Safety Assessment Program Evaluator Student Manual

CA Emergency Mgmt. Agency Safety Assessment Program Evaluator Manual April 2011year. There are a number of locations in California where building codes require that thestructures be designed to withstand winds of 80 mph or above. Even storms of tropical stormstrength can wreak havoc, knocking trees down into buildings and downing power poles.When evaluating structures damaged in non-earthquake events, SAP teams will followprocedures similar to those used to evaluate earthquake damaged structures (as described inChapter 2 of this manual).Survey of the building exteriorDetermine the building‟s structural systemExamine the exterior for damageLook for new damage to foundationsExamine the site for geotechnical hazardsThis step needs to be done if the storm was accompanied by heavy rains and flooding. Inthese cases, the SAP evaluator would be looking for signs of settlement, slope failure dueto oversaturation, or undermining (scouring) of the foundation.Inspect the structural system from inside the building - enter the building only if needed, andif it has been determined safe to do so.Do not enter obviously unsafe buildingsDo not perform destructive testingLook in areas where the structural system is exposedIdentify and examine vertical loads systemIdentify and examine lateral force resistance systemInspect basements. Usually, this only needs to be done if there has been some flooding.The SAP team sees if the basement is flooded, or if the water has receded. If it hasreceded, then the SAP team examines the basement structure for evidence of failure orother problems.Examine every floor, including the roof and penthouse.Watch for damage to nonstructural systems. If there has been significant flooding, theceilings on the lower levels could be saturated and pose a falling hazard.Look for damage to equipment and equipment supportsInspect for other hazardsWatch for spills or leaks in stored chemicals or other hazardous materials. Once strongwinds make their way into a building, they can knock over stored chemicals andmaterials, leading to much the same situation that lateral shaking from earthquakes cancause.Watch for evidence of mold growthComplete the evaluation forms and post the building186