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Building Safety Week 2006 - Building a Safer World Together

Sponsored by the International Code Council Foundation, Building Safety Week was first observed in 1980.The theme of Building Safety Week 2006, "Building a Safer World Together," reflects the importance of getting everyone involved in the prevention of safety and security hazards. The International Code Council web site provides information to educate the public and children about building safety.

The ICC (International Code Council) Foundation supports building safety and fire prevention across America and around the world. The Foundation promotes stronger, safer communities through education programs that save lives and protect properties. The ICC Foundation is a subsidiary of the International Code Council (ICC).

Since Building Safety Week stresses the importance of making homes and buildings safe places where people can live, work and play, now is a good time to touch on the importance of Building Permits. Most projects you might consider doing require one, but there are some that do not. You should always feel free to contact the Village to determine whether or not your project requires a permit.

When you submit a building permit application and supporting documentation, the Village Staff performs thorough reviews for many different disciplines. This ensures that once the Building Permit is issued, (provided all construction documents are adhered to), your project will be completely compliant with not only all Building Codes, but with all Village regulations. The other crucial benefit to obtaining a Building Permit is the initiation of required inspections. Without a valid Building Permit, the Village cannot perform inspections on your construction project. Inspections are required to ensure that the contractor has performed the work per the approved plans. An additional benefit to these inspections is the homeowner’s right to require the Village’s final approval, prior to finalizing any agreements with the contractor. This helps the homeowner ensure that all code related issues are in compliance.

Your home or business is an investment. If your construction project does not comply with the codes adopted by your community, the value of your investment could be reduced. Property insurers may not cover work done without permits and inspections. If you decide to sell a home or building that has had modifications without a permit, you may be required to tear down the addition, leave it unoccupied or make costly repairs. A property owner who can show that code requirements were strictly and consistently met, as demonstrated by a code official’s carefully maintained records, has a strong ally if something happens to trigger a potentially destructive lawsuit. Your permit also allows the code official to protect the public by reducing the potential hazards of unsafe construction and ensuring public health, safety and welfare. By following code guidelines, the completed project will meet minimum standards of safety and will be less likely to cause injury to you, your family, your friends or future owners.

Portions of this information obtained from the International Code Council website.