Commissioners proclaim May 5-11 as Building Safety Week

The Sarasota County Commission has declared the week of May 5-11 as Building Safety Week to honor the public officials responsible for enforcing the county’s building codes to guide the safe construction of buildings.

The building code in Sarasota County helps to ensure that homes, schools, workplaces and other buildings are as safe as possible. The code addresses all aspects of construction, including structural

integrity, electrical, mechanical, plumbing systems and property maintenance.

“Safe buildings don’t happen by chance,” said Greg Yantorno, manager of Inspection Services for Sarasota County. “Building Safety Week recognizes the important professionals who make sure the buildings in our community are safe. Public safety is our number one concern.”

Helping the public understand building safety issues is also a responsibility of the building code officials.

The importance of regulating and enforcing building codes is often overlooked until a tragedy occurs. By inspecting buildings during and after construction, Sarasota County helps to ensure that buildings in the county are safe places in which to live, work, play and learn.

Building Safety Week, first observed in 1980, is sponsored by the International Code Council Foundation, which is dedicated to reducing the devastating effects on buildings from natural disasters and other threats. The group promotes ideas, methods and technologies that encourage the construction of durable, sustainable buildings and homes.