1 INTRODUCTION transportation of explosives by Mines either to magazines or directly to sites is under Mines’ responsibility and falls outside the scope of this EIA. The appointed contractors of MTRC will transport explosives in Mines Division licensed trucks to be operated by the contractors, from the Magazine 1.1 BACKGROUND to a particular construction site for daily or twice-daily blasts depending on The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL) is a cross- the requirements for construction. Generally, the quantity of explosives that boundary transport infrastructure project providing high speed rail services can be transported in any 3 rd party contractor’s truck is limited by the Mines between HK and Guangzhou and a connection to the national high-speed Division to maximum 200kg. passenger rail network serving major mainland cities outside the Guangdong province. The XRL preliminary design was completed in December 2008 and The explosives to be stored and transported from the magazines to the the first gazetted drawings (G.N. 8022 of Nov 2008) were issued in November construction sites will include detonators, detonating cord and cartridged 2008. The MTR Corporation Limited (MTRC) has then decided to proceed emulsion. with the Detailed Design of the XRL commencing in January 2009. Under Section 5(7) of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Ordinance XRL construction is planned from Dec 2009 to 2014 / 2015. Excavation by (Cap. 499 ) (EIAO), the Director of Environmental Protection (Director) from blasting will be generally ongoing from 2011 to mid 2013. the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has issued a Study Brief No. ESB-197/2008 for this project (EIA Study Brief). Section 3.4.2 of the EIA Study The XRL Scheme consists of an underground terminus in West Kowloon, Brief requires that, if there is overnight storage of explosives magazine and approximately 26 km of tunnels from the terminus to the mainland boundary the storage location is in close vicinity to populated areas, and/or Potentially near Huang Gang. After crossing the boundary, the Mainland section of the Hazardous Installation site, the Applicant shall carry out hazard assessment. high-speed railway runs north for a further 116 km to Guangzhou. Trains on the Hong Kong section are intended to operate at speeds up to 200 kph. ERM-Hong Kong, Limited (ERM) was commissioned by MTRC to undertake the Hazard to Life Assessment for the storage and transport of explosives Referring to Chapter 2 of the EIA, the selection of construction methods has during the XRL Construction Stage and propose risk mitigation measures if been optimised to minimise, as far as possible, the use of explosives necessary. The criteria and guidelines applicable for the Hazard to Life depending on the type of material to be excavated. The breakdown per Assessment are stated in Annexes 4 and 22 of the Technical Memorandum excavation method is approximately: (EIAO-TM Criteria). • Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) (specially designed for soft soil The Hazard to Life Assessment requirements of the EIA Study Brief are excavation): ~8.5 km; shown below. • Cut and Cover: ~2.0 km; and Figure 1.1 EIA Study Brief – Hazard to Life Requirements • 3.4.2 Hazard to Life Drill and Blast: ~15 km. 3.4.2.1 If the Project will use explosives (of Cat. 1 Dangerous Goods and/or prepared from Cat. 7 As shown above, a substantial length of the XRL tunnels and adits Dangerous Goods), the Applicant shall describe the statutory/licensing requirements with respect to explosives under the Dangerous Goods Ordinance (Cap. 295). The Applicant shall also document any (approximately 15 km) will be excavated in rock. A significant amount of guidelines and/or advice obtained from relevant departments/ authorities on the proposed transport and explosives will be required for the construction of rock caverns, tunnels and storage of explosives for the blasting activities. adits. 3.4.2.2 If there is overnight storage of explosives magazine and the storage location is in close vicinity to populated areas and/or Potentially Hazardous Installation site, the Applicant shall carry out hazard assessment as follows: To enable a timely delivery of explosives to site and in order to meet the (i) Identify hazardous scenarios associated with the storage and transport of explosives and then proposed construction work programme, two Explosives Storage Magazines determine a set of relevant scenarios to be included in a Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA); (ii) Execute a QRA of the set of hazardous scenarios determined in (i), expressing population risks (Magazines) are required. The purpose of the Magazines is to maintain in both individual and societal terms; progress rates for construction activities, ie to meet multiple blasts per day (iii) Compare individual and societal risks with the criteria for evaluating hazard to life stipulated in Annex 4 of the TM; and and also act as a buffer in case of delivery interruptions by Mines Division (iv) Identify and assess practicable and cost-effective risk mitigation measures. (Mines Division) from the Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO), Civil The methodology to be used in the hazard assessment should be consistent with previous studies having Engineering and Development Department (CEDD). Mines will deliver similar issues. explosives and initiation devices (detonators) to the Magazine on a daily basis 3.4.2.3 If the railway alignment passes through the consultation zone (CZ) of WSD Water Treatment Works and these will be withdrawn by the contractors as required. The (e.g. Shek Lei Pui Water Treatment Works) and/or any other potentially hazardous installation(s) associated with gas as defined in the Gas Safety Ordinance (Cap. 51), and there is above ground works within the CZ during the construction or operational phase of this project, the Applicant shall carry hazard ERM-HONG KONG LTD MAY 2009 ERM-HONG KONG LTD MAY 2009 A13-1 A13-2 assessment as follows : explosive (Class HD 1.1D under United Nation Classification), it will not be (i) Identify hazardous scenarios associated with: (a) the on-site transport, storage and use of chlorine at the Water Treatment Works; and/or transported to the construction site as such and hence falls outside the scope (b) the on-site transport, storage and processing of gas as defined in the Gas Safety of this study. Ordinance (Cap.51) at the potentially hazardous installation(s); and then determine set(s) of relevant scenarios to be included in Quantitative Risk Assessment(s) (QRA); (ii) Execute respective QRA for each of the works and installation(s) with the set of hazardous To be consistent with West Island Line Project (ERM 2008), the risks scenarios determined in (i), expressing population risks in both individual and societal terms; associated with transport of explosives are limited to the delivery by (iii) Compare individual and societal risks with the criteria for evaluating The methodology to be used in the hazard assessment should be consistent with previous studies having similar issues. contractor trucks up to the blasting sites boundaries and exclude the manual hazard to life stipulated in Annex 4 of the TM; and; transportation from trucks. (iv) Identify and assess practicable and cost-effective risk mitigation measures. The methodology to be used in the hazard assessment should be consistent with previous studies having With reference to the study brief clause 3.4.2.3, there is no work area within similar issues. the consultation zone of the PHIs under which the alignment is passing This section of the EIA presents: through. Based on this, the PHI assessment is not considered applicable for this hazard to life assessment. • The basis for the assessment; The hazard to life assessment presented in this section relates to the storage • Description of the detailed methodology; and handling of explosives during the construction phase of the project. There will be no explosives handled during the operational phase of the project. • The results for each QRA step; and • The assessment of the risk against the EIAO-TM Risk Criteria. 1.3 HAZARD TO LIFE ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES AND RISK CRITERIA The details of the methodology are elaborated further in various sections of The main objective of this Hazard to Life Assessment is to demonstrate that this report. the EIAO-TM Criteria will be met during the XRL construction phase and to identify, where applicable, practical mitigation measures to ensure the EIAO- TM Criteria are met. 1.2 SCOPE OF HAZARD TO LIFE ASSESSMENT The study will particularly focus on the following: The hazard to life assessment under this section of the EIA, addresses, in particular, the following: • Identification of hazardous scenarios associated with the transport and storage of explosives for blasting operations; • Storage of explosives at the proposed magazines (cartridged emulsion, detonating cord and detonators) including handling of explosives within • Preparation of a Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) to estimate risks to the magazine sites; and the surrounding population in both individual and societal terms; • Transport of Explosives to the delivery points. • Comparison of individual and societal risks with the EIAO-TM Criteria to determine the acceptability of the assessed risk (i.e. the Hong Kong Risk The scope of the study concerns the transport of explosives (cartridged Guideline (HKRG)); and emulsion, detonating cord and detonators) from the magazines to the construction sites. • Identification and assessment of practicable and cost effective risk mitigation measures to demonstrate compliance with the EIAO TM Detonators are used in relatively small quantities and transported separately. Criteria. Bulk emulsion and/or Ammonium nitrate – fuel oil (ANFO) will be used in this project as the blasting explosive. Cartridged emulsion will be used to initiate the blasting explosive. 1.3.1 EIAO-TM RISK CRITERIA Bulk emulsion (unsensitised) is not classified as an explosive substance (ie The individual risk guidelines and societal risk guidelines specified in Annex Category 1 Dangerous Good) in Hong Kong (it is classified as Category 7 4 of the EIAO-TM are shown below.