Office Building Earthquake Preparedness — A Practical Checklist for the Manager

An earthquake is one of those events that "won't happen to us" — until it does. But in Israel this is not a question of "if" but of "when": the country sits along the Syrian-African Rift, an active tectonic fault line along which earthquakes are a recurring, familiar phenomenon. For an office building manager, the meaning is simple — preparedness is not a luxury but a substantive part of the property's risk management and of the duty of care toward those who occupy it. This checklist is not about fear; it translates preparedness into concrete manager actions, organized into three stages: what to do before, what to do during, and what to do after.

Why Israel Is at Risk — and This Directly Concerns Your Building

Along Israel's eastern border runs the Syrian-African Rift (the Syrian-African Depression), a region where tectonic plates move relative to one another. This movement releases energy in the form of earthquakes, and the region's history includes significant quakes. There is no way to predict when the next quake will occur or what its magnitude will be — and that is exactly why preparedness must be structured and ready in advance, not improvised at the moment of truth.

For a building manager, the risk is not abstract. An office building is full of elements that can fall, topple or detach in a quake: tall cabinets, shelves, television screens, hanging light fixtures, overhead air-conditioners, water heaters, server racks and facade cladding. Most harm to people in earthquakes comes not from the collapse of the structure itself — but from such non-structural elements that fall. And that is exactly where the manager's role comes in.

There is also an aspect easy to miss: an office building is not a residence. During the day it is sometimes occupied by dozens and hundreds of people who don't know the building — employees, tenants, visitors — and many of them don't know where the exits are, where the stairwells are, or what to do in a quake. In a private home everyone knows their surroundings; in an office building the responsibility to instill preparedness falls almost entirely on the manager. The larger and more populated the building, the greater the weight of advance preparedness — because there is no time to improvise when hundreds of people are present simultaneously under pressure.

The Standards Background — SI 413 and NOP 38

Before we dive into the checklist, it's important to understand the two foundational frameworks that determine how resilient the building itself is. The two complement each other:

• Israeli Standard SI 413: the standard that regulates the seismic design (earthquake resistance) of structures. It is the engineering basis for designing new construction so that it withstands the forces of a quake.
• NOP 38: the National Outline Plan for reinforcing existing structures against earthquakes (retrofit), which for years marked the main route for seismic reinforcement. It was intended precisely for structures built before the standard's requirements were as strict as they are today.

This distinction is critical for the manager: the structural resistance of the building is determined at the planning and construction stage (or the reinforcement), and is not something you can "fix" with an operational checklist. What is within the manager's day-to-day control is the operational preparedness and the mitigation of the non-structural hazards. The depth of the engineering aspect — what the standard requires, how you know whether the structure was reinforced, and what the engineer's role is — we detailed in SI 413 for structural earthquake resistance in office buildings. Read it alongside this guide to connect the two layers.

In practical terms, it's advisable for the manager to have a clear picture of the specific building's resistance question: when it was built, whether it underwent reinforcement, and whether relevant engineering documentation exists. It is not the manager's decision to determine whether the structure meets the standard — that is an engineer's work — but a manager who knows the building is old and was not reinforced will understand that the weight of operational preparedness and hazard mitigation is even higher for him. In any case, operational preparedness is required in every building, old and new alike, because it protects against the risk that does not depend at all on the structural frame's resistance — the falling of non-structural elements.

The "Before" Stage — The Manager's Preparedness Checklist

Here lies the bulk of the manager's work, and here too the greatest leverage: everything done in advance determines how much damage and injury will be prevented at the moment of truth. This is the central checklist, and it's recommended to go over it as a systematic survey of the building:

• Mapping and anchoring heavy hazards: identify all the heavy and tall elements that could topple or fall — water and heating boilers, tall shelves and cabinets, server racks, hanging equipment, and facade or cladding elements. Anchor them to the wall or floor with dedicated anchors.
• Locating and marking the main shut-off valves: make sure that you — and the building staff — know where the main gas shut-off valve, the main electrical breaker, and the main water valve are, and how to close them. Mark them clearly and keep the location accessible.
• Clear escape routes: make sure the escape corridors, stairwells and exits are free of obstacles — storage, furniture or equipment blocking passage become a life-threatening danger at the moment of an evacuation.
• Working emergency lighting and signage: check that the emergency lighting and escape signage are functioning. This is a direct connection to preventive maintenance — we detailed the inspection regime in the preventive maintenance schedule.
• An available emergency kit: keep a maintained, accessible emergency kit (see more on the building's systems in the Knowledge Hub — the building's systems).
• An updated evacuation plan and assembly point: make sure there is a written evacuation plan with a defined assembly point in an open area, and that it is known to the tenants.

A central point: of all the "before" actions, anchoring the non-structural hazards has the highest return — we will expand on it later in a separate section, because it deserves it.

It's worth emphasizing a managerial point regarding the shut-off valves: it is not enough that the manager knows where they are. At the moment of a quake the manager may not be on site, or may be busy handling casualties. Therefore the knowledge must be distributed — at least several permanent staff members in the building should know the location of the gas valve, the electrical breaker and the main water valve, and how to close them. Clear physical marking on site, plus a simple sketch showing their location, turns knowledge that depends on one person into knowledge the system holds. The same principle applies to the evacuation plan and the assembly point: they are worth something only if they are known to the tenants in advance, and not a document lying in a drawer.

The "During" Stage — The Protocol at the Moment of the Quake

The moment the quake begins, there is no time to think — you act according to a rehearsed protocol. The manager is responsible for making sure that those in the building know it in advance. The familiar personal protocol, as the Home Front Command instructs, is essentially:

• Drop, Cover, Hold On: drop to the floor, take cover under sturdy furniture (like a table) to protect against falling objects, and hold on to it.
• Move to a protected space or an open area — wherever you can reach safely: if there is an accessible protected space within short reach, or the option to go out to an open area away from the structure — that is preferable. But do not run in the middle of a strong quake through areas where objects are falling.
• Do not use elevators: under no circumstances enter or use an elevator during a quake or immediately after it — a danger of getting stuck and of collapse. Use the stairs only.
• Keep away from windows and glass facades: windows and facade elements may shatter.

The manager's role at this stage is limited — because the quake itself is short — but critical: to make sure the message "Drop, Cover, Hold On, not in the elevator" has been internalized by all occupants even before the event, through drills and training. The most common mistake at the moment of the quake is the urge to run outside immediately; but running through areas where objects are falling, or exiting onto a sidewalk above which a facade may shed elements, is usually more dangerous than protecting yourself in place. That is why the instruction is not "get out" but "protect yourself — and then, when it's safe to do so, move to a protected space or an open area." Precisely because it is counter-intuitive, early instilling is so important.

The "After" Stage — The First Hours Checklist

The quake has stopped, but the risk has not. The "after" stage is where the manager's decisions determine whether the building safely returns to function or a secondary event is created. Act in order:

• Shutting off gas on suspicion of a leak: if there is a suspicion of a gas leak (smell, hissing sound) — close the main gas valve immediately and do not activate ignition sources or electrical switches.
• A visual inspection of the structure before returning to use: before allowing a return to the structure, carry out a visual review to identify cracks, structural damage, deformations or elements that have loosened. A building that looks damaged does not return to function until a professional inspection.
• Calling a certified structural engineer for assessment: do not rely on impression alone. You must call a structural engineer or an independent engineering supervisor to assess the structure's integrity. The role of the independent engineering party, why it's important that it be independent, and how you choose one — we detailed in the role of independent engineering supervision.
• Documenting damage for insurance purposes: document every damage in photos and in writing immediately — this is the basis for the insurance claim. The importance of orderly documentation and appropriate coverage is explained in office building insurance.
• Checking the building's systems: after structural clearance, check the soundness of the electrical, water, air-conditioning and fire safety systems before a full resumption of activity.

The guiding rule at this stage: when in doubt, act in favor of safety. It is better to delay the return to function than to bring people back into a structure that has not been inspected.

Mitigating Non-Structural Hazards — The Manager's Great Leverage

If you have to choose one action with the highest impact, this is it. The reason is simple: most injuries in earthquakes are caused not by the collapse of the structure — but by the falling of non-structural elements. And this is exactly the domain that is under the manager's full control, and does not require complex engineering but systematic work.

It is about anchoring and securing everything that can fall, topple or detach:

• Tall furniture: cabinets, bookcases and tall shelves — anchor them to the wall with anchoring brackets so they don't topple.
• Heavy and hanging equipment: television screens, light fixtures, overhead air-conditioners and hanging equipment — make sure the mounting is secured and reinforced.
• Server racks and communications rooms: heavy server racks can topple and cause damage and injury — anchor them and secure the equipment inside them.
• Boilers and water heaters: secure water and heating boilers, which are heavy and also pose a risk of pipe rupture and leakage.
• Facade and cladding elements: loose cladding tiles or facade elements are especially dangerous — they fall outward onto sidewalks and people. Their review is integrated into the ongoing envelope maintenance.

Beyond the direct injury, non-structural hazards also have a secondary effect that is easy to miss: a falling element may block an escape route, harm essential equipment, or cause a collateral event — a cabinet falling on an electrical panel, a boiler that ruptures and floods, a screen that shatters and injures. So anchoring is not only the protection of a single person but the protection of the ability to evacuate and of the building's operational continuity. In server racks and communications rooms this aspect is especially acute: a rack that topples can shut down critical systems for days.

The important understanding: this is not a one-time job. Every change in the building — new furniture, new equipment, a renovation — introduces new hazards that require anchoring. Therefore hazard mitigation is a permanent item in the maintenance routine, and not a project that ends. The practical way to make sure this happens is to integrate the hazard survey as a recurring item in the maintenance control — so that in every scheduled round it is also checked that no new un-anchored hazards have been added.

Drills and Documentation — What Turns a Plan into Real Readiness

A preparedness plan that exists only on paper is worth very little at the moment of truth. Two components turn it into real readiness — drilling and documentation.

Drills

The state holds a periodic national earthquake drill (the "Home Front Readiness" drill) led by the Home Front Command. This is an excellent opportunity for the manager to instill the protocol among those in the building: to practice "Drop, Cover, Hold On," to make sure everyone knows not to use the elevator, to practice evacuation to the assembly point, and to identify gaps in the plan. A periodic drill turns the protocol from "knowledge" into a "reflex." It's important to take advantage of the national date but not to rely on it alone — in a building with turnover of tenants and employees, a short briefing for new tenants and a periodic reminder keep readiness "alive" even between the major drills.

A real drill also exposes what a paper survey misses: a route blocked by storage, a locked exit, an assembly point that isn't large enough for the number of people, or tenants who don't know where to go. Every such gap discovered in a drill is a gap that won't be discovered at the moment of truth — and that is exactly the value.

Documentation

As in every managerial domain, documentation is both the professional tool and the protection. Keep an orderly log of: the hazard survey and the anchoring carried out, the location of the shut-off valves, the updated evacuation plan, and documentation of the drills. After an event — documenting the damage is the basis for the insurance claim and the proof that the building was managed responsibly. Integrating the seismic preparedness into the maintenance and control routine ensures it will not be forgotten — see the consolidated inspection regime in the preventive maintenance schedule.

The Coordinating Party — Why Preparedness Requires a Single Owner

Earthquake preparedness falls precisely between the chairs: it is not a "fault" someone calls to fix, not a statutory inspection with an expiry date that forces action, and not the responsibility of a single vendor. Without a party that holds it — it simply doesn't happen. Un-anchored hazards, unmarked shut-off valves, an un-performed drill, and an evacuation plan that becomes outdated. A single managerial party that consolidates the survey, carries out the anchoring, schedules the drills, keeps the documentation, and knows whom to call at the moment of truth — is the difference between a building that "hopes" it will be fine and a building that is prepared.

At Domera Hub we build and operate the emergency preparedness program as part of property management — a hazard survey and anchoring, mapping of shut-off valves, an evacuation plan, drilling and consolidated documentation. We expanded on the engineering background in SI 413 for structural resistance and on the overall emergency routine in emergency procedures in an office building. Get a quote for a preparedness survey for your building.