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Building Safety Month: Promoting Safer Structures for All
Building Safety Month, held each May by the International Code Council (ICC), raises awareness about the importance of building codes in creating safe, resilient structures. The campaign aims to educate the public, professionals, and policymakers on how codes protect lives and property.
2025 marks the 45th Edition of Building Safety Month
On May 22, our Building Inspections team presented to Cedar Hill residents on key topics including contractor fraud, the residential permitting process, and important building safety requirements.
Building safety plays a vital role in protecting people, property, and the long-term health of our neighborhoods.
If you missed the session, you can view the presentation here.
Interested in hosting a building safety meeting in your neighborhood? Let us know—we’d be happy to help you schedule one.
On April 22, 2025, Mayor Stephen Mason officially proclaimed May 2025 as Building Safety Month in Cedar Hill, Texas.
This proclamation underscores the city's commitment to promoting building safety awareness and highlights the importance of modern building codes in ensuring the safety and resilience of our community's structures.
- The Basics of Building Safety
- Preparing a Building Safety Plan
- Learning from the Pros
- Engaging Your Community
- Celebrating Success in Building Safety
Evidence of “building safety” is all around us. From an individual level, building safety can include installing smoke alarms in your house or giving portable heaters at least three feet of space. From a community level, building safety can include adopting modern building codes or enacting sustainability initiatives.
Remember, building safety is a comprehensive mission that is only possible when we work together for positive change.
- All communities need building codes to protect their citizens from hazards like fires, weather-related events and structural collapse.
- Building codes are society's best way of protecting homes, offices, schools, manufacturing facilities, stores and entertainment venues.
- Building safety professionals, including code officials, work day in and day out to keep the public safe.
Resources
Images and information courtesy of the International Code Council.
Fire, Water, and Electrical Safety
Modern homes and buildings incorporate the latest building codes and are designed to minimize the possibility and effects of fire and other risks. While building safety professionals help maintain this system, there are preventative tasks that all contribute to occupant health, occupant safety and security and overall sustainability (more on this in the last section).
Here we've listed a few brief fire safety tips, and be sure to also download and review our guides on home fire, electrical and water safety below.
- Put a smoke alarm on every level of your home, outside each sleeping area and inside every bedroom.
- Test each smoke alarm regularly. Keep batteries fresh by replacing them annually.
- Make an escape plan so everyone knows how to get out fast. Pick a meeting place outside the home where everyone will meet.
- Portable heaters need their space. Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away.
- Keep all items that can burn away from your home, clean leaves from your gutters and clear dead leaves and branches from shrubs and trees.
Resources
Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation
According to FEMA, one of the most cost-effective ways to safeguard our communities against disasters is to adopt and follow hazard-resistant building codes – not only are causalities reduced, but the cost of building damage is also reduced during a disaster. Beyond that, it's an individual, family and community responsibility to know which disasters you're at an increased risk for, and how to mitigate those risks by leveraging tips and building codes specific to each disaster. Review these simple, life-saving tips in the resources below, and visit Ready.gov for specific tips on dealing with earthquakes, extreme heat, floods, home fires, hurricanes, tornados, wildfires and more.
- Develop a family action plan and share with everyone in your family, so you will know where to go if an evacuation is called.
- Review at least two exit routes from your home or neighborhood to a designated meeting place for your family.
- Create a disaster supply kit that will allow you to remain in your home after a disaster or for use after evacuating to a safer location. Be sure the necessities in your kit are fresh and restored as necessary.
- Stay tuned to radio, TV and NOAA Weather Radio for official updates and critical life saving weather information. Remember, reception is usually best if placed near a window.
Resources
Sustainability at Home
The Code Council is helping our communities forge a path forward on energy and sustainability to confront the impacts of a changing climate, and these guiding tenants can be used at home, too! With fresh water supplies at risk and an ever-increasing load on the power grid threatening communities around the world, every proactive step we take at home makes a big difference in decreasing our footprint and burden on the system. Keep these tips (more below) in mind the next time you set your thermostat, plan a home renovation and more.
- Install water-saving shower heads and low-flow faucet aerators, and use your water meter to check for hidden water leaks.
- Never dump anything down storm drains.
- Change the filters in the heating and cooling system of your home regularly.
- Replace your light bulbs with LEDs, which use up to 90 percent less energy and last up to 25 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.
- Design your home with materials that are easily recyclable, reusable, renewable, durable, affordable and low maintenance.
- Build a rain garden to capture roof drainage and divert it to your garden or landscaping. Be sure to check your local rules on rainwater harvesting prior to installation.
Resources
Information courtesy of the International Code Council.
Who are Building Safety Professionals?
Building safety professionals are the silent defenders of public safety. They provide guidance and advice to architects, engineers and contractors to help them bring building projects to life while ensuring safety for occupants and residents. Building safety professionals also help keep existing buildings safe by conducting inspections and adopting the latest building codes.
Building safety professionals include building inspectors, building officials, plans examiners, permit technicians, fire marshals, and others. These experts undergo continuous training to stay current with the latest codes and standards.
- They play a critical role in our communities by:
- Enforcing code compliance to educate and empower contractors and developers to integrate safety into their work.
- Ensuring buildings are constructed to handle everyday wear and tear, promoting long-term durability.
- Conducting safety checks that help prevent emergencies before disasters like fires or floods occur.
- Supporting economic development by promoting safer, longer-lasting buildings.
- Contributing to community planning, serving as a vital link between government, businesses, and the construction industry.
Resources:
When to Call a Professional?
Building safety professionals are an essential piece in the building and construction puzzle, and are engaged in the building process from the initial building plan to the finished product. Always check with your local building safety department before beginning home improvement projects – requirements vary, but many building safety departments require permits for home improvement projects, including electrical, mechanical, structural or plumbing work. Follow-up inspections provide a measure of safety to protect your life and property.
Code officials bring building codes to life through:
- Site inspections
- Code interpretation support and consultations
- Renovations and rebuilding
- Building plan and permit approvals
Resources:
Become a Building Safety Professional
If you're looking for a fulfilling career that makes a difference in your community, consider a career in the building safety industry! Jobs ranging from building officials and fire marshals, to mechanical, electrical and plumbing inspectors are in-demand and are an integral part in keeping the built environment safe for all. The Code Council's Safety 2.0 initiative includes a suite of programs, services and resources that are specifically geared towards students, young professionals and those interested in joining the code official profession. Browse the resources below to learn more about different career paths, mentorship opportunities and more!
- Building Safety Professionals assist design professionals, contractors, building owners and the public to understand how to design, construct, operate and occupy buildings in conformance with the International Codes® and technical standards adopted by local and state jurisdictions.
- Code officials have opportunities to serve as a building safety generalist, but also to become experts in the ins and outs of specific code specialty areas.
- Project opportunities span private businesses, residential applications and public works initiatives across a regional jurisdiction.
- Inspectors have a dynamic workday – working both indoors and outdoors between office settings and construction sites.
- Compared to the median household income reported by the U.S. Census Bureau, code officials earn a stable and often above average living.
Resources
Information courtesy of the International Code Council.
Let Your Voice Be Heard
We all have a part to play in making sure the places where we live, work and play are safe for not only ourselves, but our family, friends and neighbors, too. Be the change you'd like to see in your community by speaking up about building safety. From reaching out to your local media, to advocating for building safety to local leadership, even the smallest action can ultimately save lives. Here we've included education and advocacy tips, as well as "Press Release" and "Letter to the Editor" templates that are easily editable and shareable.
- Talk to your network about building safety and share fact-based information and resources on your social media accounts.
- Share news releases with your local newspapers, radio stations and television networks to encourage local media to cover stories related to building safety.
- Share building safety information or concerns with your public information officer, city manager or mayor.
- Plan community events to raise awareness or attend local events about building safety.
- Contact the code officials in your area to learn more about the building industry and discover local volunteer opportunities.
Resources
Building Safety Month Letter to Editor Template
Get Kids Involved
Kids learn the basics of building safety from an early age – without even knowing it! We've put together resources here and on our Kids Corner page to help parents, teachers and community leaders teach kids what building safety professionals do, and how they make our homes and communities safer for everyone. With a little help from CODiE the Cheetah, kids can work through our Building Safety Month activity book to complete their training and earn a certificate as a Junior Code Official (and submit a proclamation!).
- Listen to our special episode of the Pulse Podcast on “Kids and Building Safety”. Print the same checklist used in the episode for an immersive and interactive building safety experience at home.
- Parents, teachers and chapter leaders browse Building Safety Month-themed items that are perfect for little aspiring building safety professionals at home.
Resources
Building Safety in your Home Checklist
Advocating for Building Safety
By spreading the importance of adopting modern building codes and standards with public officials, you can contribute to preventing disasters such as structural collapse or fires and help mitigate the potential damage caused by events such as hurricanes or floods.
Here we’ve outlined five steps you can take to help make sure the places where we live, work, play and learn are safe:
- Identify the adopted building safety codes where you live. Visit the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) website and enter your zip code to learn more.
- Determine if your community has currently adopted up-to-date codes. Visit the Code Council’s code adoption map and Codes Save to learn more.
- Ask public officials to advocate for change. After you find your state’s information on the Code Council’s code adoption map, click on the blue button “State Information and Resources” to learn more.
- If improvements are needed, get ready to take action based on if the codes in your state are adopted at the state or local level.
- Ask for change and include a few talking points on why adopting and enforcing modern building codes is important.
Information courtesy of the International Code Council.
It’s not too late – connect with the International Code Council (ICC) on Facebook, LinkedIn, X and Instagram, and use #BuildingSafety365 to help spread the word about Building Safety Month!
The building safety community includes passionate and dedicated individuals, organizations and communities made up of everyday citizens, governmental officials, engineers, code officials, plumbers and more. While no action is too small as we strive to build a safer tomorrow, here we’ve listed a few notable examples of excellence in building safety.
Do you have a building safety hero you'd like us to recognize? Click here to submit a request, or email ICC at communications@iccsafe.org.
- Charles Kelly’s Unending Work Ethic is the Driving Force Behind His 65-Year Career
- From Nuclear Power Plant Inspector to Code Official and Beyond, Matt Belcher is Making an Impact on Building Safety
- Michael Popich’s Love of Construction Helped Him Find His True Calling
- With Family Roots in Plumbing, Oklahoma’s Christina Selby Finds Purpose and Success in Building Safety
- Fire Marshal Christine Reed’s Mission to Teach Fire Safety and Prevention in Northern California
Information courtesy of the International Code Council.