C. Hospital Facilities Seismic Safety Act

24. Knowledge of methods and procedures for complying with state regulatory requirements related to the design and construction of hospitals, public schools, fire/police stations, and other essential services buildings.

KS #24 – Part C: Hospital Facilities Seismic Safety Act

Audio Time: 2 minutes

Hospital Facilities Seismic Safety Act

Seismic safety legislation – Seismic Retrofit Program SB 1953 was passed by the California Legislature in 1994 following the Northridge earthquake
Northridge earthquake caused 23 hospitals to suspend some or all of their services
Establishes Three seismic safety deadlines
- by 2002 – major non-structural systems such as back up generators, exit lighting, etc must be braced
- by 2013 (originally 2008) – all general acute-care inpatient buildings at risk of collapsing during a strong earthquake must be rebuilt, retrofitted or closed. City or County owned hospitals have the opportunity to request an extension to 2020, provided they rebuild the facility
- by 2030 – all hospital buildings in the state must be operational following a major earthquake
Enforced by Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD)