Seismic Controller Inspection and Testing

Active earthquake instrumentation requires periodic inspection and testing. In the long term, addressing corrosion of electronic components due to moisture issues or galvanic action is a common concern. In the short term, it is important to correct small problems before they become big problems.

Annual inspection and testing is the interval most often specified under code-mandated applications (i.e. Fire Codes or Health & Safety Codes). Insurance companies can sometimes require the insured to install earthquake instrumentation to address specific risks. Our experience is that the insurance company does not always direct the owner to necessarily maintain the subject instrumentation. Nevertheless, annual inspection, test and preventative maintenance is the longest interval that we recommend for industrial and commercial seismic instrumentation. Otherwise, the instrumentation may not operate as designed in response to a strong motion event and the owner may face significant repair costs- as it can be expensive to trouble-shoot and ‘resurrect’ damaged earthquake instrumentation in the field.