'Refined heat stress system still has room for review'
Unionist lawmaker Lam Chun-sing said on Thursday that he welcomed the enhanced heat stress at work warning, especially with its almost immediate implementation that could better protect workers during extreme weather conditions next month. His comments came after the Labour Department said that starting Friday, two new triggers will be added to the refined system to improve its responsiveness to…
Unionist lawmaker Lam Chun-sing welcomed the refined heat stress system's implementation that can better protect workers during extreme weather conditions in September, despite noting there is still room for review. The Labour Department introduced two new triggers to the system from Friday, enhancing its responsiveness. Lam, who heads the Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions, expressed appreciation for the timely adjustment, but suggested further evaluation of adopting the internationally recognised Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT).
Employers should also consider individual cases, such as longer breaks for older outdoor workers who are more vulnerable to heat stroke. DAB lawmaker Cheung Pui-kong described the revamp as a breakthrough, but pointed out the Hong Kong Heat Index calculation formula remains unchanged, failing to address the fundamental issue of underestimating outdoor workers' heat stress.
The Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims suggested the government monitor the system's operation and consider adopting WBGT, as well as suspending work for all outdoor workers.
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