Amid recorded high temperatures in Hong Kong, the Labour Department maintained its work stress warning at the lowest level of yellow throughout the day, prompting outdoor workers to continue laboring under intense heat and leading a legislative figure to call for a review of the alert thresholds. The persistent yellow warning applies despite grueling conditions for sanitation and construction staff across the city.
Outdoor employees faced extreme heat conditions while the alert level remained unchanged. 食環署清潔工人何先生 described his routine on the job: “自己範圍做完後返站頭可休息下，有水飲。如果太熱，工頭會叫我們休息，『天氣太熱，休息下』、『回去站頭休息避暑先』.” Similarly, construction workers expressed frustration regarding the alert limitations. 地盤工人袁先生 noted: “很多時，我們地盤工人面對的氣溫環境都真的好熱，反而暑熱警告好像從來都未試過上到黑色，結果我們很多時面對環境好熱，但警告又不上，我們就跟不到指引休息.”
Labour Department Heat Guidelines and Warning Thresholds
Under current official guidelines for preventing heat stroke at work, different alert levels trigger distinct operational adjustments. If authorities issue a red work stress warning, outdoor heavy physical labor such as steel fixing and scaffolding is advised to halt. When the alert reaches black, operations like material handling and concrete pouring should also stop, though employers providing adequate cooling measures are not required to suspend work and are instead advised to extend rest periods.
However, official data shows that since the warning system took effect in May 2023 through the end of July, authorities have never issued a red or black warning. This gap between record-breaking temperatures and low-tier warnings has sparked calls for institutional evaluation.
Did You Know? From the inception of the Labour Department’s work stress warning system in May 2023 through the end of July, the city has never recorded a red or black work stress warning despite periods of extreme heat.
Legislative Calls to Review Threshold Realism
Legislative Council member 林振昇 argued that the criteria for issuing red and black warnings require immediate re-examination. 林振昇 stated: “實際的休息時間，如果在黃色警告下，我們都擔心有些工友未必足夠，所以都希望勞工處能檢視紅色和黑色警告的門檻會否太高，或是實際來說是否不太現實，都要配合其他因素，包括工友實際的體感溫度以及溫度的考慮因素，是否需要顧及多點？”
本身是立法會人力事務委員會副主席的林振昇 added that the committee regularly discusses occupational safety and health issues related to heat stress and will continue gathering worker feedback for future follow-up discussions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current level of the Labour Department’s work stress warning?
The work stress warning remained at the lowest level of yellow throughout the day during record-high temperatures.
What precautions are recommended under red and black work stress warnings?
A red warning recommends halting outdoor extreme physical labor like steel fixing and scaffolding, while a black warning suggests stopping handling and pouring work, provided that extended rest times are enforced if employers lack sufficient cooling measures.
Who has called for a review of the warning thresholds?
立法會議員林振昇 urged the Labour Department to evaluate whether the thresholds for red and black warnings are set too high or remain impractical for real-world conditions.
How do you think workplace safety policies should adapt to increasingly severe summer temperatures in the city?
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