Citation and Commencement

This Technical Memorandum on Noise from Construction Site within a Designated Area which is generated from the Use of Specified Powered Mechanical Equipment (SPME) to carry out construction work other than Percussive Piling and/or the Carrying Out of Prescribed Construction Work (PCW) is issued pursuant to section 9 of the Noise Control Ordinance and may be cited as the Technical Memorandum on Noise from Construction Work in Designated Areas.This Technical Memorandum replaces the Technical Memorandum published in Special Supplement No. 5 to Gazette No. 6 Vol. CXXXVIII on 9 February 1996. This Technical Memorandum shall come into operation in accordance with section 12 of the Noise Control Ordinance.

Application and Scope

This Technical Memorandum details the procedures that should generally be adopted by the Authority for construction work to be conducted on or after 1 November 1996:

for the assessment of noise from construction work within a designated area involving the use of SPME other than percussive piling and/or the carrying out of PCW;

for the issuing of Construction Noise Permits for construction work within a designated area involving the use of SPME other than percussive piling and/or the carrying out of PCW pursuant to sections 8 & 8A of the Ordinance; and,

for determining whether or not any such Construction Noise Permit is being complied with.

In areas, other than a designated area, or when the construction work does not involve the use of SPME nor the carrying out of PCW, the procedures governing the issuing of Construction Noise Permits shall be in accordance with the Technical Memorandum on Noise from Construction Work other than Percussive Piling.

Interpretation

In this Technical Memorandum, unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions apply:

"Authority" has the same meaning as in the Ordinance;

"Construction Noise Permit" has the same meaning as in the Ordinance;

"construction site" has the same meaning as in the Ordinance;

"construction work" has the same meaning as in the Ordinance;

"designated area" has the same meaning as in the Ordinance;

"formwork" means any type of metallic, wooden or fibreglass construction including any structural support designed to enable concrete, cement or other material poured in a fluid state to assume a particular shape upon setting;

"hammering" means to strike repeatedly any object, instrument or surface with any other object, instrument or surface;

"Noise Sensitive Receiver" means any domestic premises, hotel, hostel, temporary housing accommodation, hospital, medical clinic, educational institution, place of public worship, library, court of law or performing arts centre.  Any other premises or place, not being in the nature of either industrial or commercial premises, which is considered by the Authority to have a similar sensitivity to noise as the premises and places above shall also be considered to be a Noise Sensitive Receiver. Any premises or place shall, however, be considered to be a Noise Sensitive Receiver only when it is in use for its intended purpose.

"Ordinance" means the Noise Control Ordinance;

"powered mechanical equipment" has the same meaning as in the Ordinance;

"prescribed construction work" means the construction work prescribed for the purpose of section 6(2) of the Ordinance. The Noise Control (Construction Work) Regulation stipulates the type of construction work being prescribed for control;

"restricted hours" means the time between 1900 and 0700 hours and any time on a general holiday, including Sunday;

"rubble" means any kind of debris or superfluous material arising from construction work including bricks, concrete, metal, glass, wood, plastic, earth, rock, bamboo or fibreglass;

"scaffolding" means any type of construction made of metal, wood or bamboo whose purpose is to enable temporary access to a part or parts of another structure or building whether completed or not;

"Secretary" has the same meaning as in the Ordinance;

"specified powered mechanical equipment" means those items of powered mechanical equipment as specified in Table A.3 of Annex A in this Technical Memorandum; and

"site boundary" means the boundary of a construction site as specified in a Construction Noise Permit.

Standard acoustical terminology is used throughout this Technical Memorandum. Other terms are as defined in the Ordinance or in the text of this Technical Memorandum.