Gauntt & Associates Offers Q-Safety Earthquake Strapping Devices for Business and Residential Safety Protection against Natural Disasters

OSHA demands that businesses maintain a safe workplace but few families take advantage of earthquake protection devices. The Northridge Earthquake, which was not a major quake, caused $40 billion of physical damage in 1994. In addition, thousands of people were injured from falling objects in their homes while they slept.

Seal Beach, CA (PRWEB) April 18, 2005 -- Gauntt & Associates, a firm focused on helping businesses become proactive in the health and safety of their employees and their families, has added Q-Safety strapping products to its product line. People are the life-blood of business, and helping to protect them on the job and at home is imperative to keep businesses efficient. Although business workplace safety, including earthquake strapping, is required by OSHA, most residential dwelling units have only water heater strapping.

Its automatic for most people to buckle up before leaving the driveway. No one expects to have an accident, but the potential is real and the only way to protect their family is to be proactive and diligent.

Yet few use this proactive approach to protect their family during an earthquake or other potential calamity. Anyone who experienced the magnitude 6.7 Northridge Earthquake in the early morning of January 17, 1994 will tell you that it was a huge quake with enormous energy. Yet that earthquake was not that big of a deal, as earthquakes are ranked. It only made it to the Strong category, which occurs on average 120 times a year -- somewhere.

As a quick reminder of the Northridge earthquake damage, the blind thrust jolt left thousands of people immediately homeless; earthquake preparedness may or may not have helped them. Many thousands required treatment for their injuries; earthquake strapping would have undoubtedly slashed this total dramatically. More than 60 people were killed; again, not having heavy furniture fall on top of a person would have undoubtedly saved a number of these people.

Although most people were home, businesses also suffered dramatically. Downstream damage from earthquakes to business has significant adverse economic implications, including shutting down the business for clean-up and repairs, laying off workers, and forcing many businesses to fold or move. The economic loss as a result of the Northridge quake was more than $8 billion.

On average, about 1,000 earthquakes with intensities of 5.0 or greater are recorded each year. Great earthquakes (intensity 8.0 or higher) occur once a year, major earthquakes (intensity 7.0--7.9) occur 18 times a year, strong earthquakes (intensity 6.0--6.9) 10 times a month, and moderate earthquakes (intensity 5.0--5.9) more than twice a day. Because most of these occur under the ocean or in under-populated areas, they pass unnoticed by all but seismologists. Eight of the 15 largest earthquakes in the continental U.S. have occurred in California.

The available supply of earthquake straps and available handy-men is most often depleted after the initial earthquake, when people prepare for the inevitable after shocks. By that time, its too late to protect your home, your family, and what remains of your belongings.

suggested photograph http://www.oes.ca.gov/Operational/OESHome.nsf/Content/8E2280A52B8551AF88256F64005F6117?OpenDocument

caption: Los Angeles, California apartment complex is destroyed by the Northridge Earthquake
Credit photo as "Robert A. Eplett/OES CA"
California Governor's Office of Emergency Services

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