Eliminating Child Safety Accidents... Yeongdeungpo-gu Inspects 370 Play Facilities

Inspection of 370 Children's Play Facilities Including Parks, Daycare Centers, and Kids Cafes to Be Completed by March... Zero Gaps Through a 3-Step Process: 1st Step Self-Inspection, 2nd Step District Inspection, 3rd Step Joint Inspection by City, District, and Experts... Identified Issues Require Correction and Continuous Monitoring... Annual Safety Inspection Plan Established for Children's Facilities with Biannual Inspections

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Yeongdeungpo-gu (District Mayor Chae Hyun-il) is conducting safety inspections on 370 children's playground facilities in parks, daycare centers, kids cafes, and residential complexes until March to ensure safety for the upcoming new spring and new school semester.

According to the Korea Consumer Agency, among safety accidents involving children aged 14 and under (7,580 cases) over five years since 2014, May recorded the highest rate at 12.5% (946 cases).

Accordingly, the district aims to complete inspections before spring, when activity levels increase, to prevent accidents in advance.

The safety inspection is systematically conducted in three stages. First, Stage 1 is self-inspection by the managing entity; Stage 2 is sample inspection by the supervisory department; and Stage 3 is joint inspection by experts and city-district officials.

Initially, the district requires the overall safety managers of the 370 children's playground facilities in the area to complete safety inspection checklists and conduct self-assessments for any safety defects.

The main inspection items include △obstacle accumulation △structural deformation such as corrosion or warping △loosening of bolts or screws △flooring damage.

After the facility safety managers submit the inspection checklists to the district, the district reviews for any management deficiencies and selects targets for Stage 2 ‘supervisory department sample inspection.’ District officials then visit the facilities directly to conduct inspections.

The district officials check △whether the managing entity has conducted safety education △liability insurance enrollment △inspection log maintenance △regular facility inspections, and then prepare a report to submit the results to the Urban Safety Division.

The final Stage 3 ‘joint sample inspection’ targets facilities judged to be aged or poorly managed.

The joint sample inspection involves visits by city and district safety managers, relevant district department staff, and safety experts to conduct more professional and thorough inspections.

Minor issues are immediately corrected on-site, while longer-term measures are continuously monitored until completion.

The district establishes an annual safety inspection plan for children's playground facilities and conducts inspections twice a year, in the first and second halves, to ensure thorough safety measures.

Chae Hyun-il, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, stated, “As more parents invest in their children's happiness, children's cultural and leisure facilities are continuously increasing. We will cultivate an open Yeongdeungpo where children can play freely through meticulous and thorough safety inspections.”

Urban Safety Division (☎2670-3868)

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.