazards Precast panels Precast panels Ceilings Ceilings Shelves/equip Shelves/equip Hazmat Hazmat 2001

Nonstructural hazards Precast panels Precast panels Ceilings Ceilings Shelves/equip Shelves/equip Hazmat Hazmat

Nonstructural hazards Precast panels Precast panels Ceilings Ceilings Shelves/equip Shelves/equip Hazmat Hazmat 2001

Nonstructural hazards Precast panels Precast panels Ceilings Ceilings Shelves/equip Shelves/equip Hazmat Hazmat 1994

EQ losses: What’s at risk? Life safety Life safety Building and contents Building and contents Business continuity Business continuity Public services Public services Tax base Tax base Community resilience Community resilience Neighborhood character & history Neighborhood character & history Good will Good will

Business disruption Nonstructural damage Nonstructural damage Infrastructure & services Infrastructure & services Workforce stability Workforce stability

Nonstructural damage

Infrastructure & services

Parking structures: 1994 Inventory unknown Inventory unknown Remaining risk Remaining risk Life safety Life safety Building value Building value Business continuity Business continuity

Soft story apartments “Tuck-under” “Tuck-under” Most residential Most residential 1960s-70s 1960s-70s Older in S.F. Older in S.F.

Bay Area soft story risk 15,000 buildings (1 in 6 multistory MFR) 15,000 buildings (1 in 6 multistory MFR) 500,000 people 500,000 people San Francisco: 5700 buildings (over half) San Francisco: 5700 buildings (over half) 180,000 people 180,000 people Half of S.F.’s total economic loss in 7.2 eq Half of S.F.’s total economic loss in 7.2 eq Santa Clara County: 2630 buildings (1 in 3) Santa Clara County: 2630 buildings (1 in 3) 90,000 people 90,000 people

Soft story apartments

Soft story apartments Remaining risk Remaining risk Life safety Life safety Housing Housing Building value Building value Personal property Personal property Small business Small business Emergency response Emergency response

Soft story apartments No mandatory retrofit in Bay Area No mandatory retrofit in Bay Area AB 304 AB 304 Berkeley Berkeley CAPSS CAPSS

3. Codes are about Life Safety Not damage prevention Not damage prevention Not business continuity Not business continuity Not workforce stability Not workforce stability Not post-earthquake recovery Not post-earthquake recovery

Preparedness in perspective ?ResponseRecoveryMitigation

4. Best preparation is mitigation Awareness, education Awareness, education Self-assess risks Self-assess risks Professional consultation (engineer, lender, insurer, attorney?) Professional consultation (engineer, lender, insurer, attorney?)

Resources Seismic Safety Commission: seismic.ca.gov Seismic Safety Commission: seismic.ca.gov Commercial Property Owner’s Guide (1998) Commercial Property Owner’s Guide (1998) Risk Management Tools Risk Management Tools ABAG: quake.abag.ca.gov ABAG: quake.abag.ca.gov Preparing your business Preparing your business Liability of businesses Liability of businesses

Lessons 1. There is no code for existing buildings 2. Nonstructural hazards are significant 3. Building codes are about Life Safety 4. Mitigation is the best Preparation