XN000022-1986-07-18 — Page 7

FRIDAY, JULY 18, 1986

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HOWEVER, HE SAID, IT WAS ENCOURAGING TO NOTE THAT THE OVERALL NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS HAD FALLEN SLIGHTLY OVER THE PAST YEAR DESPITE AN INCREASE IN THE LEVEL OF CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY.

IT WAS PLEASING TO SEE THE INDUSTRY TAKING POSITIVE STEPS AIMED AT WORKER SAFETY, WITH THE GRADUATION OF THE FIRST BATCH OF 52 STUDENTS FROM THE CONSTRUCTION SAFETY OFFICER COURSE RUN BY THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TRAINING AUTHORITY LAST YEAR, HE ADDED.

+ONGOING COURSES WILL ENSURE A STEADY IMPROVEMENT IN SAFETY STANDARDS AND THIS WILL BE REINFORCED BY LEGISLATION, SOON TO BE INTRODUCED, WHICH WILL REQUIRE THE MANDATORY APPOINTMENT OF A SAFETY OFFICER IN FIRMS EMPLOYING MORE THAN 200 WORKERS, MR CHAN SAID.

TUNNELLERS MEET IN MIDDLE OF MA ON SHAN *****

AFTER 21 MONTHS BORING THROUGH MA ON SHAN FROM DIFFERENT FACES, TWO TEAMS OF TUNNELLERS FINALLY MET IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MOUNTAIN TODAY (FRIDAY).

THE EXPLOSIVE CHARGE TO CLEAR AWAY THE LAST ROCK SEPARATING THE TWO TEAMS WAS FIRED BY THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, MR NICKY CHAN.

THE TUNNEL IS THE LONGEST OF ITS TYPE TO HAVE BEEN DRIVEN IN HONG KONG, THE FACES AT SAI O AND PAK KONG BEING 5.3 KILOMETRES APART.

IT FORMS PART OF AN ELABORATE AQUEDUCT SYSTEM BEING BUILT TO INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF WATER FROM CHINA VIA PLOVER COVE RESERVOIR A PUMPING STATION NEARING COMPLETION ON HARBOUR ISLAND AND A SUBMARINE PIPELINE BEING LAID ACROSS TOLO CHANNEL.

THIS WILL BE JOINED TO THE MA ON SHAN TUNNEL, AT THE END OF WHICH A TREATMENT WORKS IS NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION, WITH A DAILY CAPACITY OF 728 000 CUBIC METRES TO SUPPLY THE SAI KUNG AREA, JUNK BAY NEW TOWN AND EASTERN KOWLOON,

ULTIMATELY, WATER WILL ALSO BE SUPPLIED TO THE NORTH-EASTERN PART OF HONG KONG ISLAND VIA A SUBMARINE MAIN ACROSS THE HARBOUR.

DURING CONSTRUCTION OF THE TUNNEL, WHICH WILL BE FITTED WITH THREE-METRE-DIAMETER PIPES, MORE THAN 55 000 CUBIC METRES OF ROCK WERE BLASTED AND EXCAVATED.

A WATER