Gwangju City Expands Safety Inspections to Small-Scale Construction Sites

Total floor area reduced from 1000㎡ to 660㎡... Inspection frequency changed from quarterly to once a month

Strengthening functions of the Building Safety Center... On-site inspections of aging buildings and unauthorized houses

Gwangju Metropolitan City is expanding safety inspections to include small-scale construction sites and strengthening the functions of the Building Safety Center to thoroughly oversee the safety and quality management of buildings.

Gwangju Metropolitan City (Mayor Kang Gi-jung) is taking measures to ▲strengthen the functions and roles of the Building Safety Center, ▲expand the targets and frequency of safety inspections at construction sites and reinforce inspections of demolition sites, ▲conduct quality control inspections at private construction sites, and ▲perform safety inspections on small-scale aged buildings over 40 years old and unauthorized houses for citizen safety.

Established in July 2021, the Building Safety Center is composed of professionals including public officials, architects, and structural experts, and has been performing specialized civil service support tasks such as safety inspections of construction sites and aged buildings, and providing safety-related technology and information.

Gwangju plans to expand the functions of the Building Safety Center to strengthen safety and quality management at small-scale construction sites and to prevent safety accidents in disaster-vulnerable buildings in advance.

First, the targets and frequency of safety inspections at construction sites will be increased. The inspection target will be expanded from sites with a total floor area of 1,000㎡ to those with 660㎡, allowing safety management to cover small-scale construction sites as well.

In addition to providing pre-education and consultation to construction stakeholders such as constructors and supervisors at the early stages of construction, the inspection frequency will be increased from once per quarter to once per month for more meticulous management.

Inspections of building demolition sites will also be strengthened. Compliance with demolition plan procedures and the installation of safety facilities will be verified, and if violations are found, administrative actions will be taken according to relevant regulations.

Gwangju will also collaborate with autonomous districts and quality experts to manage the quality of materials used at private construction sites.

The targets are construction sites with building permits such as officetels and multi-family houses, which will be fully inspected at least twice a year. Sites where complaints arise, such as the use of defective materials, will be subject to special inspections as needed.

Particularly, safety inspections of aged buildings and unauthorized houses will be conducted thoroughly. Safety inspections will be carried out on 1,715 small-scale aged buildings over 40 years old with a total floor area under 200㎡, and the safety status of 1,113 unauthorized houses will also be checked.

Architects and safety inspection agencies will visit the sites directly to confirm safety and guide building owners on reinforcement methods. For unauthorized houses, inspections are planned to be completed before the rainy season (July to August).

Park Geum-hwa, Director of the Architecture and Landscape Division, said, “We will maintain continuous interest in the safety of various construction sites and aged buildings and do our best to realize a safe and secure city of Gwangju where safety is ensured everywhere.”

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