101A.21 Safety Assessment Placards.

101A.21 Safety Assessment Placards. This section establishes standard placards to be used to indicate the condition of a building or structure after a natural or human-created disaster. A description of the placards to be used is set forth in this Section. The Building Official and their authorized representatives are authorized to post the appropriate placard at each entry point to a building or structure upon completion of a safety assessment. A safety assessment is a visual, nondestructive examination of a building or structure for the purpose of determining the condition for continued

occupancy.

101A.21.1 Application of provisions. The provisions of this section are applicable to all buildings and structures of all occupancies regulated by the City and County of San Francisco.

101A.21.2 Description of placards. The Department of Building Inspection shall use the form of standard placards that the Applied Technology Council has recommended and revises from time to time. The actual placards shall be in a form that the Building Official approves. In addition, the ordinance number, the name of the department, its address, and phone number shall be permanently affixed to each placard. In addition, each placard shall include the following language or its equivalent as determined by the Building Official: Any unauthorized removal, alteration, or covering of this placard shall be considered a violation of the San Francisco Building Code and the responsible person(s) shall be subject to applicable penalties set forth in the code. A general description of the placards is as follows:

1. INSPECTED – LAWFUL OCCUPANCY PERMITTED. This placard is to be posted on any building or structure where no apparent structural hazard has been found. This placard is not intended to mean that there is no damage to the building or structure.

2. RESTRICTED USE. This placard is to be posted on each building or structure that is damaged to such an extent that restrictions on continued occupancy are required. The person or persons authorized to post this placard will note in general terms the type of damage encountered and will note with specificity any restrictions on continued occupancy.

3. UNSAFE – DO NOT ENTER OR OCCUPY. This placard is to be posted on each building or structure that is damaged to such an extent that continued occupancy poses a threat to life safety. Buildings or structures posted with this placard shall not be entered under any circumstance except

as authorized in writing by the Building Official of Building Inspection or his or her authorized representative. Authorized safety assessment individuals or teams may enter these buildings at any time. This placard is not to be used or considered to be a demolition order. The person or persons authorized to post this placard will note in general terms the type of damage encountered.

101A.21.3 Removal or alteration prohibited. Once it has been attached to a building or structure, a placard is not to be removed, altered, or covered except by an authorized representative of the Department or upon written notification from the Department. Any unauthorized removal, alteration, or c ov ering of a placard shall be considered a violation of this code and the responsible person(s) shall be subject to the penalties set forth herein.