Purpose

To prevent damage or injury from wires.

Caution

Exterior wires that are located overhead pose a hazard to anyone exiting a building during an earthquake.

Recommendations

Exterior Wires

To prevent damage or injury from exterior wires that are located overhead, follow these steps:

• Contact an electrician to replace external wires that are located overhead with underground wires.
• Designate an individual school staff to notify the local power company of downed power lines. (The designated individual will be responsible for providing information about downed power lines.)

Interior Wires

To prevent damage or injury from internal wires, follow these steps:

• Secure elements that could fall on wires.
• Provide slack in the wires where they connect to equipment, cross seismic joints, or extend through openings in the wall.

Note

During an earthquake, falling objects such as lights can disrupt power.