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Gangseo-gu, On-site Safety Inspection of Aging Private Buildings

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gangseo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Noh Hyun-song) is implementing a ‘Visiting Safety Inspection for Private Buildings’ to alleviate residents' concerns about safety accidents in aging private buildings.

While large-scale buildings have been regularly inspected under laws such as the ‘Special Act on the Safety Management of Facilities,’ safety management for small- and medium-sized buildings closely related to daily life has been somewhat lacking.

Accordingly, the district will conduct on-site safety inspections for more than 25,600 small- and medium-sized private buildings in safety blind spots upon application by owners or others.

The inspection targets are buildings under 15 floors and with a total floor area of less than 30,000㎡ that are not subject to mandatory safety inspections. Buildings already regularly inspected under related laws such as the Special Act on the Safety Management of Facilities, the Building Act, and the Apartment Management Act are excluded.

The inspection procedure first involves verifying the building register for the structure, usage, and approval date, followed by prior consultation with the building owner to schedule the inspection date.

Then, a building expert visits the site to listen to the user’s opinions, inspect the building’s condition, and determine whether it is a safety-vulnerable building, such as by checking for external cracks.

Safety management consulting, including facility maintenance methods, is also provided.

In particular, if the building is judged to be vulnerable based on the safety inspection results, additional detailed inspections or safety diagnoses will be recommended.

Building owners or managers wishing to request a safety inspection can apply by visiting the Gangseo-gu Office Architecture Division, and application forms can be downloaded from the Gangseo-gu Office website’s notice section.

Applications are accepted at any time, and the safety inspection is free of charge.

A district official said, “We expect that this visiting safety inspection for private buildings will greatly help alleviate residents’ concerns about aging buildings,” and added, “We will continue to do our best to create a safe and pleasant residential environment through ongoing safety inspections.”