Earthquake Safe Hospital Building Initiative
(Hospital Building – the building that has patient care)
Structural Integrity and Indicators
Structural elements are the primary load-bearing components that make a building stand
§ Foundation
§ Column (posts and pillars)
§ Beams
§ Slabs
§ Floors
§ Walls
§ Roofs
Goal: To ensure that the hospital building will not collapse or be destroyed during an earthquake so as to protect patients, staff and properties; be able to continue to function; and be safe to accommodate patients from external mass casualty incidents.
Preparedness – Prevention, Mitigation and Contingency Measures – Structural Indicators
Non-structural Integrity and Indicators
Non-structural elements are those elements that do not form part of the load-bearing system of the hospital building.
These include the architectural components of the hospital building; furniture, office machines and equipment; critical systems for continuous functioning of the organization like communication, electrical, water supply, fire suppression system, data management system and security system; and lifelines for continuous rendering of medical services like medical gas system, medical and laboratory equipment and security of personnel and patients.
Components of Non-structural Elements:
Architectural Components
· Safety of ceiling
· Safety of windows and shutters
· Safety of walls, divisions, and partitions
· Safety of floor coverings
· Safety of doors and entrances
· Furniture, Office Machines and Equipment
· Critical Systems for Continuous Functioning of Organization
· Communication system
· Electrical system
· Water supply system
· Food supply system
· Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems
· Fire suppression system
· Emergency exit system
· Data management system
· Security system
· Manpower system
· Coordination system
· Other critical systems that will ensure critical organizational services can be continuously provided during times of earthquake disaster
· Lifelines for Continuous Rendering of Medical Services (Medical Gas System and Medical and Laboratory Equipment, and Security of Personnel and Patients)
· Medical gas system
· Equipment in Operating Room and Recovery Room
· Radiological Equipment and other support devices
· Laboratory Equipment and other support devices
· Medical equipment in Emergency Room / Intensive Care Units / Wards
· Medical equipment in Pharmacy Department
· Medical equipment in Sterilization Units
· Equipment and other support devices in Nuclear Medicine Department and Radiation Therapy Units
· Other medical and laboratory equipment in the hospital building
· Safety of personnel and patients
Goal: To ensure that the architectural components; furniture, machines and equipment; critical systems for continuous functioning of the organization like communication and electrical system; and lifelines for continuous rendering of medical services like medical gas system and medical and laboratory equipment will not be destroyed during an earthquake so as to protect patients, staff and properties; be able to continually to function and provide critical and lifeline services; and be safe to accommodate patients from external mass casualty incidents.
Preparedness – Prevention, Mitigation and Contingency Measures – Non-structural Indicators
Functional Integrity and Indicators
Functional elements are those outside the structural (primary load-bearing) and non-structural elements (non-loading bearing, critical services and lifelines). These include the earthquake response and business continuity and recovery plans of the hospital to ensure that it continues operating at maximum capacity right after the earthquake disaster with restoration of “business as usual” in the soonest time possible.
Goal: To ensure that during times of earthquake, whether the structural and non-structural integrity of the hospital building are compromised or not, the hospital continually treats patients both currently in the hospital and those from external mass casualty incidents at maximum capacity; be accessible for surge of patients from external mass casualty incidents; and be able to restore “business as usual” in the soonest time possible.
Components of functional elements:
Earthquake response plan of hospital building
Continuous provision of critical services plan
Restoration of all services or recovery plan
Preparedness – Prevention, Mitigation and Contingency Measures – Functional Indicators
ROJ@16mar14