The finishing materials of a 32-year-old building collapsed... It was not subject to mandatory regular safety inspections

The collapse of the ceiling structure of a commercial building in Daegu revealed a ‘safety blind spot’ in a small old building.

Total floor area: 892㎡… Expert: “Unlike fire inspections, structural inspections are not compulsory”

(Daegu = Yonhap News) Reporter Park Se-jin = In the wake of an accident in Daegu in which the ceiling covering of a 32-year-old building collapsed and injured about 30 people, attention is focused on the safety management of small old buildings.

The accident building has a total floor area of ​​892㎡ and is not subject to statutory regular safety inspection obligations, raising concerns about blind spots in safety management in old buildings.

Experts pointed out that in the case of small-scale buildings, there is a lack of enforcement of structural safety inspections, and that safety education and management systems for building owners need to be strengthened.

According to the Daegu Fire Department and the Buk-gu district on the 10th, the building in Gwaneum-dong, Buk-gu, where the collapse occurred at 10:16 a.m. that day, was a four-story building completed in 1994.

It is understood that the second floor where the accident occurred was vacant for about a year and seven months and has been leased and used by a distribution company since this month.

On this day, while 66 seniors were invited to sell products, the ceiling finishing material suddenly fell, injuring 38 people.

Among them, nine people complained of dizziness or suffered minor injuries and were taken to the hospital. It was reported that there was no danger to life.

Fire authorities say that the cause of the accident was the collapse of the ceiling 'banja' (finishing material or structure installed on the ceiling), but further investigation is underway to determine the exact type of structure.

The jurisdictional Buk-gu district's position is that it is necessary to confirm whether the building in question has recently undergone remodeling or repair work due to deterioration.

Experts also point out that regular safety inspections are unlikely to be conducted on small, old buildings, including buildings where accidents have occurred, and that safety education by local governments should be strengthened.

Under the current Building Management Act and the Facility Safety Act, regular inspection obligations are classified into large buildings with a total floor area of ​​3,000 m2 or more or facilities with a high public nature, and the building where this accident occurred is understood to have a total floor area of ​​892 m2.

Park Ki-beom, a professor of architecture and civil engineering at Kyungil University, said, "It appears that the collapse occurred in an old building that was in the blind spot of local government management," and added, "Unlike fire safety inspections for small-scale multi-use facilities, which are mandatory, there is no compulsory structure safety inspection."

Professor Park emphasized, “Local governments are conducting structural safety education, but the participation rate among small building owners is low,” adding, “We need to set standards for old buildings and make sure they receive training at least once every few years, or strengthen regulations to reduce casualties.”