Environmental, Health and Safety Report 2003 / 04

	Hong Kong Housing Authority / Hong Kong Housing Department Web Site
	[Home] [English Version] [Traditional Chinese Version] [Simplified Chinese Version] [Graphical Version] [Close]

Performance Review
Health and Hygiene [Photo: With a shift action to the outbreak of SARS, we focused on improving healthy and hygienic living environment.]

Planning for a Healthy and Hygienic Living Environment

SARS Preventive Measures

Anti-mosquito Measures

Other Measures for a Hygienic Living Environment

Planning for a Healthy and Hygienic Living Environment

[Photo: Exterior pipe inspection performed by Housing Department surveyor.]
Following the discovery of limitations in the drainage network at some of our public housing estates during the outbreak of SARS, we implemented an ongoing comprehensive inspection and repair programme in all estates.

For our new projects, we commissioned an academic institute to audit the drainage design of our standard harmony blocks. We also commissioned a specialist to advise on the drainage design for one of our non-standard projects and to prepare guidelines on drainage system design, installation and maintenance throughout the life cycle of the buildings.

We started technical reviews of our re-entrant design during the year to allow for easy inspection and maintenance from common corridors. We also started drainage improvement trials in shower areas and beside wash basins at a number of our projects in mid-2003 aimed at preventing backflow. A new common trap design is being considered to prevent the drying up of floor traps.

In order to minimize environmental impacts from underground drainage restoration works, we adopted innovative "no-dig" technology whereby pre-cleaned underground pipes would be relined through a self-hardening polymer injection without need for excavation.

The Housing Department (HD) is also a member of the working group established by the Buildings Department to improve environmental hygiene, including measures to improve access to external drainage for regular and comprehensive inspection and maintenance works.

Our recent Public Housing Recurrent Survey 2004 reports a trend of increasing satisfaction amongst our tenants of the cleanliness and environmental hygiene conditions in common areas of our public rental housing (PRH) estates: 62% compared with 52% and 45% in 2003 and 2002 resectively. With your support we look forward to further improving our performance.

SARS Preventive Measures

[Photo: SARS prevention poster.]
A comprehensive programme to improve personal and environmental hygiene in public housing estates was launched by the HA during the year.

A series of special cleansing and hygiene measures were initiated by the Housing Authority (HA) in April 2003 at shopping centres, markets and car parks. Key initiatives taken by property management staff, building services staff, maintenance contractors and car park operators at these facilities included:

	Display of posters and notices on public health and distribution of health care letters and leaflets to tenants and shoppers;
	Regular cleansing and disinfection of common facilities, building services e.g. lift buttons and hand rails, as well as children's play equipment and drainage systems; and
	Installations of over 400 automatic hand soap dispensers and sanitizers at 160 of our shopping centres and car parks.

[Photo: Hand sanitizer.]
Besides, we launched a Clean Culture Campaign between June and November 2003, and issued advice and guidelines to management agents, frontline staff, tenants and employees of food and eating premises in November 2003.

[Photo: Director of Housing, Mr Leung Chin-man, with a group of Drainage Ambassadors.]
We also launched the Drainage Ambassador Scheme in May 2003. By the end of Phase 1 of the scheme in August 2003 we had inspected the indoor drainage in about 310 housing blocks that were old or primarily occupied by senior citizens.

By March 2004, with the assistance of over 100 Drainage Ambassadors, we had inspected over 282 000 units in 831 blocks, and had rectified drainage defects in over 83 000 units. All inspections and repairs of the remaining 224 blocks were scheduled for completion in May 2004, at the end of Phase 2.

In 2003 / 04 we also conducted two cycles of inspection and repairs to common and external drainage installations in public housing estates, and completed inspection of all housing blocks by March 2004.

Further measures aimed at strengthening our cleansing and disinfection efforts in refuse areas and common areas included:

	Raising general health awareness by issuing pamphlets and guidelines to all households;
	Arranging inspections to drainage systems and vent pipes;
	Intensifying cleansing and disinfection activities using 1:99 diluted household bleach; and
	Strengthening rodent and pest control.

In December 2003, we established a three-level Contingency Plan for SARS Outbreak. The system sets out clear operational guidelines for frontline staff and property management companies at each level, depending on the scale and nature of the risk. We also conducted practice drills to enhance the alertness and preparedness of our frontline staff. One such drill took place in Lei Yue Mun Estate in January 2004.

Anti-mosquito Measures

[Photo: A Housing Department worker sprays larvicide to prevent mosquito breeding.]
Over the year we have remained vigilant to prevent possible mosquito-borne diseases such as Dengue Fever and Japanese Encephalitis.

Anti-mosquito measures have been implemented in all public rental housing estates, commercial properties and construction sites. Measures include inspection, cleaning and clearing of floor drains, roof gutters and surface channels to prevent accumulation of water, and spraying with larvicide as necessary.

We also inspected common areas to check for stagnant water held in litter such as discarded bottles and lunch boxes that might assist mosquito breeding.

We placed posters in lift lobbies and distributed leaflets to remind tenants of the potential risk of mosquitoes. Tenants were advised to remove stagnant water gathered in plant pots and saucers, air-conditioner traps and water storage containers at home to control mosquitoes.

Other Measures for a Hygienic Living Environment

[Photo: Chairman of the Housing Authority, Mr Michael Suen (centre) inspects cleansing operations in Yiu Tung Estate. ]
In our public housing estates the accumulation of rubbish on top of air-conditioners and canopies, the dumping of abandoned objects in common areas, and illegal cooked food hawking are common problems. In this respect, the HD set out a series of short term measures in May 2003 to clean up hygiene black spots, enhance refuse collection, provide drainage check and stamp out illegal cooked food hawking in public housing estates.

These measures follow on from the HD's support for the territory-wide Cleansing Day on 19 April 2003 when a new round of cleansing operations in all PRH estates was staged while tenants were encouraged to do the same at home.

To sustain improvements and tackle the more fundamental problems, longer-term initiatives were introduced during the year. Although the Team Clean was disbanded in August 2003, we are committed to continuing the delivery of the initiatives originally put forth by the task force.

The following are amongst the key initiatives launched during the year.

Marking Scheme for Tenancy Enforcement
Under this Scheme implemented in August 2003, points are allotted to households committing any one of 19 public hygiene and public health misdeeds. These include eight "zero tolerance" misdeeds that pose serious hygiene threats, such as littering, spitting in public areas, and indiscriminate dumping or disposal of decoration debris at refuse collection points.

A warning system was introduced to allow residents to rectify misdeeds. An accumulation of 16 points in a two-year period will trigger action for tenancy termination. Up to the end of March 2004, almost 1 800 tenants had been allotted with points for misdeeds such as littering and spitting, including 25 tenants allotted with 10 points or more.

Stringent Enforcement against Spitting and Littering
In response to endorsement of the Legislative Council in June 2003 to raise the penalty for cleanliness offences, additional teams have been formed to step up enforcement actions against spitting and littering offences in PRH estates.

Restaurant and Factory Tenants
We have started relocating cooked food stalls from open areas to enclosed premises; and have requested tenants to conduct regular cleaning of cooked food stalls, grease traps, common areas and facilities; and to ensure all waste management practices and the handling / storage of dangerous or high polluting materials follow relevant regulations and guidelines.

Combating Illegal Cooked Food Hawking
Agreement has been reached with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the police to carry out joint enforcement against illegal cooked food hawkers in 23 PRH estates which have more than 10 illegal cooked food hawkers. From August 2003 to March 2004, 370 joint raids had been conducted resulting in 1 010 seizures and 90 arrests. The number of illegal hawkers in these estates dropped from 194 in March 2003 to 156 March 2004.

Measures Against Falling Objects
In December 2003, we employed a security company to assist enforcement efforts against PRH tenants dropping objects from height. This initiative will be supported by the pending relocation of existing CCTV systems in PRH estates to strategic locations or identified black spots.

top