Seismic Compliance and Safety

HAZUS Reassessment

The HAZUS Reassessment Program is a voluntary program to re-evaluate the seismic risk of hospital buildings classified as Structural Performance Category 1 (SPC-1). These buildings are considered hazardous and at risk of collapse in the event of an earthquake and must be retrofitted, replaced or removed from providing acute care services by 2013.

HCAI is using HAZARDS U.S. (HAZUS), a state-of-the-art methodology, to reassess the seismic risk of SPC-1 buildings. Buildings that are determined to pose a low seismic risk may be reclassified to SPC-2. The SPC-2 buildings would have until 2030 to comply with the structural seismic safety standards.

Participation in the HAZUS Program

  • Participation is optional for hospital owners wishing to have their SPC-1 building(s) re-evaluated.
  • Participation is mandatory if the General Acute Care Facility has requested a SB 90 extension request for the SPC-1 building.

HAZUS Emergency Regulations – Effective February 13, 2010

Regulations for the adoption of Hazards U.S. (HAZUS) earthquake loss estimation methodology for reassessment of hospital buildings that are rated as Structural Performance Category 1 (SPC-1) were approved by the California Building Standards Commission, and became effective on November 26, 2007. Using HAZUS allows HCAI to re-prioritize these buildings based on their level of seismic risk.

Hospital buildings that exceed the minimum allowable risk will comply with seismic safety requirement deadlines. Those buildings determined to be at lower seismic risk will be reclassified to SPC-2, and will have until 2030 to comply.

Effective February 13, 2010, Emergency HAZUS Regulations will update requirements related to the methodology to reclassify SPC-1 buildings to SPC-2 based on a collapse probability assessment, consistent with seismic safety requirements of SB 1953. In addition, changes have been made to the Nonstructural Performance Category (NPC) deadlines to align them with the SPC deadlines pursuant to SB 2006, SB 1661, SB 306, and SB 499.

The approved changes are to be used in conjunction with the 2007 California Administrative Code.

Please direct questions regarding the HAZUS Reassessment program to the Seismic Compliance Unit.

HAZUS is featured in the Governor’s Health Care Reform Initiative as the “Worst First” Compliance with Hospital Seismic Safety Requirements.