Safety Assessment Program Evaluator Student Manual

CA Emergency Mgmt. Agency Safety Assessment Program Evaluator Manual April 2011heavily damaged ones, can be repaired. When good engineering is at hand, the question ofwhether to repair a building or demolish it usually comes down to which is more cost-effective.As an example, of the 350 red-tagged buildings in San Francisco after the 1989 Loma Prietaearthquake, only 50 of these buildings had to be demolished. The rest were repaired.So as to clarify matters, ATC-20-2 added the phrase “This placard is not a demolition order.” Itis now clear that the UNSAFE placard means that there is an immediate risk associated withentry, use, or occupancy of the structure. Since the use of the placard indicates that the buildinghas been assessed for safety, it is required that there be a brief description of the hazard and/ordamage on the placard.The placard further requires written authorization from the jurisdiction for the owner or tenant toenter the building. That includes entry for possession retrieval when deemed appropriate by thejurisdiction. This arrangement also allows the building owner to arrange for professionals togain permission for entry so that abatement of the hazard by repair or demolition can beaccomplished.2.5.3.1 Examples of the Use of the UNSAFE (Red) PlacardsPhoto courtesy ATCFigure 2-25 – Palomar Inn, Santa Cruz, 1989 Loma Prieta EarthquakeThe Palomar Inn suffered shear cracking in its lower floors, which constitutes a significant lossof lateral force capacity. These cracks are the result of diagonal tension in the wall piers from thein/plane lateral forces the wall was subjected to. When a heavily damaged tall building loomsover its neighbors, the vicinity should be assessed for this collapse hazard. Please see thediscussion starting at section 2.5.3.2.53