The International Code Council Promotes Building Safety Month 2012

WASHINGTON, DC–May 15, 2012–The International Code Council (ICC) has designated May as Building Safety Month. This public awareness campaign focuses on promoting modern, sustainable and safe building code practices in a way that is relevant to individuals, families and businesses. The ICC has partitioned Building Safety Month into four one-week divisions, each with a specific focus.

Week 1: Energy & Green Building, May 7-13, 2012
Highlighted topics of Week 1 include commonsense practices like using energy efficient lightbulbs, appliances and HVAC systems. As it pertains to spray foam, Week 1 also promotes the sealing of air leaks and the installation/application of more insulation in walls and attics. Spray foam and injection foam are ideal for both initiatives, regardless of new construction or retrofit applications.

Week 2: Disaster Safety & Mitigation, May 14-20, 2012
The ICC breaks down Week 2 into two main initiatives: preparing one's family and protecting one's home. Of the former, tips include developing a disaster plan, reviewing local evacuation routes and establishing locations in which to take shelter. Concerning the protection of one's home, Week 2 literature goes into detail about preparing for earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornados and wildfires. When applied to form a monolithic building envelope, spray foam can greatly reduce the threat of roof uplift during high winds, provide protection from water damage during a flood, and bolster the structural integrity of a home's walls to reduce the threat of collapse in the event an earthquake.

Week 3: Fire Safety & Awareness, May 21-27, 2012
Of interest for Week 3's focus is the promotion of the use of residential fire sprinklers and tips for mitigating the threat of fire to to human error (safe cooking, no smoking in bed, etc.). While it's not explicitly referred to for Week 3, fire-resistant spray foam and coatings can effectively reduce the spread and smoke production of a house fire.

Week 4: Backyard Safety, May 28-31, 2012
While Week 4 is brief, and doesn't strictly apply to spray foam, it nevertheless asserts some good advice. Safety around swimming pools and grills are featured prominently in the month's final week.

Building Safety Month 2012 Ambassador
The ICC has appointed Mike Holmes, of Holmes on Homes and Holmes Inspection fame, as the Honorary Ambassador for Building Safety Month 2012. In addition to his duties as Honorary Ambassador, which included a live chat during Week 1, Holmes has filmed a PSA highlighting the necessity of building safety: