Dongdaemun-gu Expands Operation of Building Safety Center

From January this year, expansion of the Architecture Safety Center's organizational functions... Strengthening safety management of buildings and construction sites... Implementing on-site safety inspections, supporting fire safety performance reinforcement, and promoting earthquake safety certification assistance

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor You Deok-yeol) is expanding the functions of its Building Safety Center to strengthen safety management of buildings and construction sites.

Since January this year, Dongdaemun-gu has expanded the Building Safety Center from one team (Building Safety Team) to two teams (Building Safety Management Team and Construction Site Safety Management Team) to lead a people-centered safe building culture.

Established in 2019, the Dongdaemun-gu Building Safety Center carries out building safety tasks by utilizing experts such as architects and top-level structural engineers to prevent various disasters such as collapses of aging buildings and construction sites, and to respond promptly to problems according to situations.

With the expansion of the Building Safety Center’s functions, the district plans to conduct ex officio inspections of 800 small-scale aging buildings that are not subject to mandatory safety inspections and inspect 50 facilities through the “Visiting Private Building Safety Inspection” project.

Additionally, the district will carry out a fire safety performance reinforcement support project for one building with facilities for the elderly and children, and promote an earthquake safety certification support project for five private buildings.

This year, the district will also strengthen safety management for medium and small private construction sites by establishing safety management plans for small-scale construction sites, thereby building a systematic building safety system.

Meanwhile, the district has conducted inspections of construction sites by managing high-risk work types (demolition, excavation, etc.) at medium and small private construction sites with high accident risks, and last year, it conducted safety inspections using drones for facilities that are difficult to access such as spires and residential slopes, re-evaluating their safety grades.

A district official stated, “The newly reorganized Building Safety Center will be able to eliminate safety blind spots through a segmented system by promoting technical support, safety management of private buildings and private construction sites, and private building support projects.”

You Deok-yeol, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, said, “Various projects such as safety inspections of aging buildings and visiting safety inspections will greatly help alleviate residents’ anxieties,” and added, “We will do our best to create a safe and pleasant residential environment through systematic and professional management.”