May is Building Safety Month in Cape Girardeau

During the May 6 City Council meeting, Mayor Harry Rediger issued a proclamation stating that May is Building Safety Month in Cape Girardeau, raising awareness of building safety in our community. This year's Building Safety Month theme is "Code Officials Keep You Safe."

Each week of Building Safety Month spotlights a specific area of building safety: Fire Safety and Awareness, May 6‐12; Disaster Safety and Mitigation, May 13‐19; Backyard and Pool Safety, May 20‐26; and Energy and Green Building, May 27‐31.

"When our building safety and fire prevention experts inspect buildings during and after construction, they help to ensure that the places where you live, learn, work, worship and play are safe," said City of Cape Girardeau Inspection Services Director Tim Morgan. "Ensuring public safety is something we think about and do every day working with home builders, electricians, plumbers, and other construction industry trades and contractors."

Building codes address all aspects of construction, from structural to fire prevention and life safety, plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems, and energy efficiency. To ensure buildings are safe requires the active participation of code officials, fire inspectors, architects, builders, engineers, contractors and others in the construction industry, as well as property owners.

"Public safety is our number one objective," said Morgan. "During Building Safety Month and all year long, building safety and fire prevention officials are here to help protect you, your family and our community. Compliance with the adopted codes ensures that these objectives are met."

The International Code Council, the sponsor of Building Safety Month, is a member-focused association dedicated to helping the building safety community and construction industry provide safe and sustainable construction through the development of codes and standards used in the design, construction and compliance processes.

The Inspection Services Division of the City of Cape Girardeau is responsible for building inspection, building plan and site layout review, and interpretation and enforcement of the International Code Council (ICC) construction standards and any local construction codes adopted by the City Council. Inspection Services' employees also provide information concerning lot addressing, required building setback distances and existing sewer and water lines and connections. The Division is also responsible for the inspection and enforcement of owner-occupied and rental properties subject to the property maintenance code and the residential rental licensing ordinance.

For more information about Inspection Services our Building Safety Month, call 573-339-6327 and visit buildingsafetymonth.org.