(Washington, DC)  When you enter a house or building, most likely you’re not thinking about whether it is properly constructed and safe. Fortunately, your local safety experts think about building safety and fire prevention every day. To help raise awareness of building safety, the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) is celebrating Building Safety Week from May 5 through May 11, 2008.

Across the nation, communities will promote the use and understanding of building safety and fire prevention codes
to protect lives and property. The theme is “Building Safety: Where You Live, Work and Play.”

“The important work we do is often overlooked until a catastrophic tragedy occurs,” said DCRA Director Linda Argo. “When building safety and fire prevention experts inspect buildings during and after construction, we help to ensure that the places where you live, learn, work and play are safe.”

Building safety and fire prevention codes address all aspects of construction, such as structural soundness of buildings, reliability of fire prevention and suppression systems, plumbing and mechanical systems, and energy efficiency and sustainability. To ensure buildings are safe requires the active participation of building safety and fire prevention officials, architects, builders, engineers, and others in the construction industry, as well as property owners.

“Public safety is our number one concern,” Argo said. “During Building Safety Week and all year long, building safety officials are here to help protect you and your community.”

DCRA encourages District residents to visit the Building Safety Week online information center to download important information on everything from what construction requires a permit, the important of building codes and safety tips for home and work. 

Building Safety Week, first observed in 1980, is sponsored by the International Code Council, a membership organization dedicated to building safety and fire prevention, of which DCRA is an active member. The International Code Council develops the codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools. Most US cities, counties and states choose the International Codes—building safety codes developed by the International Code Council.

The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs protects the health, safety, economic interests, and quality of life of residents, businesses, and visitors in the District of Columbia by issuing licenses and permits, conducting inspections, enforcing building, housing, and safety codes, regulating land use and development, and providing consumer education and advocacy services.