In order to safeguard the rights and interests of consumers, the Executive Yuan's Department of Consumer Protection (hereafter referred to as the DCP), together with other relevant authorities, recently conducted an inspection of the construction, fire control, air quality and models of standardized contracts of 15 large art exhibition sites. The conclusion of the 50th meeting of the Consumer Protection Council of the Executive Yuan has requested that the relevant authorities carry out improvements as quickly as possible in areas that were discovered during this inspection to not comply with rules and regulations, and requested the Executive Yuan's Environmental Protection Agency to officially classify large art exhibition sites as places that should comply with indoor air quality management regulations as soon as possible.
In view of the gradual increase in large art exhibition venues (such as museums and art galleries), the number of people visiting such venues is increasing daily, in order to resolve problems involving construction, fire control, air quality and standard form contracts, as well as to safeguard the rights and interests of a populace that loves art activities, DCP officials in conjunction with relevant personnel went to the five municipalities of Taipei City, Hsinchu City, Taichung City, Tainan City and Kaohsiung City to conduct inspections at 15 exhibition sites, and the following circumstances of non-compliance were discovered (detailed as follows):
1. Fire safety Management: Four venues did not comply with regulations, For example, fire extinguishers did not comply with regulations (number 13); emergency and lighting equipment was faulty (number 3); carpeting was not fireproof (numbers 12 and 13) and firefighting water hoses had ruptured (number 8).
2. Building safety management: Three venues were not in compliance. For example, safety ladder exits had electromagnetic locks (number 4); the fireproof doors for safety ladders could not be returned or closed (number 15) and the validity of permits for lift equipment had expired (number 1).
3. Air quality (carbon dioxide): 1. Venues surpassing 1,000 parts per million (number 4). In order to further safeguard consumers who go to art exhibitions, the DCP has requested that the Executive Yuan's Environmental Protection Agency to officially classify large art exhibition sites as places that should comply with indoor air quality management regulations as soon as possible.
The DCP reminds consumers that in the event that a dispute occurs, they can dial the 1950 consumer services hotline in order to apply for each local government's consumer services center or go to website for the Executive Yuan's Consumer Protection Committee (http://www.cpc.ey.gov.tw) to apply online to safeguards their rights and interests.