Hospitals should have a clear Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to install new equipment within hospitals to avoid damage, losses, and injuries following an earthquake event. The SOP helps ensure that the concerned department and the staff members are aware of the key specifications for installing and anchoring medical equipment in the hospital so that they do not fail due to earthquake shaking.

Medical equipment is part of hospitals’ complex electrical, mechanical, and architectural components. Modern hospitals have more advanced and sophisticated medical equipment, and their cost is higher than the hospital’s buildings. Moreover, the functionality of a hospital relies on several factors, including the availability of utilities and medical equipment. In an earthquake event, the medical equipment can fall, break, and cause damage if it is not secured or anchored correctly.