On the 7th of last month, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (Minister Meng Hyung-kyu, hereinafter referred to as the Ministry) held a demonstration event to attach the first license plate (0000-001) to the outside of the elevator at the Kyobo Building on Gwanghwamun-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul, to strengthen elevator safety management.

This will enable the establishment of a comprehensive elevator information system that assigns individual unique numbers to all elevators nationwide and systematically manages all histories such as various standards, specifications, maintenance, and accident status, thereby enhancing elevator safety and ease of maintenance. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety has selected Jongno-gu, Seoul, as a pilot area and plans to build the system by the end of this month and expand the service network nationwide by the end of 2012.

"Once the comprehensive elevator information system is established, it will be easy to check the durability of major parts of the elevator and facilitate maintenance," said Kim Yong-yi, head of the Safety Improvement Division of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. "As the location information of elevators can be shared with emergency rescue agencies, repair companies, and inspection agencies, it is expected to dramatically improve public safety services in the event of an emergency such as an elevator trapping accident."

The main functions of the comprehensive elevator information system include ▲ supporting 119 emergency rescue by providing elevator location information and opening information, ▲ differentiating from invincible elevators without elevator license plates, ▲ strengthening responsibility by establishing a history management system that can infer and deal with the timing of parts replacement, and ▲ providing elevator safety information using QR codes.

 The elevator license plate consists of seven digits (four numbers and three digits), and the material of the license plate is divided into a stencil plate and a number sticker.

The stencil plates are installed inside elevators (near the emergency bell), dumbwaiters (near the call button), and wheelchair lifts (near the operation button) where damage may occur or braille is required, while the number stickers are attached to the outside of elevators (upper right corner of the outer frame) and escalators (near the emergency stop button) where it is difficult to attach stencil plates due to surface coating or curved surfaces. If a hotel or other organization produces its own, the specifications and contents remain the same, but only the base material can be changed.

The details of the elevator license plate include Braille and QR codes inside the elevator, as well as an explanatory statement, "This is an identification number used to check the location and information of the elevator," and is attached near the emergency bell inside the car. On the outside, the number sticker is placed near the right side of the outer frame of the elevator and the QR sticker is placed near the hustle button, and on escalators, only the number sticker is placed near the emergency stop button, one up and one down to facilitate attachment to the curved part. Dumbwaiters and wheelchair lifts will be equipped with stainless steel license plates near the call button or operation button, including QR codes and explanatory text, except for Braille.

Once the comprehensive elevator information system is established, the general public will be able to easily view elevator installation information, inspection history, location information, etc. using QR codes on the Internet or smartphones, allowing them to check the management status of the building's elevators at any time.

Previously, in large facilities such as airports, hundreds of elevators were installed, and it took a lot of time to locate the accidental elevator in the event of a trapped elevator. During the September 15 power outage, about 2,900 people were trapped in a total of 1,902 elevators, causing many difficulties in rescue operations. In addition, since the elevators were managed by each building's own management number, such as Unit 1 and Unit 2, it was pointed out that changing the management number arbitrarily would change the entire history. In addition, it was difficult to explain the location of a stranded person in the elevator when they reported it, and the different door opening methods for each make and model of elevator caused many damages such as elevator damage by forcibly opening the elevator door.

"Korea is probably the first country in the world to manage the coordinates of elevators and provide elevator information through QR codes," said Kim Chan-oh, a professor of safety engineering at Seoul National University of Science and Technology, adding, "This is a new paradigm shift in elevator safety."

Deputy Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety Lee Sam-gul said, "Elevators are essential facilities that all citizens use every day in real life," adding, "The establishment of a comprehensive elevator information system using IT technology is creating a new framework for elevator safety management."