I strongly agree with Mr Allen Chang (Use of whistle at construction sites should be managed to cut noise pollution, Sept 2).

My condominium is 100m from a construction site and roadworks, yet the sound of whistles from these sites penetrates closed windows and doors and can be clearly heard throughout my apartment.

This noise affects many residents nearby, especially those who are working from home, have babies or are ill.

I have asked the National Environment Agency (NEA) repeatedly for other methods to be used to guide traffic and manage on-site workers like stop signs, light batons and white-gloved hand signals. But there has been no improvement.

It seems that NEA can only advise site managers to lower the volume and frequency of the whistle-blowing. Workers may comply for a short while, but habits die hard and then it's back to the full-blast whistle-blowing from 8am to 7pm, six days a week.

When I complained directly to the site manager, I was told that NEA sets up sound meters in the area, and as long as they do not record excessive noise, the site is considered to be complying with the law, even though intermittent whistle-blowing is not recorded.

The use of whistles to direct traffic at roadworks sites is a recent phenomenon. When I complained, the contractor told me that whistle-blowing is included in the course for traffic controllers "for their safety".

But school traffic wardens and traffic policemen are able to guide traffic without a whistle.

The use of whistles for traffic and pedestrian control should be outlawed.

Zhang BaoGuang