Located in an area highly prone to earthquakes, construction of critical facilities in California, such as hospitals and national defense structures, must undergo specific building codes and installation requirements to ensure the safety of people and equipment. Seismic products installed in these buildings must also comply with stringent guidelines.
This wasn’t such the case back in 2002, when more than 1,300 acute care hospital buildings in California posed significant risk of collapsing during a strong earthquake, according to a report by the state’s Office of Statewide Health Planning & Development (OSHPD).
The good news: As of October 2015, more than 90 percent of these buildings have been retrofitted, replaced by new buildings, demolished or removed from acute care service in accordance with the law.
Chatsworth Products (CPI) has been a strong player in helping these facilities comply with the law by offering a variety of seismic-rated, OSHPD OPA- and OPM-approved data center products over the years. OSHPD OPM is the pre-approval process that allows manufacturers to submit analysis or test data prepared by a registered design professional to support design requirements of the code. The OPA approval is no longer valid, though existing approvals prior to 2015 can be employed.
CPI is actively working to expand its portfolio of OPM pre-approved products. To access the most current listing, please see CPI's list of approved products. CPI’s seismic-rated products and services help protect critical equipment that cannot become inoperative:
- With a market-leading load rating of 1500 lb, CPI’s Z4-Series SeismicFrame features an increased range of cabinet sizes to support deeper equipment and more unobstructed interior space along the sides for thermal and cable management accessories.
- In addition to OSHPD Pre-Approved, it is also certified to meet the latest Telcordia Technologies GR-63-CORE requirements.
- A variety of seismic accessories are available to complement this solution, including floor anchorage, transport casters and cable managers.
- The welded, steel Seismic Frame Two-Post Rack resists the swaying motion caused by earthquakes, thus reducing the amount of vibration transferred through the rack to equipment. The equipment is less likely to be damaged during a seismic event, which means faster network recovery.
- The rack features 1000 lb Seismic NEBS Zone 4 Load Rating.
- A variety of CPI seismic accessories are also available to complement this solution.
- Protect and store equipment in telecommunications rooms or public spaces effortlessly, especially when floor space is limited.
- Swing-out cabinet body allows easy access to the rear of installed equipment, while vented side panels increase airflow.
- CUBE-iT features exceptional strength and rigidity, supporting up to 200 lb of equipment.
- Adjustable 19” EIA threaded equipment mounting rails are included.
- Rounded corners and edges on front door improve safety.
Accelerate your design project by using CPI’s complimentary design tools, which include seismic models for you to use. Choose among:
- CPI's Product Configurator, which allows you to configure a personalized Seismic Cabinet, including accessories, or a Seismic Rack according to your specific needs.
- CAD Blocks, BIM Models and Visio Shapes are also available to reduce planning time.
- MasterFormat Specifications will further simply your project.
For more details on CPI's Seismic Solutions, go here. To get access to our industry-leading design tools, go here.
By Raissa Carey, eContent Specialist