THE AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME
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ordinating the ACP. The New Airport Projects Co-ordination Office (NAPCO) serves as the executive arm of the ADSCOM and is responsible for overall project management and co-ordination.
Management and control systems have been implemented for the ACP, laying down procedures for monitoring and controlling programme, progress and costs. Government works departments, the AA, MTR Corporation and WHTC have full responsibility for their own project-level planning, execution, control and management. NAPCO's role is to ensure compliance with ACP plans, programmes and budgets and to act as a focal point for the management of project interfaces and resolution of problems. To this end, regular reviews are undertaken by NAPCO to monitor the overall ACP programme and costs.
During the year, eight of the 10 ACP projects were substantially complete ahead of schedule and below budget. Principally as a result of rigorous cost control efforts, the ACP budget has been reduced three times by a total of $8.4 billion, from the original budget of $163.7 billion projected in 1992-93 to the present estimate of $155.3 billion.
Protecting the Environment
Environmental impact assessment studies have been undertaken for each ACP project as an integral part of project planning and design. Suitable mitigation measures such as installation of noise barriers have been adopted where necessary.
As construction proceeds, extensive environmental monitoring and audit programmes are being conducted to ensure the acceptable performance of individual projects. In addition, environmental project offices have been established to monitor and audit the cumulative effects of the works and to ensure that environmental issues are quickly identified and acted upon.
Safety at Work
The government continued to implement safety measures to encourage proactive safety management on site and to spread a safety culture among all ACP participants. Management and working committee meetings involving senior officials and site staff were held frequently to address construction safety issues. Contracts with high accident rates were brought to the Sub-committee on ACP Construction Safety for review on specific safety actions taken. Lessons learnt from accidents were circulated to all ACP participants.
ACP contractors with good safety management and safety records received commendations from the Secretary for Works. Accident prevention and safety management training courses were provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Council, Labour Department and Works Bureau for site supervisory staff. In 1997, the industrial accident rate for ACP contracts was 58 reportable accidents per thousand workers per year, compared with the corresponding rate of 220 for the whole construction industry in 1996.
Community and Public Relations
Opening ceremonies were held between February and May to mark the successive completion of the ACP transport corridor's components. Other public events were organised during the period to promote community participation in the ACP. These included the Community Chest Western Harbour Crossing Walk on March 16; a