Revision of the Environmental Management Construction Site Regulations:
Revision of the Environmental Management Construction Site Regulations
The purpose of this memorandum is to underline the present inadequacies to protect the health & wellbeing of the construction workers and the residents from noise pollution.
Our concern arise because of the conditions repelled by LN 296/2007 as in Table A:
Table A:
L.N. 296 of 2007 -Environment Protection Act (Cap. 435) Development Planning Act (Cap. 356)
BY virtue of the powers conferred by article 9 of the Environment Protection Act, and in terms of regulation 1 of the Environment Management Construction Site Regulations, 2007….. has established the 1st November 2007 as the date when the provisions of these regulations other than:
Schedule III section 1(b) and,
Schedule IV section 1(a) and 1(b), shall come into force in relation to - Type A and Type B developments listed in Schedule VI to those Regulations.
The safety measures to protect the health of the residents were repelled as indicated below in Table B:
Table B:
L.N. 295 of 2007 Environmental Management Construction Site Regulations, 2007
Schedule III (Regulation 5) Reducing Pollution
Nuisance Abatement
1. The permissible hours of work for construction works where noise generated from that activity can be heard from outside the site boundary will be as follows:
(b) Site activities generating more than 65dB measured immediately outside the site shall cease between 2pm and 4pm.
Schedule IV (Regulation 7(g)
Technical Guidelines and Site Preparation - Minimisation of noise and vibration levels
1 The level of noise emitted from any construction site shall:
(a) respect the levels as established by the Work Place (Minimum Health and Safety Requirements for the Protection of Workers from Risks resulting from Exposure to noise) Regulations, 2006 published by Legal Notice 158 of 2006, at any point measured immediately outside the site retaining the methodologies established by the said regulations in respect of weekly noise exposure level and daily noise exposure level. Any measurement shall follow prescribed standards as approved by the competent authority responsible for issuing such standards. Should a locally approved standard not be available, an equivalent standard to the satisfaction of the appropriate competent authority shall apply.
(b) Moreover to minimise noise and vibration levels all equipment must have functional exhaust or muffler systems;
Therefore, to safeguard the health of all concerned NASoM is requesting the competent authorities to revise the regulations as suggested below:
(1) Repel L.N. 296 of 2007 thereby enabling all the conditions in Schedules III & IV as in the original L.N. 295 of 2007 to be reinstated
(2) Revision of the Schedules in L.N 295, as follows:
(3) Schedule II: Insert the following for the use of chute after 2(b)
c) Use rubber linings in, for example, chutes and dumpers to reduce impact noised
d)Minimize drop height of materials
(4) Schedule III: Substitute 1 (b) to read:
1 (b) “The noise level from the construction site must not be greater than 55 dB LAeq, 1hr 07:00-20:00 as measured one metre from the resident’s façade
(5) Schedule IV: Insert the following new parameters after 1 c);
d) The vibrations from construction works must be less than 10mm.s-1 (Regarding Human response to vibrations in buildings (BS 6472)
e) Positioning of noise barriers to reduce the amount of noise reaching the noise-sensitive area (WHO permissible noise at the façade)
(6) Schedule IV: Furthermore, the above regulations shall apply to Type A, B and C developments as listed in Schedule VI of the said Regulations.
Presented by NASoM on the 12th March 2014 to:
Minister for the Environment
Minister for Transport & Infrastructure
BICC CEO