Written Reply to Parliamentary Questions on Construction Noise

Written Reply to Parliamentary Questions on Construction Noise by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment

Mr Don Wee: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether NEA will permit construction worksites that utilise electric cranes, electric power generators and electric trucks, which produce low decibel noise levels, to operate beyond 9 pm.

Answer:

1 Subject to the No-Work Rule on Sundays and Public Holidays, work is permitted at construction sites as long as the permissible noise limits stipulated in the Environmental Protection and Management (Control of Noise at Construction Sites) Regulations are complied with.

2 To protect residents’ rest at night, more stringent permissible noise limits are applied after 7.00pm and 10.00pm respectively. 9.00pm is not used as a specific threshold in our regulations. More stringent limits also apply around residential buildings and noise-sensitive premises, for instance hospitals, schools, institutes of higher learning and homes for the aged. Contractors should implement noise mitigation measures where necessary to ensure compliance with the applicable permissible noise limits. This may include utilising quieter construction equipment, such as electric machinery.