The International Code Council announced today that the 40th annual Building Safety Month will take place in May 2020 and will focus on “Safer Buildings, Safer Communities, Safer World.” Building codes are essential for providing a strong and resilient built environment, and regularly updated codes can ensure that communities are protected in the face of disasters.

Building Safety Month is an educational, interactive campaign that takes place worldwide every May. It raises awareness about the importance of building codes and a strong system of code enforcement so that homeowners, government officials and the public have the necessary information for ensuring safety in the spaces where they live, work and learn. The Code Council, its 64,000 members, and a range of construction and design professionals participate in this campaign to highlight the importance of building safety though proclamations, informational events, legislative briefings and more.

“Building Safety Month is a wonderful opportunity for the Code Council, alongside its stakeholders and partners, to demonstrate how the path to safer communities begins with modern codes and standards,” said Code Council Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO. “By focusing on a different topic each week, we will highlight ways individuals can work to make their own communities safer and better prepared for events like extreme weather, earthquakes and fires.”

The weekly themes for 2020 are:

  • Week One, May 1-10: Disaster Preparedness
  • Week Two, May 11-17: Water Safety
  • Week Three, May 18-24: Resiliency. Sustainability. Innovation.
  • Week Four, May 25-31: Training the Next Generation

Corporate sponsorship opportunities are available. International partners include the Australian Building Codes Board, Building Officials Institute of New Zealand and the Ontario Building Officials Association.

For more information about the campaign, visit www.buildingsafetymonth.org and click here to download the campaign poster. Follow along on social media using the hashtag #BuildingSafety365.