LettersPractical ways to protect workers and projects in very hot weather

Readers discuss balancing worker safety with the realities of major infrastructure programmes, a rehydration solution for outdoor workers, problems to be fixed, and what a social media ban should include

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A construction worker works during extremely hot weather in To Kwa Wan on August 10. To keep outdoor workers safe and productive, measures like phased work schedules and portable cooling stations could help. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 11:30am, 17 Aug 2026

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August 9, 2026 will be remembered as the day Hong Kong set a record high temperature. The Observatory logged 36.9 degrees Celsius, the highest since records began in 1884, while Sheung Shui reached 39.8 degrees.

For most residents, the answer is straightforward: stay indoors with air conditioning. But for the many thousands who work on construction sites, clean our streets, make deliveries and maintain our infrastructure, that is not an option.

The Labour Department’s Heat Stress at Work Warning system and guidance notes are a solid foundation, and officials face the genuine challenge of balancing worker safety with the practical realities of major infrastructure programmes. Simply halting work is neither feasible nor desirable – projects fall behind, costs rise and workers themselves may lose income. The real question is how to keep people safe while keeping sites productive.

Several practical measures could help. First, introduce phased work schedules: starting earlier, say 6am, with a two- to three-hour midday break during peak heat. This rearranges rather than reduces working hours, protecting both workers and project timelines.

Second, offer portable cooling stations – shaded rest pods, misting fans and chilled drinking water – that move with work crews, instead of being fixed at a single site location.