Refined heat stress warning system takes effect Friday

Labour Commissioner Sam Hui announced on Thursday that a refined heat stress warning system will commence on Friday, aiming to enhance worker safety. This development follows concerns raised when only the lowest amber alert was issued during record-breaking temperatures. Hui revealed that two new triggers, determined in consultation with experts at the Observatory, have been incorporated to enhance the system's responsiveness to extreme heat.

Effective immediately, when the Observatory issues an extreme heat alert, the amber warning will be activated concurrently. Furthermore, the threshold for raising the warning level will be lowered, permitting earlier activation. Hui clarified that if temperatures in Hong Kong soar to 35 degrees or higher, the warning will automatically escalate by one level, meaning an amber alert will prompt a red warning, and a red alert will progress to a black warning.

Hui expressed optimism that these warnings will prompt employers and workers to implement mitigation measures more swiftly. He emphasized that the new system will maintain timely warnings for heat stress caused by high humidity and inadequate air circulation, and trigger earlier and more severe alerts for abnormally high temperatures, particularly for outdoor workers. The department plans to continue collecting data to evaluate the effectiveness of this improved system.