1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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)

5. 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)

6. Unreinforced masonry 1994 2003 1989

7. 6800 in 1990 6800 in 1990 60% 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

8. 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

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

10. 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

11. Non-ductile concrete frames: 1994

12. 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

13. 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

20. 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

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

22. Nonstructural damage

23. Infrastructure & services 1994 1989

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

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

26. 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

27. Soft story apartments 1994 1989 1971 2003 1994 1989 1971 2003

28. 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

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

30. 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

31. Preparedness in perspective 1989199420062012?ResponseRecoveryMitigation

32. 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?)

33. 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

34. 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