Hong Kong authorities step up safety measures after worker dies from heatstroke
Labour Department, Occupational Safety and Health Council launch subsidy scheme to help employers buy cooling equipment at a discount
Hong Kong authorities have stepped up measures to help protect outdoor workers at risk of heatstroke by providing subsidies to employers who want to purchase cooling equipment, as the city issued its fourth “very hot weather” warning in less than a week.
The announcement on Thursday followed the death of a 42-year-old worker who reportedly suffered heatstroke and fainted at a construction site the day before. He was pronounced dead at Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin on Wednesday.
The worker’s distraught father cried as he told local media: “I still do not know … why I suddenly lost my son.”
The city has seen several steamy days since last Saturday, with the Hong Kong Observatory issuing four “very hot weather” warning signals within six days. Parts of the New Territories recorded temperatures of more than 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, while some areas rose to 35 degrees on Thursday afternoon.
The Labour Department issued an amber heat stress warning from 1.30pm to 4.30pm on Thursday, alerting outdoor workers of different job types to rest for 15 to 45 minutes every hour.
Deputy Commissioner for Labour Vincent Fung Hao-yin said that heatstroke was preventable if employers took appropriate measures to help workers cool down.