Building Safety Week: Building a Safer World Together
The buildings we work and live
in hold memories and promise, but if we can't count on the safety of those
structures, the memories can be harrowing -and the promise
ruined. From May 7th through May 13, the
Washtenaw County Building Department will be a part of the worldwide
celebration of Building Safety
Week, raising public awareness of just how important the enforcement
and understanding of building safety and fire prevention codes are to lives
and property. “Building a Safer World Together” is the theme of Building
Safety Week 2006.
Building code regulations in Washtenaw County help ensure that homes, schools, workplaces and other buildings are as safe as possible. Codes address all aspects of construction including structural integrity, electrical, mechanical, plumbing systems and property maintenanc e.
“Safe buildings don’t happen by chance,” says Washtenaw County
Director of Building Services, Scott 
McDonald. “Building and code officials are here
to help the public understand building safety issues. And in this age of
do-it-yourselfers, it becomes extremely important for homeowners to work
with the local building departments to make sure their
residence fully complies with building safety codes.”
During Building Safety week, local events will allow you to meet
some of the people, and see some of the work that goes into making our
buildings safe:
- Inspection of New Home Construction
Tuesday, May 9th - 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM– Harwood Farms, PittsfieldTownship
Corner of Warner Roadand Michigan Avenue
Peters Buildings Company will provide two homes, one that is in the rough stage and one in the final stage for us to walk through and inspect. The homes are conveniently located in the “Harwood Farms” subdivision in Pittsfield Township; Join us during a “rough” and a “final” inspection and then try to perform your own rough and final building inspection. Coloring books for kids and pop and hotdogs for participants, while they last!
. - Washtenaw County Building Department Open House
Thursday, May 11th - 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM - Washtenaw County Western Service Center
705 N. Zeeb Road, Scio Township
Take a guided tour of Department Operations and see a demonstration of how buildings become safe in Washtenaw County, from application intake to plan review to permit issuance. Snacks and refreshments will be available, and coloring activities for the kids.
For more information on local Building Safety Week events or activities, please contact any of Washtenaw County’s Building Inspectors at 222-3900, or contact Scott McDonald, or call him at 222-3868.
