Laying the Foundation for Nationwide Urban Railway Elevator Accident Prevention Through Increased Participation and Regional Expansion
"Passengers Are Urged to Follow Elevator Safety Rules for Safe Subway Use"
The subway elevator monitoring system, "Ttota Guardians," jointly operated by Seoul Metro and the Korea Elevator Safety Agency, identified a total of 400 safety hazards in 2024 and prevented elevator-related accidents through prompt action.
"Ttota Guardians" is a group of agency employees with extensive knowledge of elevator facilities who volunteer their talents. When they notice elevator malfunctions or safety improvement issues during their daily subway commutes, they use a 24-hour communication channel (KakaoTalk channel) to quickly report these to Seoul Metro for immediate action. This is a continuous monitoring system.
Starting with 95 members at its launch in June 2022, "Ttota Guardians" has grown to 209 members. Initially composed only of employees from the Seoul Regional Headquarters, it now includes staff from the Busan and Gwangju branches, marking a significant step toward expanding this system nationwide for urban railway elevator safety prevention.
Thanks to the proactive monitoring activities of "Ttota Guardians," the number of reports has increased annually. In 2024, the number of reports rose by 116% compared to 2022, contributing to the prevention of a total of 400 elevator safety accidents.
The reports cover not only simple damage but also specialized issues such as noise generation and handrail defects. Seoul Metro promptly takes preemptive measures based on these reports.
On August 6, 2024, Mr. A, a participant in "Ttota Guardians," noticed a subtle difference between the handrail speed and the escalator step speed while using the escalator at Yaksu Station on Line 6. In such cases, elderly or vulnerable passengers holding the handrail could be pushed backward while riding the escalator, making immediate action necessary. Thanks to Mr. A’s quick report via the KakaoTalk channel, a potentially serious accident was prevented through swift response.
Seoul Metro selects outstanding agency employees annually based on their "Ttota Guardians" activity performance. On the 26th, the top 18 performers of 2024 were awarded certificates of appreciation and commemorative gifts.
Ma Hae-geun, Head of Seoul Metro’s Operations Headquarters, said, “The collaborative activities of 'Ttota Guardians' serve as a catalyst for preventing elevator accidents, and we look forward to expanding this nationwide beyond Seoul. Recently, safety accidents have continued to occur due to the use of handcarts on escalators. For safe subway use, we urge passengers to strictly follow elevator safety rules.”
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