Are kitchen and laundry equipment securely anchored?
All large kitchen and laundry equipment should be securely anchored to the floor, wall or countertop, depending on the item. Such equipment includes stoves and ovens, built-in and countertop microwave ovens, garbage compactors, dishwashers, refrigerators and freezers, clothes washers and dryers, and ironing equipment. Is heavy, tall furniture securely fastened to wall studs? Anchor heavy, tall furniture to vertical wall studs, concrete or masonry with steel angle brackets. Even large, heavy objects that appear stable should be secured to the wall. The heavier the furniture, the stronger the restraints need to be. A heavily loaded file cabinet requires much stronger restraints to keep it from overturning than a light file cabinet with the same dimensions. Make sure the screws penetrate the studs behind the wall. Gypsum board, drywall, plaster and other wall coverings are not strong enough to hold heavy furniture during an earthquake. For wood studs (typically located 16 or 24 inches on
All large kitchen and laundry equipment should be securely anchored to the floor, wall or countertop, depending on the item. Such equipment includes stoves and ovens, built-in and countertop microwave ovens, garbage compactors, dishwashers, refrigerators and freezers, clothes washers and dryers, and ironing equipment. Is heavy, tall furniture securely fastened to wall studs? Anchor heavy, tall furniture to vertical wall studs, concrete or masonry with steel angle brackets. Even large, heavy objects that appear stable should be secured to the wall. The heavier the furniture, the stronger the restraints need to be. A heavily loaded file cabinet requires much stronger restraints to keep it from overturning than a light file cabinet with the same dimensions. Make sure the screws penetrate the studs behind the wall. Gypsum board, drywall, plaster and other wall coverings are not strong enough to hold heavy furniture during an earthquake. For wood studs (typically located 16 or 24 inches on
