Don't Take Cover under a Table during an Earthquake?

So, we in Los Angeles and Orange County has just experienced an earthquake--no big deal. After the event, some co-workers of mine told us that taking cover under the desk was not the right thing to do during an earthquake. Instead, they suggested laying low next to cubicle panel.

Their reasoning was that if you're under the desk, if something fall on top of the desk, the desk could collapse and you're crushed.

If you're next to cubicle panel, the object will hit the top of the panel first and end up falling away from the panel.

Now, my co-workers couldn't really cite their sources but they said the study/observation was done by those countries that have frequent eartquakes like Japan, etc. Google so far returned nothing but to take cover under the table.

What do you say?

realize that it is only a 5.8 and continue working :P I've been told door ways are the place to be but I suppose in an office there aren't enough of those to go around.

I recommend taking cover under the closest field. Fortunately this is easily done here in Ireland.

Cast 'Float' on the entire party.

It used to be doorways, but lately I've heard under strong tables or desks is good.

A table or desk shields you better from small debris, and if it is big debris then it doesn't matter as much where you are.

I guess that if your table is strong enough hiding under it is good, but if you overestimated its strength then you would be guaranteed to be dead. I suppose hiding next to a large object will give you a some chance of surviving some even larger object falling over it (even if it does not fall away it might crush the other object and yet leave you with some breathing room), but yeah, you might end up getting killed by smaller pieces of debris, or by a second round of the earthquake.

Thankfully, Singapore is only vulnerable to floods. Then again, if global warming gets bad enough, the whole of Singapore save a few hills could be underwater.

The best advice I ever got was duck, cover and hold on, under a desk or something else really sturdy.

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Originally Posted by twomers

I recommend taking cover under the closest field. Fortunately this is easily done here in Ireland.

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That's the worst advice actually -- If you're inside, don't try to go outside. If you're outside then your advice is okay.

From what I heard, hiding BESIDE a table is a better idea than UNDER. Make sure to stay below the tabletop, though.

I was there during the 7.3 earthquake in Taiwan some years ago. It was 1am. No one cared about ducking, and just ran for their lives to get out of buildings. I ran through 4 stories to get to the door. While the staircase was still shaking. I've known better since then, but it was a miracle that I came out alive :).

Make sure it's a table with a lot of columns and rows.

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Originally Posted by cyberfish

From what I heard, hiding BESIDE a table is a better idea than UNDER. Make sure to stay below the tabletop, though.

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See, this is really what I told my co-worker: "Give me your source."
For now, I don't buy it.

>> From what I heard, hiding BESIDE a table is a better idea than UNDER. Make sure to stay below the tabletop, though.

And how does that make sense? If whatever is falling is strong enough to crush the table, then it will crush you as well since you have no protection above you.

If it is not strong enough to crush the table, then you are better protected under the table than next to it.

This says "under":
http://www.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake/eq_during.shtm

Here's a source in regards to your topic:

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors...le-of-life.htm


quick quote from the above link:

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Simply stated, when buildings collapse, the weight of the ceilings
falling upon the objects or furniture inside crushes these objects, leaving a
space or void next to them. This space is what I call the 'triangle of life'.
The larger the object, the stronger, the less it will compact. The less the
object compacts, the larger the void, the greater the probability that
the person who is using this void for safety will not be injured. The next
time you watch collapsed buildings, on television, count the 'triangles' you
see formed. They are everywhere. It is the most common shape, you will see,
in a collapsed building.

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alphaoide- hope this helps answer your question. Whether you buy it or not will be up to you.

Urban legend or fact? Who really knows *shrugs*.

I for one will not be under a desk, no matter how "sturdy" I perceive it to be.

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Now, my co-workers couldn't really cite their sources but they said the study/observation was done by those countries that have frequent eartquakes like Japan, etc. Google so far returned nothing but to take cover under the table.

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I remember hearing this advice before, and now I remember that it was in an email. A quick background check of the email source reveals that it may be not be sound: Triangle of Life.

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And how does that make sense? If whatever is falling is strong enough to crush the table, then it will crush you as well since you have no protection above you.

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The reasoning is that the table next to you would be compressed, but there is a chance that it would reach the limit of compression before the object that fell could crush you. If so, you would then be trapped in a small gap next to the table, with some chance of survival. Of course, if rescue never comes, you would probably have been better off with a quick death rather than this slow death from thirst :p

My main objection is that this is a double gamble: you would be gambling that smaller pieces of fallen debris will not kill you anyway, and that the objects next to you will not be so badly crushed that you end up crushed as well. If you just hide under the object, you are only gambling that it would not be crushed enough to crush you.

I think that if I'm close to the street I'd prefer to get out. Somehow the thought of waiting it out under a table with a potential collapsing roof - probably with several storeys over me - just doesn't strike me as a very smart thing to do.

If I'm living in a tall building then I guess a table would have to do. That or a doorway I guess. But then the floor under me might just collapse and my last thoughts will no doubt be "Oh, screw that!".

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Originally Posted by valkyrie22

Here's a source in regards to your topic:

alphaoide- hope this helps answer your question. Whether you buy it or not will be up to you.

Urban legend or fact? Who really knows *shrugs*.

I for one will not be under a desk, no matter how "sturdy" I perceive it to be.

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Awesome, thanks. The authorities still suggests to duck under desk despite that guy's observation. I will still need more to be convinced

>> That's the worst advice actually -- If you're inside, don't try to go outside. If you're outside then your advice is okay.
True, I suppose. You can tell I'm experienced, no? The closest I've come to one was that movie volcano.

>> Cast 'Float' on the entire party.
Heh. Either that or wrap everything in bubblewrap.

Here in Tehran there is a great danger of earthquake (Though nobody cares). We've always told to go under table, under doorways, etc. But after reading an article all those advice seemed ridicules to me. It was in Farsi, but I try to translate some of it.

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This article is written by Doug Copp in "Iran News" newspaper in march 6th of 2005. About lowering earthquake destructions.

I am Doug Copp the Chief (Head?) of Rescue Team and Chief of American Rescue Team International (ARTI). "Here he talks about his many experiances about earthqakes". In 1996 we made a documented movie which was a proof to my methods. Centeral government of Turkey, Local Offices and university of Islambul cooperated with ARTI in producing this movie. We fell down a school and a house over 20 manikins. 10 of them where in Duck and Cover style and ten other in my survive style named "Triangle Of Life". After analyzing this manmade earthquake, Duck And Cover manikins had a chance of survival equal to zero percent while Triangle Of Life manikins chance was equal to 100%. In building destructions the heavy falling objects that come from top, hit furniture together and make an empty space around them. This space is what I call Triangle Of Life.

I teached Trujillo city firemen to survive on earthquakes. The chief of fire station who is also a university professor at City Univ. always helped me and was a proof to my words. This is his words:

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My name is Roberto Rozales (sia: not sure of spelling).When I was 11 because of earthquake in 1972 which killed more than 70,000 people, I traped in a destructed building. The thing which saved me was the Triangle Of Life that was formed beside my brother's bicycle. I am the example of survival in Triangle Of Life. All of my friends who had gone under the table or bed died. My friend are the example of Duck and Cover.

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Mr. Copps Recommendations:
1) Never use duck and cover. People who get cover under table or car will be crushed right there.
2) Dogs, Cats and infants by instinct get a form like a germ in mother's womb. You should use this style so you can survive in less living space.
3) Wood buildings are the safest buildings you can go inside when earth quakes. "Some reasonings"
4) If earthquake happens when you are asleep. Just roll down beside your bed.
5)If you are watching TV and there is no time to escape from window. Get a germ style around sofa.
6) The ones who stand in doorways are going to die. Frame of door may fall back or front, then buildingmateril wll crush you.
7) Don't go on stairs. They have a different natural frequency from whole building so they hit the building till one of them falls down.
8) Go around the outer walls of building.
9) If you are in the car driving under the bridge, don't stay in your car.
10) Get a germ style around paper boxes.

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Sorry for bad translation. I know there where some better phrases which I couldn't remember.

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But after reading an article all those advice seemed ridicules to me.

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It is the same article as the ones that valkyrie22 and I linked to. Both the linked articles cast doubt on the credentials and advice of Doug Copp.

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It is the same article as the ones that valkyrie22 and I linked to. Both the linked articles cast doubt on the credentials and advice of Doug Copp.

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lol sorry I didn't noticed, maybe the posts came when I was translating(?). Then its just an english exercise for me. I will compare my translation with the original article. You can do so and give me a mark!

Stop Drop & Roll, you Earthquake noobs.

What exactly is "germ style".

Curling up, like when you do a cannonball into a pool.

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Originally Posted by dwks

Curling up, like when you do a cannonball into a pool.

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Aka "Fetal position" - I couldn't remember what it was called yesterday. Only realized on my way home from work in the evening, and didn't switch the computer on when I got home.

--
Mats

I thought he meant Fetal Position, I attributed that it was a babbelfish error.

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Originally Posted by ethic

Stop Drop & Roll, you Earthquake noobs.

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I thought that's when your clothing is on fire? Why would rolling on the floor help you during an earthquake? :O

QuantumPete

Here are a few of the reasons for some of the advise given on where to go in an earthquake, as relayed to me by a friend who is a structural engineer.

Doorways - because if a flat panel structure collapses (like a house) the doorframe will provide a space where you wont be completely crushed between panels.

Under a desk/table. Same reason as a doorway.

Dont go outside (house) - if the structure collapses it could colapse on you.

Dont go outside (earthquake hardened office building) - falling debri (glass, building material, etc.)

Near a wall - if the wall collapses towards you, objects near the wall (chairs, china cabinet etc) will act as braces keeping it from crushing you. If it collapses away from you objects near the wall will act as braces to prevent the cieling from cioing down on you.


and im sick and tired of every californian thinking their an expert on earthquakes. Personally I live on the New Madrid fault, because I dont like being teased with those little quakes CA has. I want the big one :)

>> Why would rolling on the floor help you during an earthquake?
He was joking.

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Originally Posted by QuantumPete

I thought that's when your clothing is on fire? Why would rolling on the floor help you during an earthquake? :O

QuantumPete

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IF the gates of hell open up in the process of the earthquake, you'll most likely be on fire.

Also, is standing in, say, the middle of a street advisable, granted it's not a busy street or a local road.

If the gates of hell open up, Im siezing control of the Ice Water Factories.

If the Gates of Hell open up I'm charging in and taking over...

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Originally Posted by Thantos

If the Gates of Hell open up I'm charging in and taking over...

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Which should be easy with MacGyver's deathray ;)

QuantumPete