Safety Assessment Program Evaluator Student Manual

CA Emergency Mgmt. Agency Safety Assessment Program Evaluator Manual April 2011 Severely cracked shear walls (greater than 1/8 th inch wide) UNSAFE Broken or buckled frame bracing UNSAFE Broken or seriously damaged diaphragms or horizontal bracing UNSAFE Other failure of lateral load carrying element or connection UNSAFEP-Delta Effects Multistory frame building with residual drift UNSAFEDegradation of Structural System Cracking, spalling, or local crushing of concrete or masonry UNSAFEFalling Hazard Falling hazard present threatening pedestrians or entire building UNSAFESlope or Foundation Distress Base of building pulled apart or differentially settled, fracturedfoundations, walls, floors, or roofUNSAFE Building in zone of fault or rupture UNSAFE Suspected major slope movement UNSAFE Building in danger from upslope landslide or debris UNSAFEOther Hazards Spill of unknown or suspected dangerous material UNSAFE Other hazard (such as downed power lines) UNSAFE2.9.3 Access to Unsafe StructuresFor those buildings determined to be UNSAFE by a rapid evaluation, the detailed evaluationteams will look at the potential access to the building for possession retrieval. The ownersand/or occupants of the building will want access to their building to retrieve personalpossessions and business records. Please note that the detailed evaluation team would only entera building tagged UNSAFE only if there was no evidence of unsafe conditions from the exterior.If a collapse hazard is at issue, the team should only enter if the building is made safe throughshoring or other means. Please see the information on this in Chapter 6 of this manual.If the assessment team finds their path through a corridor or other opening blocked by debris, theteam should refrain from proceeding beyond that point, and make a note in the evaluation formthat the corridor is blocked. Evaluators do no want to end up trapped by debris if an aftershockcauses it to settle or sends more debris into the corridor.As the detailed evaluation team proceeds through the building, they can take note of thefollowing details of the exits, corridors, and stairways:75