If You Still Have Questions Contact ISAT Customer Support

Q: Does ISAT only work on OSHPD projects?

A: Although ISAT has a tremendous amount of OSHPD experience (189 Hospitals in 2 years), over half of our projects are Non-OSHPD and/or outside of California.

Q: Does the OSHPD approval on the ISAT Manual ever expire?

A: No. OSHPD approvals are valid as long as the applicable building code remains in effect. Please see our bulletin under OSHPD INFO on ISAT's Home Page.

Q: Who is OSHPD?

A: OHSPD stands for Office of Statewide Planning and Development. They are the governing agency for hospital construction in California..

Q: Do only hospitals require equipment anchorage?

A: No. Equipment anchorage is required for all structures. Hospital construction is under the heaviest scrutiny due to essential facilities requirements and as a result the issue comes up more often. It also comes up quite often in school construction.

Q: How does the new CBC 2010 affect me?

A: On July 1st of 2010 a new code was published for use in California. The new California Building Code of 2010 (CBC 2010) will go into effect on January 1st of 2011. The new code is based on the 2009 IBC and ASCE/SEI 7-05. Here's how the transition to the new code will work … all plans submitted to the state for permit on January 1st, 2011 or later, will be plan checked and constructed in accordance with the CBC 2010. As such, new calculations will be required. If a building was submitted for plan check on Dec. 31, 2010 or earlier, it will be plan checked and constructed in accordance with the CBC 2007 code. All 2007 code calculations will be valid for those structures.

Q: Is my current OPA number (2001, 2007 CBC) still valid?

A: The validity of the OPA’s is exactly the same as the calculations mentioned above. For projects submitted after January 1st, 2011, new OPA’s will be needed. The new designation for these will be OPA-0000-10. The -10 represents “in accordance with the CBC 2010.” The original 4 digit number will remain the same as the previous OPA-number. Previously, OSHPD had a stamp on the pre-approvals that stated "valid for 3 years". They did away with that in 2007 and introduced a new policy whereby the pre-approval never expires and is valid for the code for which it is approved.

Q: Is there a grace period where my current OPA (2001 CBC) will be allowed for 2007 CBC projects? For the 2010 projects?

A: Yes. Currently, OSHPD is allowing 2001 CBC approvals for 2007 code projects. http://www.oshpd.ca.gov/FDD/Pre-Approval/

OSHPD has not established a policy for 2010 code OPAs yet (1/1/11), However they are considering the use of 2007 OPAs to be valid for 2010 code projects, provided that a 2010 renewal has been submitted.

Q: How long does the pre-approval process take and cost?

A: The process varies dramatically with OSHPD’s workload. Currently, generally three to six months to get the initial comments back. ISAT will typically take one week to respond to these comments and resubmit for final approval, whereby OSHPD takes about another week for final processing. The Cost varies dramatically with the number and type of equipment being submitted. Contact ISAT for approximate estimates.

Q: Do I need an OPA number in order to sell my equipment in California?

A: No. The pre-approval program is a voluntary program offered by the state and not a requirement of the California Building Code or OSHPD, only a recommendation. However, due to the nature of installations and the number of parties involved, pre-approval has become a way of expiditing the installation and permit process. The greatest value to pre-approval is as a marketing tool. Many hospitals prefer equipment with an OPA number, which then leads to architectural firms requesting them. Having an OPA number has become a way of bypassing an initial disqualification by a hospital.

Q: What is a seismic qualification / special seismic certification?

A: This is a new requirement that certain mechanical and electrical equipment must remain operational following an earthquake. Manufacturers of this equipment must submit a declaration (termed Special Seismic Certification) that the equipment will remain operational after a design level earthquake. A dynamic test (or shaketest) must be performed followed by a report (in accordance with OSHPD standards) stating that the unit has passed and is seismically qualified. These reports must be prepared by a California licensed structural, civil, or mechanical engineer. They must be reviewed and accepted by a California licensed structural engineer.

Q: What about states other than California?

A: Although not a requirement, we are seeing many states recognize California OSHPD pre-approval as a complete and thorough review of equipment anchorage. Recently Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington have inquired about our client's pre-approval status.

Q: Where can I get a map to see which seismic zone I'm in?

A: The new IBC and CBC refer to these seismic zones differently. These zones are now defined by "Spectral Accelerations" and "Site Classifications". Our calculations and Pre-Approvals cover a worst case scenario for California and most of the country.

Q: I'm being asked to provide a "wet signature"?

A: The CBC and IBC, require all stationary equipment to be structurally anchored. ISAT's company calculations determine the magnitude of the seismic forces that are induced on a structureby a manufacturer's piece of equipment. It is then the "engineer of record's" responsibility to ensure that the structure itself can support the weights and forces shown from ISAT's calculations. Only when the structure has been determined adequate, can a building permit be issued. The stamp on the drawing (in many cases) must be a wet signature. this stamp is that of the Engineer of Record, not ISAT. ISAT is rarely the engineer of record.

Q: Today's date is beyond the "expired" date on the Structural Stamp, is my calculation still valid?

A: Our calculation is valid as long as the date on the calculation is prior to the engineered stamp. The expiration date as related to the date of the permitted drawings, applies to the Engineer of Record's stamp, not the ISAT stamp (see question above). If there is no Engineer of Record, it is not acceptable to put ISAT in that position without expressed written consent.

Q: What information do you need to complete your calculations?

A: Please Contact ISAT and we will tell you what we need to complete the calculations.

If you are in need of ISAT's OPA-0485 please call to request your copy, or it can be viewed online free by requesting a username and password to the ISAT Vault.