6
UWI TODAY – SUNDAY 16 DECEMBER, 2018
70
th
ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE
NATIONAL SAFETY
– ISSUE ARCHIVE JULY 2010
The location and geologic setting
of Trinidad and Tobago
make it susceptible to earthquakes. Most of the previous
earthquakes which could have caused significant damage
have been centered in a number of zones offshore.
Increased vulnerability and our understanding of the
seismo-tectonics of the south-eastern Caribbean indicate
that the earthquake threat is very significant within the
21st century. (The UWI recently collaborated with the
European Centre for Training and Research in Earthquake
Engineering (EUCENTRE) to produce new seismic hazard
maps for the Eastern Caribbean.)
As the country increases its building stock, population
and infrastructure will become exposed to the seismic
risk. Implementing mitigation measures and reducing
vulnerability are the most effective mechanisms to reduce
the potentially devastating impact of future strong and
major earthquakes. Measures such as the application of
building codes and land use policies are most effective
when applied at the planning and design stages of projects.
In order to reduce the potential impact of the next large
magnitude earthquake that could affect Trinidad and
Tobago a comprehensive strategy needs to be determined.
The UWI Seismic Research Centre and the Office of
Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) held
a two-day national consultation, “Earthquake Safety in
Trinidad and Tobago – A call for action!” in early July to
identify measures to improve earthquake safety.
Out of just over a dozen presentations on related
themes–some identifying vulnerable areas as south-west
of Tobago, Toco and Chaguaramas, and that the Central
Plain Fault may be locked and could experience a significant
magnitude earthquake–discussions identified several
deficiencies in the country’s state of preparedness and
proposed ways to address them.
DEFICIENCIES IDENTIFIED
At the organisational and administrative level, flaws
were found in the design approval process regarding
construction of buildings, as well as in the regulation and
monitoring of construction.
Since builders and contractors are not licensed, no
mechanisms exist to ascertain their competencies or
knowledge in earthquake risk reduction techniques.
The registration process for engineers needs
improvement.
Data collection on risk assessment and management
is inconsistent. No database on building structures exists.
National disaster legislation does not exist, and there
is no active public education programme.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Discussions took place at regular intervals between
presentations and at the end, several recommendations
were made by participants and a way forward proposed.
The following outlines those proposals.
A National Earthquake Stakeholder Organization
(NESO) should be set up with a Steering Committee to take
the work forward. The NESO should be a public-private
partnership to which any individual or organisation can
belong.
Th e Gov e r nme n t s hou l d b e app r i s e d o f
recommendations made with respect to Earthquake Risk
Reduction.
A series of workshops/meetings will undertake to
establish work groups and define a work programme,
designate an operational base, and develop a business plan.
Specific actions identified by Consultation participants:
A. SHORT-TERM (1-2 YEARS)
Publish a National Building Code and enact
legislation to govern its use
Make the Small Building Code freely available to all
builders (one presenter, Richard Clarke, provided a
link for builders that he called a free, how-to-manual
at
/)
Organise earthquake risk reduction training for
engineers, disaster management professions, building
inspectors and builders.
Assess the state of critical facilities with respect to
susceptibility to earthquake and determine the needs
for retrofitting.
Undertake economic impact analysis of earthquake
risk reduction and analyze the financial requirements
for preventative action.
Analyze the organisational capacity of regulatory and
monitoring agencies to undertake the tasks required.
Develop risk management financial solutions for
property owners (driven by the insurance sector).
Employ engineers with experience in Earthquake
Resistant Design in the Regional Corporations and
City Councils.
A SHAKE UP CALL
Consultation delivers an earthquake action plan
Establish clear guidelines for the construction of
buildings in Trinidad and Tobago.
B. MEDIUM-TERM (3-5 YEARS)
Draft and enact national disaster legislation.
Access the quality of all building stock and determine
the needs and costs for retrofitting.
Undertake comprehensive rehabilitation of critical
facilities and infrastructure and implement other
required solutions for total national resilience to
optimal levels.
Undertake public awareness programmes designed
to obtain a mindset/culture change with respect to
natural hazard mitigation.
Establish a budget for preventative action.
Undertake scientific quantitative regional loss
estimation.
Review the existing system for the registration of
Engineers (including Structural Engineers).
Review and improve the approval process for
building design and construction.
Establish a mechanism for the licensing of
Contractors.
Instrument the Central Plain Fault.
Promote and undertake engineering research on
unique forms of local construction.
Establish clear procedures for the registration of
foreign engineers working in Trinidad and Tobago.
Arrange for ongoing training and professional
development of staff of the regulatory approval
agencies.
Dr. Richard Robertson, Director Seismic Research Centre
From left, Mr. Lloyd Lynch, Instrumentation Engineer SRC ,
and Dr. Myron Chin Former Director of NEMA (now OD PM)
and Former lecturer Dept of Civil Engineering UWI, at the
national consultation.
