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Kristen Cheung

Leopold Chen

Hong Kong was once again gripped by extreme heat on Wednesday as temperatures reached 37.5 degrees Celsius (99.5 Fahrenheit) in parts of the city, prompting calls for a district-level index to better protect outdoor workers.
The very hot weather warning and the amber heat stress at work warning remained in effect by 5.50pm on Wednesday, as temperatures in parts of the New Territories reached extreme levels.
In Yuen Long, mercury readings peaked at 37.5 degrees, while Sheung Shui and Ta Kwu Ling recorded maximum temperatures of 37.2 degrees and 37.1 degrees, respectively, according to the Hong Kong Observatory.
On Sunday, the Observatory logged a maximum temperature of 36.9 degrees at its headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui – the highest level since the forecaster began keeping records in 1884.
The record-breaking heat triggered criticism of the Labour Department’s Heat Stress at Work Warning system, with only the lowest-tier alert issued on Sunday despite the extreme weather.

Professor Benjamin Horton, dean of City University’s school of energy and environment, said Hong Kong should explore compiling heat advisories at a district level.
He noted that parts of the city could experience different levels of heat stress, leaving the population facing varying levels of vulnerability.
“It is very appropriate to look at the local scale, because the variables that impact how a human body reacts to heat vary at the local level,” he said.
“You can’t have a heat advisory that is just based around air temperature at one location in the city.”
On Wednesday, the meteorological station at King’s Park in Yau Ma Tei, the primary reference point for the Labour Department’s heat stress warning system, recorded a maximum temperature of 33.5 degrees, several degrees lower than Yuen Long.
Horton said Hong Kong had “all the basics” to formulate a high-quality heat advisory system, given the Observatory performed well in weather prediction.
To develop a district-level system, authorities should factor in the duration of heat and the vulnerability of the population in each area, on top of commonly cited air temperature, humidity and wind speed, he added.
Li Wing-foo, chairman of the Staffs and Workers Union of Hong Kong Civil Airlines, also said the warnings should be issued at a district level rather than relying solely on broader readings.
He noted that areas such as the northern New Territories and the airport apron could run far hotter than urban stations.
“The airport apron is wide open and fully exposed. It should have its own independent reading so employers can roll out targeted protections for staff,” he told a radio programme.


He added that airport workers, such as cabin cleaners and cargo handlers, could face temperatures exceeding 40 degrees in poorly ventilated spaces or engine exhaust, while apron staff spend long hours fully exposed to the sun with little shelter.
The Heat Stress at Work Warning system, launched in May 2023, uses a heat index developed with the Observatory and the Chinese University of Hong Kong that weighs temperature, humidity, wind, solar radiation and hospital admissions.
The warnings are divided into three tiers – amber, red and black – for outdoor or non-air-conditioned work. The alerts are considered to be advisory and are not legally binding.
Employers are encouraged to grant workers extra rest under amber, suspend very heavy labour under red, and halt heavy work under black.
Despite the amber heat stress signal on Wednesday indicating outdoor workers were entitled to regular rest periods, some said they were not afforded such protection.
A worker at a construction site in Causeway Bay, who declined to be named, said on Wednesday morning that he was unaware of the recommended structure of a 15-minute break for every 45 minutes of moderate work, but added that he did get some rest.
“They [employers] have no incentive to mandate that. They need to meet the construction deadlines, and if we were given [too much] rest, that would not be possible,” he said.
Commissioner for Labour Sam Hui Chark-shum said on Tuesday that his department was working with the Observatory to lower the activation thresholds for temperature and solar radiation, making it easier to trigger higher-tier alerts during extreme heat.
The review is expected to be completed before the end of the summer season.

Lam Chun-sing, chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions, called for heatstroke and heat-related illnesses to be added to the statutory occupational disease list.
“The Labour Department says workers can still claim compensation for heatstroke that happens on the job, but proving a direct, let alone complete, causal link is often difficult,” he said on the same radio programme.
“Any reasonable person can see that when someone has worked outdoors for hours, the condition is largely work-related.”
Lam also said thresholds to qualify for compensation could be set for certain jobs, such as those requiring extended outdoor hours, to make certification easier.
Mickey Yan Wai-kiu, chairman of the Hong Kong Property Services Alliance, said the current warning system was of limited use to street cleaners, who could not be gathered easily for mass notification and often had nowhere to rest even when alerts were in force.
He said workers usually rested on park benches, but these were often in the open and fully exposed to the sun.
“If the weather turns severe, they have to return to the storeroom or office, which is too far away,” he said.
Yan called on the government to follow the mainland Chinese practice of setting up dedicated rest areas for workers across the city.
“We should learn from the mainland and establish workers’ rest points in different locations, so those working hard outdoors have somewhere to rest. They could shelter there during rain or storms too,” he said.
Additional reporting by Theodora Yu


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Extreme heat grips Hong Kong as expert, labour groups urge district-level index

A construction worker shelters under an umbrella in Central. Photo: Karma Lo

Workers take a rest during the extreme heatwave this week. Photo: Sam Tsang

Commissioner for Labour Sam Hui earlier said his department was working with the Observatory to make it easier to trigger higher-tier alerts during extreme heat. Photo: Elson Li

Hong Kong considers lowering heat-stress warning thresholds amid criticism

Labour officials are reviewing the sensitivity of Hong Kong’s heat-stress warning system after it remained at its lowest level during record heat. Photo: Sam Tsang

Commissioner for Labour Sam Hui says the heat-stress warning system may be adjusted to better reflect exceptionally high temperatures. Photo: Elson Li

Hong Kong to review warning system after record heat triggers lowest alert

Construction workers at To Kwa Wan try to cool off in the extreme heat. Photo: Sam Tsang

Undersecretary for Labour and Welfare Ho Kai-ming says the government will review the current mechanism while maintaining close communications with relevant departments. Photo: Karma Lo

Lam Chiu-ying describes the heat index used by the warning system as “a wrong parameter”. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

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Temperatures in parts of northern Hong Kong, including Yuen Long and Ta Kwu Ling, reached up to 37.5 degrees Celsius


Temperatures in parts of northern Hong Kong, including Yuen Long and Ta Kwu Ling, reached up to 37.5 degrees Celsius.


China

Lam Chun-sing

Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions

Extreme heat grips Hong Kong as expert, labour groups urge district-level index

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Temperatures in parts of northern Hong Kong, including Yuen Long and Ta Kwu Ling, reached up to 37.5 degrees Celsius

Temperatures in parts of northern Hong Kong, including Yuen Long and Ta Kwu Ling, reached up to 37.5 degrees Celsius