Hong Kong lowers heat stress warning system thresholds after criticism
Hong Kong’s Heat Stress at Work warning system will be automatically upgraded when temperatures reach 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) across multiple districts, after labour authorities lowered its activation thresholds following criticism. Two weeks after the system — which advises outdoor workers to take measures to prevent heatstroke — drew criticism for failing to issue higher-level alerts…
Hong Kong's Heat Stress at Work warning system will automatically adjust its thresholds to 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) across various districts following criticism. This change came two weeks after the system, designed to advise outdoor workers to prevent heatstroke, faced criticism for not issuing higher-level alerts despite extreme heat.
The Labour Department announced the adjustments, which will take effect on Friday. The three-tier system had only issued the lowest "Amber" warning in the past three years, even when temperatures exceeded 39 degrees Celsius. Commissioner for Labour Sam Hui Chark-shum introduced two new conditions: the warning level will automatically increase by one level when temperatures reach 35 degrees Celsius or higher in multiple districts, and the thresholds for triggering higher warnings will be lowered whenever the Hong Kong Observatory issues an "Extremely Hot Weather" Special Alert.
Hui emphasized that the new arrangement will provide timely warnings to workers in conditions of high humidity and poor air circulation, as well as for unusually high temperatures, particularly for outdoor workers. The Labour Department will continue to review the system's operation and make necessary improvements.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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