‘Baffling’ work heat stress warnings to be revamped after record temperatures trigger only lowest alerts

Hong Kong’s Labour Department plans to overhaul its heat stress warning system following criticism that the current mechanism was ineffective in issuing warnings for record-breaking temperatures. Commissioner for Labour Sam Hui expressed puzzlement over why the system did not raise alerts during recent heatwaves, despite temperatures reaching an all-time high of 36.9°C.

Former Observatory chief Lam Chiu-ying called the current system "baffling" and "decorative". The warning system currently uses amber, red and black alerts, with the latter triggering work suspensions for heavy physical labor, though such suspensions have never been implemented. The Labour Department will collaborate with the Observatory to enhance the sensitivity of the system to extreme heat, with the revamp expected to be completed this summer.