President Obama Proclaims May as National Building Safety Month

Proclamation Recognizes Importance of Dedicated Professionals Nationwide Who Keep Buildings Safe and Help Maintain a Resilient, Energy-Efficient Infrastructure

President Obama has proclaimed May as National Building Safety Month, declaring it a time to “recognize and pay tribute to those who ensure the safety and resilience of our Nation’s buildings, and we reaffirm our commitment to upholding and abiding by strong and effective building safety standards.”

The proclamation also reads, “Maintaining the safety and resilience of our homes and buildings is imperative. By using disaster-resistant building codes and standards, resilient construction materials, and safe and performance-based design methods, we can safeguard the workplaces, houses, schools, and other facilities that provide us with space to grow, live, and learn.”

“Building Safety Month is the perfect time to focus on the dedicated building safety professionals who are working hard every day to protect citizens in the built environment,” said International Code Council (ICC) Board of Directors President Alex Olszowy, III, with the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government in Lexington, Ky. “We are very pleased with the support and public visibility given to building safety—and those professionals in the industry working to ensure it—including support by ICC Member jurisdictions, ICC Chapters, and recognition by presidential and municipal proclamations.”

Founded by the Code Council in 1980, Building Safety Month is celebrated annually by jurisdictions across the nation. The safety campaign reinforces the need for the adoption of modern, model building codes; a strong and efficient system of code compliance; and a well-trained, professional workforce to provide public safety. A diverse partnership of building safety, design and construction professionals, corporations, government agencies, professional associations and nonprofits come together to support Building Safety Month because they understand the need for safe, resilient and sustainable structures.

“Addressing resiliency in the built environment and urging all Americans to learn more about how they can contribute to resiliency at home and in their communities—including disaster mitigation, water quality and conservation, energy efficiency, fire and wildfire prevention—is what Building Safety Month is all about,” said ICC Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO. “We thank all the ICC Members and Chapters who hold public safety events this month and recognize the generosity of our sponsors who make building safety a priority.”

Weekly Building Safety Month themes support the overall message of “Building Codes: Driving Growth through Innovation, Resilience and Safety”:

• May 2-8, “Building Solutions for All Ages”
• May 9-15, “The Science behind the Codes”
• May 16-22, “Learn from the Past, Build for Tomorrow”
• May 23-29, “Building Codes: A Smart Investment”

The proclamation can be read online at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/04/29/presidential-proclamation-national-building-safety-month-2016.

About the International Code Council

The International Code Council is a member-focused association. It is dedicated to developing model codes and standards used in the design, build and compliance process to construct safe, sustainable, affordable and resilient structures. Most U.S. communities and many global markets choose the International Codes.