These five papers present an insight into, and highlights of, some very recent design/construction standardization activities in the US, Canada, Great Britain, Japan and Israel. New performance-type OSHA safety standards, US, UK and Japanese bridge standards, provisions for excavations in the new Quebec construction safety code, site safety concerns of the new Israeli formwork standard, and AISC's new erection bracing design guide are discussed from the standpoint of construction safety. Each of the codes and standards discussed appears to be more strict and requires more technical know-how in both design and construction. The common theme that threads through the papers is that improved codes and standards and their observance will reduce construction failures and accidents.