Site
Inspection
5.1
Site inspection provides a direct means to initiate and enforce
specified environmental protection and pollution control measures. These shall be undertaken routinely to
inspect construction activities in order to ensure that appropriate
environmental protection and pollution control mitigation measures are properly
implemented. The site inspection is one
of the most effective tools to enforce the environmental protection requirements
at the works area.
5.2
The ET Leader shall be responsible for formulating the environmental
site inspection, the deficiency and action reporting system, and for carrying
out the site inspection works. Within
21 days of the construction contract commencement, he shall submit a proposal
for site inspection and deficiency and action reporting procedures to the
Contractor for agreement, and to the ER for approval.
5.3
Regular site inspections shall be carried out at least once per
week. The areas of inspection shall not
be limited to the environmental situation, pollution control and mitigation
measures within the site; it should also review the environmental situation
outside the works area which is likely to be affected, directly or indirectly,
by the site activities. The ET Leader
shall make reference to the following information in conducting the inspection:
5.4
The Contractor shall keep the ET Leader updated with all relevant
information on the construction contract necessary for him to carry out the
site inspections. Inspection results
and associated recommendations for improvements to the environmental protection
and pollution control works shall be submitted to the ER and the Contractor
within 24 hours. The Contractor shall
follow the procedures and time-frame as stipulated in the environmental site
inspection, and the deficiency and action reporting system formulated by the ET
Leader, to report on any remedial measures subsequent to the site inspections.
5.5
Ad hoc site inspections shall also be carried out if
significant environmental problems are identified. Inspections may also be required subsequent to receipt of an
environmental complaint, or as part of the investigation work, as specified in
the Action Plan for environmental monitoring and audit.
Compliance
with Legal and Contractual Requirements
5.6
There are contractual environmental protection and pollution control
requirements as well as environmental protection and pollution control laws in
Hong Kong with which construction activities must comply.
5.7
In order that the works are in compliance with the contractual
requirements, all works method statements submitted by the Contractor to the ER
for approval shall be sent to the ET Leader for vetting to see whether
sufficient environmental protection and pollution control measures have been
included. The implementation schedule
of mitigation measures is summarised in Appendix A.
5.8
The ET Leader shall also review the progress and programme of the works
to check that relevant environmental laws have not been violated, and that any
foreseeable potential for violating laws can be prevented.
5.9
The Contractor shall regularly copy relevant documents to the ET Leader
so that works checking can be carried out.
The document shall at least include the updated Works Progress Reports,
updated Works Programme, any application letters for different licence /
permits under the environmental protection laws, and copies of all valid
licences / permits. The site diary
shall also be available for the ET Leader's inspection upon his request.
5.10
After reviewing the document, the ET Leader shall advise the ER and
Contractor of any non-compliance with contractual and legislative requirements
on environmental protection and pollution control for them to take follow-up
actions. If the ET Leader's review
concludes that the current status on licence / permit application and any
environmental protection and pollution control preparation works may result in
potential violation of environmental protection and pollution control
requirements, he shall also advise the Contractor and the ER accordingly.
5.11
Upon receipt of the advice, the Contractor shall undertake
immediate action to correct the situation.
The ER shall follow up to ensure that appropriate action has been taken
in order to satisfy contractual and legal requirements.
Environmental
Complaints
5.12
Complaints shall be referred to the ET Leader for action. The ET Leader shall undertake the following
procedures upon receipt of any complaint:
(i) log
complaint and date of receipt onto the complaint database;
(ii)
investigate the complaint to determine its validity, and
assess whether the source of the problem is due to works activities;
(iii)
identify mitigation measures if a complaint is valid and
due to works;
(iv) advise
the Contractor if mitigation measures are required;
(v) review
the Contractor's response to identified mitigation measures, and the updated
situation;
(vi) if
the complaint is transferred from the EPD, submit interim report to the EPD on
status of the complaint investigation and follow-up action within the time
frame assigned by the EPD;
(vii) undertake
additional monitoring and audit to verify the situation if necessary, and
review that circumstances leading to the complaint do not recur;
(viii) report
investigation results and subsequent actions to complainant (if the source of
complaint is EPD, the results should be reported within the timeframe assigned
by the EPD); and
(ix) record the complaint, investigation, the
subsequent actions and the results in the monthly EM&A reports.