Introduction

This course shows building owners, engineers, and maintenance personnel how to attach mechanical equipment to a building to minimize earthquake damage. Many attachment examples are presented, to include anchoring and the use of special devices called seismic restraint devices.

Seismic restraint devices include vibration isolation systems, cable or strut suspension systems, roof attachment systems, and steel shapes.

Please note that this course does not replace:

• Printed instructions shipped with the equipment.
• Instructions in contract drawings/specifications.
• Code-required, industry-accepted practices.
• Orders from your supervisor.
• Seismic Restraint Device Submittals.

Please note that this course does not cover:

• Non-building structural framing required to elevate equipment above the floor.

This course contains these sections:

• Equipment: Arranged according to different kinds of mechanical equipment such as Air Compressors, Cooling Towers, Pumps, etc.
• Attachment Types: Gives instructions on installing equipment in different arrangements known as attachment types.
• Anchors: Shows many different types of anchors used to connect equipment to a building.
• Special cases: Covers housekeeping pads, cable assemblies, support for control panels, and residential equipment.

Special precautions are marked:

A flag means you should take special care before continuing. Read all the information next to a flag before attaching the equipment.

A warning sign means you can cause serious damage to the building, the device, or the equipment if you do not follow the instructions exactly.

A book means you should refer to the manufacturer’s printed instructions before continuing.