May is Building Safety Month - Safe Buildings Are No Accident!
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Well-trained, knowledgeable, and experienced building inspectors are absolutely necessary to ensure structures are built safe, sanitary, secure, functional, and sustainable. Due to retirement of the current work force, employment of building inspectors is projected to grow substantially over the next several years. Building Inspectors must be knowledgeable and experienced in the construction field. They must have excellent organizational and people skills. Inspectors must be able to work with limited supervision in all types of weather conditions. They must also be able to reason with and convince contractors to complete code compliant work. If you think you may be interested in a career as a building inspector, review the brochure available at the link below. Following up with your local career center or city Inspections office may also prove useful. May you and your family stay safe! Gary Hill Building & Code Enforcement Manager https://www.iccsafe.org/wp-content/uploads/BSM_Careers_Brochure_lores.pdf
Posted by beth.little  On May 27, 2020 at 10:01 AM
  
Some may think “green building” is only for environmentalists and hippies. Others may think “green building” is too expensive and impractical. In reality, both groups are wrong. Remember the time when your grandmother stored rainwater in a barrier to water her flowers and garden. This is a concept of “green building.” Or the time when your grandfather salvaged wood from an old barn and used the wood to build a tractor shed behind the house. This is a concept of “green building” as well. In a nutshell, a “green building” is a building that is designed, constructed, and/or operated to reduce the negative impacts on the environment and the people occupying the building. Green building takes an intelligent approach to the use of energy, safeguards water resources, minimizes waste, and maximizes repurposing. Green building also promotes the health and wellbeing of the occupants in the building through proper ventilation, natural lighting, acoustics, and intelligent temperature control. Green building also increases the useful life of a structure by incorporating flexibility in the building design. Green building also asks the “common sense” questions that should be asked in the design and construction of a building. For example, does it make sense to use the same quality of water for both drinking and lawn irrigation? Does it make sense to leave all the lights on in a room that is not occupied? Does it make sense to maintain the same temperature in an unoccupied building as an occupied building? Does it make sense to demolish a structurally sound building because the interior spaces no longer meet the needs of the tenants? Green building is not an expensive way to design and construct a building. Green building is the intelligent way to design and construct a building to maximize the use of available resources, minimize the effect on the environment, and incorporate flexibility in the use of the building. May you and your family stay safe! Gary Hill Building & Code Enforcement Manager https://www.iccsafe.org/wp-content/uploads/BSM_Bldg_Green_Brochure_lores.pdf https://www.worldgbc.org/what-green-building https://archive.epa.gov/greenbuilding/web/html/about.html
Posted by beth.little  On May 18, 2020 at 7:21 AM
  
A residential swimming pool can provide much pleasure. Without a doubt, a properly maintained and operated pool is quite rewarding. However, residential swimming pools are sometimes referred to as attractive nuisances or hazards, especially to younger children. Each year, thousands of American families suffer swimming pool tragedies of drownings and near drownings of young children. In fact, most deaths and injuries in pools involve young children ages one (1) to three (3). Most people assume if their young child falls into the pool, there will be lots of splashing and screaming, and plenty of time to react. In reality, a child slips into the water and often quietly goes under the surface. These drownings can happen quickly and silently—without warning – in as little as five (5) minutes. Although it seems obvious, close supervision of young children is critical for families with a residential swimming pool. Unfortunately, a common scenario is a young child leaving the house or entering the pool without the parent or caregiver realizing it. Children are drawn to water, and they can drown even if they know how to swim. All children should be supervised at all times while in and around a swimming pool. The key to preventing pool tragedies is to provide layers of protection. These layers include limiting pool access, using pool alarms, closely supervising children, and being prepared in case of an emergency. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) offers these tips to prevent drowning: • Fences and walls should be at least 4 feet high and installed completely around the pool. The fence should be no more than 2 inches above grade. Openings in the fence should be a maximum of 4 inches. A fence should be difficult to climb over. • Fence gates should be self-closing and self-latching. The latch should be out of a small child’s reach. The gate should open away from the pool; the latch should face the pool. • Any doors with direct pool access should have an audible alarm that sounds for 30 seconds. The alarm control must be a minimum of 54 inches high and reset automatically. • If the house forms one side of the barrier to the pool, then doors leading from the house to the pool should be protected with alarms that produce a sound when a door is opened. • Young children who have taken swimming lessons should not be considered “drown proof”; young children should always be watched carefully while swimming. • A power safety cover—a motor-powered barrier that can be placed over the water area—can be used when the pool is not in use. • Rescue equipment and a telephone should be kept by the pool; emergency numbers should be posted. Knowing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can be a lifesaver. • For aboveground pools, steps and ladders should be secured and locked or removed when the pool is not in use. • Babysitters should be instructed about potential hazards to young children in and around swimming pools and their need for constant supervision. • If a child is missing, the pool should always be checked first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability. • Pool alarms can be used as an added precaution. Underwater pool alarms can be used in conjunction with power safety covers. CPSC advises consumers to use remote alarm receivers so the alarm can be heard inside the house or in other places away from the pool area. • Toys and flotation devices should be used in pools only under supervision; they should not be used in place of supervision. • Well-maintained rescue equipment (including a ring buoy with an attached line and/or a shepherd’s crook rescue pole should be kept by the pool. • Emergency procedures should be clearly written and posted in the pool area. • All caregivers must know how to swim, know how to get emergency help, and know CPR. • Children should be taught to swim (swimming classes are not recommended for children under the age of 4 years) and should always swim with a buddy. • Alco
Posted by beth.little  On May 11, 2020 at 7:41 AM
  
Procrastination is normal behavior for many of us. We don’t think about cleaning out the gutters until it is raining; We don’t think about putting gasoline in the car until the gas gauge is on empty; We don’t think about going to the grocery store until we are out of milk and bread. Unfortunately, disasters happen whether we are ready or not. Procrastination should not be an option when preparing for disasters. In Southeast Missouri, we frequently experience flooding, severe weather, and the loss of electricity for an extended period of time. Having a plan will not shelter you and your family from these disasters but a plan will make dealing with these disasters more tolerable. Numerous resources are available to assist you and your family in planning for disasters. Attached are three (3) you may find useful. I believe it was Ben Franklin who said an “ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” If you have not done so, develop a Disaster Plan before it is needed. May you and your family stay safe! Gary Hill Building & Code Enforcement Manager https://www.iccsafe.org/wp-content/uploads/BSM_Disaster_Prep_Brochure_lores.pdf https://www.ready.gov/plan https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/make-a-plan.html
Posted by beth.little  On May 04, 2020 at 8:10 AM 1 Comment