43rd Annual Building Safety Month Begins

WASHINGTON, DC — Today marks the first day of Building Safety Month 2023, the International Code Council’s 43^rd annual campaign designed to increase awareness of building safety issues in homes, schools and other global buildings.

“This year’s theme, ‘It Starts with You’, invites people to consider how building safety impacts nearly every part of their lives including their homes and families,” said Code Council President Michael Wich, CBO. “During Building Safety Month, we encourage people to become more aware of the building codes and standards that protect us from harm. We hope it leads to more discussions around what we can all do to create safer spaces to live, work and play.”

The weekly themes for this year’s campaign are:

• Week One: Building Safety Starts at Home (May 1-7) highlights how building safety impacts our everyday lives.
• Week Two: Building Safety Professionals and You (May 8-14) clarifies the role of building safety professionals in our communities.
• Week Three: Preparing your Community (May 15-21) focuses on how to prepare for natural disasters and other hazardous events.
• Week Four: Advocating for your Community (May 22-28) provides tips and tools to advocate for local building safety.
• Week Five: Solving Challenges Together (May 29-31) illustrates what countries are doing to address issues such as water scarcity and clean buildings.

Each year, the Code Council, its members and communities around the world celebrate building safety through proclamations, educational events and community gatherings. To view current proclamations, or submit your own proclamation to declare May as Building Safety Month, click here.

“Building safety is something many people take for granted,” said Code Council Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO. “By becoming more aware of building codes and the important role they play in the built environment, we can take an active part in keeping our homes, schools, businesses, and communities safe and sustainable.”

View the 2023 Building Safety Month Poster here, or learn about sponsorship options by clicking here.

Changes to Code Development Process

The Code Council is also reshaping its code development process and seeking volunteers for three committees, beginning in 2024 for the development of the 2027 International Codes. These changes will foster a more democratized, in-depth vetting of code change proposals which will directly impact the quality of code content. The application deadline for all committees is June 1, 2023. To learn more and apply for these committees, please click here or contact Russ Manning, SVP, Technical Services.

For more information, visit BuildingSafetyMonth.org or ICCsafe.org.