Heat alert system questioned after Hong Kong record high
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong authorities are facing pressure to review the Heat Stress at Work Warning system after the city recorded its hottest day since records began, while the alert stayed at the lowest amber level. Labour union representatives and a meteorologist have also urged changes to compensation rules so heatstroke can be treated more readily as a work-related injury.
Key Points
- The Hong Kong Observatory recorded 36.9 degrees Celsius at its Tsim Sha Tsui headquarters on Sunday afternoon, the highest official temperature since records began in 1884.
- Temperatures reached 37 degrees or above in many districts under the influence of outer subsiding air from Severe Typhoon Dolphin, with Sheung Shui hitting 39.8 degrees.
- Chau Sze-kit, chairman of the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union, said the warning system looked disconnected from conditions because only amber remained in force.
- The Labour Department's Heat Stress at Work Warning system uses a heat index developed with the Observatory and Chinese University, factoring temperature, humidity, wind, solar radiation and hospital admissions.
- Under current guidance, employers should provide extra rest time during amber alerts, while workers doing very heavy tasks should suspend duties under higher warning thresholds.
Why It Matters
The dispute is likely to intensify scrutiny of whether Hong Kong's workplace protections match increasingly extreme summer conditions, especially for outdoor and non-air-conditioned workers. It also raises pressure on the government to revisit both alert thresholds and compensation rules after a record-breaking heat event.