Is your building safe?

By John Johnston
Managing Editor

Perhaps the most shopworn cliché in the world is “things just aren’t’ what they used to be.”

However, and for those concerned about safety issues, that’s a good thing.  Personal and public safety has improved dramatically over the past 100 years – largely through development and enforcement of standards.

That’s no truer than in the building industry.  As local codes eventually evolved into the Florida Building Code, those codes in turn evolved into national and international codes and standards. In fact, at the current core of the Florida Building Code are those standards and practices promoted by the International Code Council.

But the truth is, only Felix Unger would spend much time thinking about whether or not the building he just entered was properly constructed – indeed, safe.

May 5-11

Here in Palm Beach County -- and while not Felix himself -- the Palm Beach County Building Division does in fact concern itself about building safety and fire prevention every day. To help the rest of us become more conscious of those issues the building division is observing Building Safety Week, May 5-11. 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 Palm Beach County Building Official Rebecca Caldwell. “When building safety and fire prevention experts inspect buildings during and after construction, it helps 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, she said.  These include, among others:

• Structural soundness of buildings.
• Reliability of fire prevention and suppression systems.
• Plumbing and mechanical systems.
• Energy efficiency and sustainability.

To ensure a building is safe requires the active participation of building safety and fire prevention officials, architects, contractors, engineers and others in the construction industry, “as well as property owners,” said Caldwell.

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

She also posed some questions for everyone to think about during Building Safety Week:

• Did you know that incomplete permitted work could prevent the sale of your house from closing?
• Do you know what projects require a permit and which ones do not? Do you know why you should always hire licensed contractors to perform work on your home?
• What do building green and living green really mean?
• What are some ways to “harden” your older home for the next storm?

To provide answers to these and other questions, Caldwell said the building division would be joined by the Contractor Certification Division and Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue during an open house May 8 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Vista Center complex, 2300 N. Jog Road in West Palm Beach. Refreshments will be provided.

“There will be lots of good information via videos and brochures about pool safety, mold prevention, green building, and preparing for natural disasters, among other subjects. There will be coloring sheets and stickers for the kids, and we encourage everyone to stop by to learn about the essential safety work of the Palm Beach County Building Division and other code officials,” said Caldwell.