Hong Kong must act fast to protect workers from heat distress
The government needs to deliver on its pledge to address the shortfalls of the city’s heat stress warning system
There was no exception even after the Hong Kong Observatory in Tsim Sha Tsui recorded a maximum temperature of 36.9 degrees Celsius (98.4 degrees Fahrenheit) last Sunday afternoon, the highest since records began in 1884.
The reason for only an amber warning is that the heat-stress-at-work reading took into account contributing factors that could moderate it, such as wind speed and humidity.
As a Labour Department spokesman explained, although the temperature on Sunday was exceptionally high, relative humidity was “below the summer average” and the wind conditions were “good”. Since the heat index measured at 10 stations was mostly in the amber range between 30 and 32, the department issued an amber warning. Red is issued for a threshold from 32 to below 34, and black when the index is 34 or above.
Given the extreme temperature, this is unconvincing to many people, and has prompted debate on whether the system is effective. Heatstroke, after all, can have serious consequences, including death, especially among people with underlying health problems.
Many people, whether indoor or outdoor workers, would empathise with the reaction of Chau Sze-kit, chairman of the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union, who said the amber alert seemed to have made a mockery of the record-breaking heat on Sunday.