Salem – The Oregon Building Codes Division is marking Building Safety Month in May. Building Safety Month is an annual international campaign to raise awareness about building safety. This year, it coincides with the 50th anniversary of Oregon’s statewide building code system.
Before 1973, 20 of Oregon’s 36 counties and about 100 of its 240 cities had building code ordinances. Builders faced a maze of regulations that varied by city and county.
Now, 50 years later, Oregon’s statewide code system provides a single code throughout Oregon, creating a consistent standard for builders and inspectors while ensuring equal consumer protection throughout the state.
The Building Codes Division partners with seven advisory boards to collaboratively adopt and administer the state building code, issue trade licenses, and train certify and building officials, inspectors, and plans examiners
“Oregon can be proud of our state code system, which has been supporting safe and efficient buildings in Oregon for 50 years,” said Andrew Stolfi, director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, which contains the Building Codes Division. “We are working hard to grow the number of building safety professionals, not only for the safety of people in buildings, but to help the state address the affordable housing crisis by building needed housing.”
The theme of this year’s Building Safety Month campaign is “Building Safety Starts with You!” It encourages community members to raise awareness of building resilient and safe structures through implementing effective construction codes for structural integrity, fire prevention, disaster mitigation, water conservation, Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility, energy efficiency, alternative energy, and new technologies in the construction industry.
“The state building code creates predictability for our customers, upholding safety while keeping construction moving.” said Alana Cox, administrator of the Building Codes Division. “Safety is ultimately achieved because of the commitment of the professional building inspectors, licensed contractors, fire officials, and design professionals who are devoted to safe building construction.”
The Building Codes Division supports building safety by:
- Adopting 13 specialty codes
- Providing customer service and dispute resolution about code issues
- Administering the ePermitting system, an online permitting system available to local government
- Issuing plumbing, electrical, boiler installer, and contractor licenses
- Providing statewide boiler and elevator safety inspections
- Delivering building department services where there is no local government program
- Training and certifying building inspectors, plans examiners, and building officials
For more information about the Building Codes Division, go to oregon.gov/bcd. More information about the 50th anniversary of the building code is available at https://www.oregon.gov/bcd/50years/Pages/index.aspx.
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