Austin Code Department joins International Code Council for the celebration of Building Safety Month 2020
May 2020 is Building Safety Month
In May 2020, the Austin Code Department will participate in the 40th annual Building Safety Month, a worldwide campaign presented by the International Code Council, its members and partners to promote building safety. This year’s campaign, “Safer Buildings, Safer Communities, Safer World,” highlights the importance of building codes for providing a strong and resilient built environment, and regularly updated codes that ensure that communities are protected in the face of disasters.
As we prepare ourselves for the increased severity and frequency of natural disasters, building safety is even more important. Disaster mitigation through the adoption and enforcement of building codes is one of the best ways for communities to prepare and protect against future disasters. Homes and buildings that are built in compliance with building safety codes and the officials who enforce the codes are essential to helping communities minimize the risks of death, injury and property damage in the event of a disaster.
This year’s campaign themes are: Week One, May 1-10, Disaster Preparedness; Week Two, May 11-17, Water Safety; Week Three, May 18-24, Resiliency. Sustainability. Innovation.; and Week Four, May 25-31, Training the Next Generation.
“The men and women that serve as building safety and fire prevention experts are heroes to our communities,” said José G. Roig, Interim Austin Code Director. “They inspect buildings and review construction plans to ensure code compliance and to ensure the places where you live, work and play are safe.”
With an extensive history dating back to 2200 B.C and the Code of the Hammurabi, king of the Babylonian Empire, building codes have protected the public for thousands of years. The regulation of building construction in the United States dates back to the 1700s. Today, the International Codes, developed by the Code Council and adopted by our community, are the most widely used and adopted set of building safety codes in the U.S. and around the world.
Learn more about Building Safety Month at http://www.buildingsafetymonth.org or join the conversation on social media using #BuildingSafety365.