Do You Design for Disaster Risk?

slightly off topic. but not only disaster planning, but other uses if fiscally the hospital would not be sound that it could be turned into a hotel.

p911

The facilities should not be designed for disaster unless it's a requirement by whoever is funding it or unless it's less costly to design for disaster than not to design for disaster.

Sometimes such requirements are explicitly spelled out in a statement of work, especially if it's required to go above and beyond standard building codes. When not spelled out explicitly, the statement of work may reference other standards which must be complied with. In cases where neither is spelled out, general building codes will dictate a certain level of disaster protection (fire, flood, etc.).

If designers are not taking these requirements into account, then they are not doing their jobs (either willfully, ignorantly or being forced/coerced to) and neither are those who are supposed to be watching the designers (checkers, PEs, inspectors).

I'm currently working/living in South Korea and I'm not all that familiar with the local codes/design. However, the area seems to be relatively free of most natural disasters. Although a quite mountainous country, I've been told they have no earth quakes, volcanoes or hurricanes (...I mean cyclones/typhoons). I don't know how accurate it is, but that's what I was told.

I am from Florida, USA where our biggest disasters are from hurricanes and if you are in the citrus industry or enjoy oranges and grapefruit the occasional winter freeze can be disastrous (not so much for a health care facility though). I am not in the home or commercial building construction industry, but as I understand it, the building codes reflect good design practice for handling hurricanes. Based on how many homes and stores are damaged when a hurricane comes to town I'm don't believe the codes require material and construction to ensure buildings are hurricane proof. However, in the case of hospitals and care facilities they might.