Nowon-gu 'On-Going Private Building Safety Inspections' Service

Buildings Subject to Voluntary Management Under 15 Floors and Total Floor Area Under 30,000㎡... On-Site Inspection by Construction Experts After Prior Coordination of Desired Inspection Date

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Nowon-gu (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) will conduct ongoing on-site safety inspections of private aging buildings to prevent collapse accidents in safety blind spots.

Until now, aging private buildings were not subject to mandatory safety inspections under the law, making safety management difficult. The reason the district now conducts safety inspections of private buildings is that following the collapse accident of the Yongsan shopping mall building, Seoul City newly established Article 49, Paragraph 2 of the "Seoul Metropolitan Government Building Ordinance" (effective January 3, 2019) regarding the installation and operation of regional building safety centers, thereby providing a legal basis for the district.

The inspection targets are arbitrarily managed buildings under 15 floors and with a total floor area of less than 30,000㎡. However, buildings subject to regular inspections under other laws are excluded, such as special law Category 3 facilities related to facility safety management, multi-use buildings under the Building Act, collective buildings with a total floor area of 3,000㎡ or more, and apartment complexes with 300 or more households under the Apartment Management Act.

The inspection procedure first involves verifying the building register for the structure, usage, and approval date of the building, followed by prior consultation with the building owner to schedule the inspection date. Then, building-related experts visit the site. They listen to the opinions of building managers or users and visually inspect for cracks and other issues. If necessary, some finishing materials are removed, and equipment such as electronic endoscopes is also used.

After the inspection, a five-level safety rating is assigned: excellent, good, average, poor, and bad. In particular, if the condition is poor or bad and the risk level is severe, guidance on measures such as detailed inspections and precise safety diagnoses is provided to ensure continuous management.

Owners or managers of private buildings located in Nowon-gu can apply anytime via the district website (www.nowon.kr), in person, or by mail.

In July last year, the district reorganized and established the Building Safety Team dedicated to building safety management. Also, since January, the Nowon-gu Building Safety Center has been officially launched and is operating. The center has assigned a director and technical staff to prevent construction site accidents, manage safety of small-scale aging buildings, and handle disaster management for buildings affected by earthquakes and fires.

In March, to strengthen expertise, the district will not only assign architects but also additionally equip safety inspection devices such as rebar detectors, rebound hardness testers, inclinometers, and distance meters.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “Through safety inspections of private buildings, we can systematically respond to safety accidents such as building collapses. We will continue to do our best to make Nowon a safe place for residents to live.”

Architecture Division and Nowon-gu Building Safety Center (☎2116-3891)