When planning IT infrastructure in seismically active regions, teams often encounter two terms that are frequently misunderstood—or incorrectly treated as interchangeable: OSHPD-approved and seismic-rated.
With a wide range of seismic claims and certifications on the market, it’s important to understand a key distinction that is often misunderstood: OSHPD-approved versus seismic-rated racks. While both address seismic safety, they are intended for different objectives.
Why This Distinction Matters
In many facilities—especially healthcare, emergency response, and communications environments—IT infrastructure is expected to remain accessible and functional during and after a seismic event.
The choice between OSHPD-approved and seismic-rated racks directly affects:
- Equipment protection
- Post-event operability
- Network recovery time
- Confidence during inspection and approval
Understanding what each designation actually covers helps teams make more defensible infrastructure decisions.
What Does OSHPD Approval Mean?
OSHPD (Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development) governs healthcare construction and seismic safety requirements in California. Products that carry OSHPD Pre-approval of Manufacturer’s Certification (OPM) have been reviewed to confirm that:
- Structural supports and attachments meet OSHPD requirements
- Anchorage methods are properly addressed
- Installation and permitting processes can be streamlined
OSHPD approval provides confidence that a rack or support structure meets minimum seismic requirements for healthcare facilities, particularly hospitals and skilled nursing environments.
Example: OSHPD-Pre-approved Two-Post Standard Rack
are commonly specified where compliance and constructability are the primary drivers. Typical characteristics include:
- 3” (80 mm) or 6” (150 mm) mounting channel options
- 1,000 lb (453.6 kg) static load rating
- Integrated grounding features
- Support for 19” EIA rack-mount equipment
These racks ensure that supports and attachments to the building structure are properly addressed for seismic requirements—but they are not designed to manage dynamic seismic motion at high equipment loads.
What Does “Seismic-Rated” Mean?
- A seismic-rated rack is specifically reinforced to perform under earthquake conditions. Rather than relying solely on anchorage calculations, seismic-rated racks are designed to resist the swaying motion caused by seismic activity and reduce the transfer of vibration to installed equipment.
- These racks are typically selected when:
- Seismic design criteria specifies that equipment must remain operational
- Higher equipment densities are required
- Faster post-event recovery is a priority
Example: SeismicFrame® Two-Post Rack
Seismic-rated racks such as the are engineered with:
- A robust, fully welded steel frame
- Additional structural bracing to resist multi-directional motion
- Independent seismic testing and certification
- The SeismicFrame Two-Post Rack meets Telcordia® Technologies Inc. GR-63-CORE Network Equipment Building Systems (NEBS) Zone 4 requirements and carries a 1,000 lb (453 kg) seismic load rating—meaning the rack has been evaluated to support that load during simulated seismic motion, not just under static conditions.
This design helps reduce equipment damage during an earthquake and supports faster network recovery compared to non-seismic racks.
Why Teams Trust Chatsworth Products for Seismic Protection
Based in Southern California—one of the most seismically active regions in North America—Chatsworth Products (CPI) has long designed infrastructure with seismic performance in mind.
Rather than relying on a single benchmark, CPI evaluates seismic performance across multiple recognized standards and leverages third-party validation to understand how different testing methods compare under real-world conditions. This approach helps ensure that seismic claims are defensible, documented, and appropriate for the application.
Learn more about CPI’s or to discuss your specific application.
