Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY - A group of structural engineers are calling on the Utah Legislature to repeal a law they claim scales back the state's seismic safety codes.
Any commercial building constructed before 1975 required a parapet -- a wall-like barrier built into the facade -- be braced to the roof. But a new law nixes that requirement.
Engineers say if those parapets aren't reinforced, they could present a major safety hazard in the case of an earthquake.
What happens when the earthquake comes is many times the parapets are the first to fall.
–Leon Berrett
"What happens when the earthquake comes is many times the parapets are the first to fall," said Leon Berrett, who works with Salt Lake County Public Works and sits on the Utah Seismic Safety Commission.
Berrett and his colleagues are concerned that the Legislature scaled back on the requirement to reinforce those parapets -- particularly for older buildings.
"Now when somebody is doing some reinforcing, they're not required to do seismic upgrades," Berrett said.
A parapet is a low wall or railing built to protect the edge of a platform, roof, or bridge.
After a 6.0 earthquake hit Wells, Nevada in 2008, Berrett says he saw cars smashed from bricks that fell from buildings above - evidence, he says, that the walls weren't braced to the roof.
"Where they fall is right on top of people on the sidewalks below," he said. "Any open-air restaurant or anything like that."
Berrett says he doesn't want to see this happening in Salt Lake City.
"Connect the parapet to the roof with seismic bracing or connect the walls to the roof diaphragm," Berrett said.
Until HB305 passed the legislative session, Utah required parapets be braced to the roof. The bill sunsets in 2014.
Attempts to contact the chief sponsor of the bill were unsuccessful.
