News: In the Press
California Building Standards Commission Votes to Reassess Hospital Earthquake Safety
California Building Standards Commission approved plans to use HAZUS software to reclassify the earthquake risks in hospitals, a move that will reduce the near term earthquake retrofit spending at California hospitals by billions of dollars.
The commission’s action amends the rules for implementing SB 1953, California’s legislation governing earthquake readiness for hospitals, by permitting the use of HAZUS, a new methodology developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for estimating losses due to earthquakes, and creatively adapted by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD).