The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The spokesperson for the Hospital Authority (HA) announced today (March 31) that consent has been given to resume the foundation works for the New Acute Hospital (NAH) project at Kai Tak Development Area.
The spokesperson said that since settlement exceeding the pre-set trigger level for works suspension (25 millimetres) was recorded at four monitoring checkpoints on the ground installed within the NAH site on October 8, 2021, the relevant foundation works were suspended on the same day. The HA and its project team immediately inspected and confirmed the structural and operational safety of the works site, nearby structures and public facilities including adjacent public roads and the Hong Kong Children's Hospital, and subsequently announced the situation in mid-October 2021.
The contractor responsible for the said construction works submitted to the HA an investigation report after the incident, and proposed implementing appropriate mitigation measures, including enhanced temporary support works and grouting works to stabilise the ground, and additional monitoring checkpoints and increased monitoring frequency, in order to minimise the impact on the works site, adjacent structures, public roads and nearby facilities upon resumption of works. The HA has consulted relevant government departments including the Architectural Services Department and the Geotechnical Engineering Office of the Civil Engineering and Development Department on the proposed mitigation measures and rectification works at the relevant locations of the works site. Having completed the said mitigation measures and rectification works, the contractor requested for resumption of the suspended foundation works. The request for work resumption had been approved by an independent checking consultant.
The HA, together with its project team and independent checking consultant, have inspected the works site, adjacent structures and public roads, and nearby facilities again and confirmed that they are structurally and operationally safe. After considering the views from relevant departments and stakeholders, the HA and its project team confirmed that the resumption of works will not affect public safety, and verified that the contractor has stringent monitoring measures to ensure that the works site, adjacent structures and public roads, and nearby facilities will be structurally and operationally safe upon works resumption.
Having considered the above advice, the request for resumption of works was accepted by the HA yesterday (March 30), and the relevant foundation works resume today. When giving consent to the works resumption, the HA has requested the contractor to implement a series of measures when carrying out the remaining construction works, including strict adherence to the enhanced construction sequences for the foundation works and the enhanced site supervision and safety. The HA has consulted its independent checking consultant and relevant government departments on these measures. As the subsided ground and the monitoring checkpoints thereon have been reinstated, the pre-set trigger level of settlement for works suspension remains unchanged.
The spokesperson reiterated that safety and quality of works are the prime consideration of the HA. Under all circumstances, protecting the safety of the public, workers, adjacent structures and public roads, and nearby facilities are of the utmost importance. The HA and its project team will continue to closely monitor the condition of the works site, adjacent structures and public roads, and nearby facilities to ensure the works would be carried out in a safe manner. The HA and its project team will also closely monitor the works progress to safeguard the completion of the NAH as scheduled to deliver the services.
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