Traffic light system for disaster-damaged buildings

Civil Defence Minister John Carter is urging local authorities to use new guidelines when assessing the damage to buildings in events such as earthquakes and explosions.

“The national guidelines will help councils give building owners and the public assurance and consistency at times of great worry and stress,” Mr Carter says.

The New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering developed the Building Safety Evaluation guidelines with support from the Department of Building and Housing and the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management.

The guidelines include a colour-coded “traffic light” system for buildings inspected and assessed by councils, outlined below:

RED – Unsafe: Clearly unsafe – do not enter.

YELLOW – Restricted use: Safety concerns. Enter at own risk and only for short periods of time.

GREEN – Inspected: Appears sound. No restrictions on use or entry.

During a state of emergency, councils are responsible for building inspections and public safety in their areas.

The professionally-developed tool is based on international engineering best practice and adapted for New Zealand conditions. The procedures for evaluating damage apply equally in all emergencies.

“Our aim is to make people safer during an emergency and afterwards, and help our communities recover rapidly,” Mr Carter says.

“The key to safety during and after an emergency is the preparation and organisation beforehand. I strongly encourage councils to incorporate the guidelines into their emergency planning procedures.”

Copies of the guidelines can be downloaded from: www.db.nzsee.org.nz/Publications.xml