OPTIMUM SEISMIC, INC.
June 2024 NEWSLETTER
Important SB 721 Deadline Approaching: Act Now to Ensure Compliance
Ali Sahabi, GEC
Principal,
Optimum Seismic, Inc.
As the deadline for SB 721 compliance approaches, it’s crucial for property owners to prioritize balcony inspections without delay. SB 721 mandates that all multifamily buildings with three or more units complete inspections of their elevated exterior elements, such as balconies, by the end of December 2024. Waiting until the last minute can lead to scheduling bottlenecks and potential non-compliance, which may result in hefty fines and legal consequences. By scheduling your inspections now, you can ensure timely completion and address any necessary repairs well before the deadline.
Proactive inspection not only ensures compliance but also safeguards the safety and well-being of your residents. Early detection of structural issues can prevent accidents and costly emergency repairs. Additionally, conducting inspections ahead of the rush allows for more flexibility in selecting qualified inspectors and contractors, ensuring high-quality work without the pressure of time constraints. Don’t risk non-compliance or compromised safety—act now to ensure your balconies meet SB 721 requirements and maintain the integrity of your property.
Beware! Deceptive Practices Undermine Balcony Law Inspection Requirements
Increasingly, over the previous few years, since the statewide Senate Bill requiring building owners to perform structural inspections of their exterior elevated elements was introduced, California balcony inspections have become a critical aspect of building ownership, ensuring safety and compliance with regulations.
Read more
California Earthquake Warning System Gets Upgrade for the ‘Big One’
People living in California will get more timely and accurate alerts about mega earthquakes with a new upgrade to the state’s early warning system.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and EarthScope have started using GPS sensors in the ShakeAlert system, they announced on Wednesday. Up until this change, ShakeAlert has relied mainly on seismometers, which measure the ground’s movement caused by seismic waves.
Read more
Earthquakes in north-central Japan collapse 5 homes that were damaged in deadly January quake
Earthquakes early Monday again struck Japan’s north-central region of Ishikawa, still recovering from the destruction left by a powerful quake on Jan. 1, but the latest shaking caused no major damage.
Read more
What Causes Earthquakes?
While it is impossible to predict when and where earthquakes will occur, we can understand why they happen. Earthquakes take place due to movements within the Earth’s crust, resulting in shaking, shifting, or cracking of its surface. These “quakes” are caused by the passage of seismic waves through the Earth, causing the earth to shift, buckle, or wave. Seismic waves occur when energy trapped within the Earth’s crust escapes.
Read More >>
The 1886 earthquake in Charleston was catastrophic. Are we prepared for another one?
When a low rumbling began to rattle the second floor of The News and Courier’s building on the evening of Aug. 31, 1886, the journalists assumed it was someone moving a heavy object on the floor below.
Then the Broad Street structure began to shake slightly, and they thought it was a hauling cart passing on the street outside.
Read More
Optimizing earthquake data flow allows scientific research on ‘The Big One’
No one can precisely predict when an earthquake is to happen. Since the 1994 6.7-magnitude Northridge earthquake in Los Angeles County that caused 72 deaths, 9,000 injuries and $25 billion in damages, Southern California has been anxiously waiting for “The Big One”: a devastating quake predicted to be at least a 7.8 magnitude and 44 times stronger. Seismologists can only say that it may happen within the next 30 years.
Read More
Can heavy snowfall trigger earthquakes? A new study suggests a link
A new theory suggests that heavy snowfall could be a factor in triggering swarms of earthquakes — evidence that what’s happening on and above the Earth’s surface may play a role in events underground.
Learn More
Ensuring Your Building’s Resilience To Earthquakes: Is It Built On Solid Ground?
Apartment buildings in the Greater San Diego Area may sit on soil that is prone to liquefaction, landslides or other instability when shaken by an earthquake.
If your apartment building is located in Mission Bay, Mission Valley, Tierra Santa, Linda Vista, and many other San Diego communities, it’s best to have your building checked by professional structural engineer.
Read More
Optimum Seismic renovates the Blackstone Hotel
The Optimum Seismic team has been one of the leading engineering and construction companies dealing with earthquake retrofits and renovations in California since 1984.
Contact Optimum Seismic to set up your complimentary property assessment today. Call (833) 978-7664 of visit optimumseismic.com.
