Safety Assessment Program Evaluator Student Manual

CA Emergency Mgmt. Agency Safety Assessment Program Evaluator Manual April 2011The mobile home in Figure 3-4 has been obviously destroyed by fire and has been posedUNSAFE. This is an example of what can happen when a unit falls off its supports and breachesthe gas line. With the fire out, and the gas and electricity turned off, this unit is no longer a threatto adjacent units. Entry, of course, is dangerous.Photo courtesy Global Emergency ManagementFigure 3-5 – Mobile home collapsed on supports, 1992 Landers/Big Bear EarthquakesIn Figure 3-5, the unit is off of its supports and is stable on the ground, unable to fall any further.However, the canopy over the side stairs is unstable and a falling hazard. This represents asafety threat from an aftershock or strong wind.Access to this mobile home would need to be from the other door, and the occupants could go into get their things. However, the utilities are likely destroyed, so the home cannot be occupied.The RESTRICTED USE placard is appropriate. (If neither door was safe to use, the unit wouldbe tagged UNSAFE until the hazards were abated by removal or by bracing.)A few mobile homes within mobile home parks, and many on private property, have been placedon approved permanent foundations. In those cases, damage and/or movement is likely to beminimal.Again, most mobile homes are easy to evaluate for safety because much of the structure that islikely to be damaged is easy to view. Seismic bracing of the support system was discussedearlier, but there are other bracing systems. The most common alternate bracing system is theEngineered Tie-Down System. This system has been mandated for all new mobile homeinstallations since September 1994. They come in many forms, most of which are large, extraheavy duty steel jack stands with ground anchor rods attached and driven at the four corners of85