WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 1974
PERMITTED NOISE LEVEL OF CONTRACTORS' EQUIPMENT
MAY BE REVISED
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THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION IS CONSIDERING REVISING THE EXISTING PERMITTED NOISE LEVEL FOR EQUIPMENT USED ON CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING SITES.
THIS WAS REVEALED TODAY BY THE HON. JAMES ROBSON, SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, IN A REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. H.M.G. FORSGATE AS TO WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT COULD TAKE STEPS TO ENCOURAGE 'THE USE OF NOISE SUPPRESSION DEVICES ON CONTRACTORS' EQUIPMENT BY STIPULATING OR ENFORCING NOISE LIMITS ON GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS.
MR. ROBSON TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT A STANDARD CLAUSE WAS ALREADY INCLUDED IN ALMOST ALL CIVIL ENGINEERING CONTRACTS TO THE EFFECT THAT ALL PLANT AND EQUIPMENT SUPPLIED BY CONTRACTORS FOR USE ON THE WORKS SHOULD BE EFFECTIVELY SOUND REDUCED BY MEANS OF SILENCERS, MUFFLERS OR ACCOUSTIC LININGS TO A LEVEL OF 75 DECIBELS (DBA) MEASURED OUTSIDE THE NEAREST OCCUPIED PROPERTY.
+A_GOOD DEAL OF CO-OPERATION HAS BEEN RECEIVED FROM CONTRACTORS IN TRYING TO SATISFY THIS CLAUSE, BUT THE LEVEL OF 75 DECIBELS HAS PROVED IMPRACTICAL AS THE AMBIENT OF NOISE LEVEL IN HONG KONG IS OFTEN IN EXCESS OF THIS, HE SAID.
SOUGHT CONSIDERING A MORE APPROPRIATE NOISE LEVEL, EPCOM HAD
INFORMATION FROM OTHER COUNTRIES AS TO HOW THEY
TACKLED THE PROBLEM. +THE RESULTS SO FAR INDICATE THAT WHILE THERE IS OFTEN LEGISLATION ON THE STATUTE BOOK, THE ENFORCEMENT OF IT PRESENT DIFFICULTIES,+ MR. ROBSON EXPLAINED.
REPLYING TO ANOTHER QUESTION FROM MR. FORSGATE, MR. ROBSON SAID THAT THE IMPLICATIONS OF NECESSARY LEGISLATION WOULD HAVE TO BE CAREFULLY LOOKED INTO BEFORE EPCOM'S RECOMMENDATION ON RESTRICTING THE USE OF NOISY CONTRACTORS' EQUIPMENT COULD BE INTRODUCED.
ON MAY 24 THIS YEAR, EPCOM RECOMMENDED THAT THE USE OF NOISY CONTRACTORS' EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE RESTRICTED BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 8 P.M. AND 6 A.M. DAILY AND ON PUBLIC HOLIDAYS, EXCEPT FOR AUTHORISED EMERGENCY WORK.
+IT IS A PRACTICAL SUGGESTION WHICH I PERSONALLY FAVOUR VERY MUCH AND I HOPE IT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED AT AN EARLY DATE,+ SAID MR. ROBSON.
HE HOPED THAT CONTRACTORS WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCEPT THIS BAN ON THE USE OF COMPRESSORS, DRILLS, CONCRETE VIBRATORS AND MECHANICAL HAMMERS IN THE SAME WAY THAT THEY HAD BEEN ABLE TO REORGANISE THEIR WORK SCHEDULES TO ABSORB THE EFFECTS OF THE BAN ON PILE DRIVING.
+IT MAY. HOWEVER, BE NECESSARY TO GIVE DUE NOTICE OF THE INTRODUCTION OF SUCH LEGISLATION IN ORDER THAT CONTRACTORS CAN PREPARE AND PRICE THEIR TENDERS ACCORDINGLY,+ HE ADDED.
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