Of all the buildings that need to remain in one piece after an earthquake, hospitals rank near the top. To prevent a disaster scenario in the next “Big One,” the state of California has mandated stringent requirements to ensure seismic safety at this critical infrastructure. However, many Bay Area hospitals are lagging behind in compliance and struggling to find the funds to make the extensive upgrades required by law by 2030.
Legislation dictates that all SPC-1 buildings be removed from providing general acute care by 2020 and SPC-2 buildings be removed by 2030. The past three years have shed new light on how institutions are struggling to financially manage the requirements after their budgets have been strained due to the pandemic.