Hong Kong’s rural cleaners struggle to find suitable protection against extreme heat
- City’s new heatstroke guidelines recommend frequent breaks in hot weather, but rest areas for many outdoor workers lack amenities like electricity, windows and water
- Workers say new heat index is ‘impractical’ and were unaware when an amber signal had been issued
In rural parts of Yuen Long, an outsourced cleaner’s designated rest area is a small trash station without windows or electricity, covered by a makeshift structure to protect from rain and sun. Photo: Kelly FungOn a scorching morning, outsourced street cleaner Mei* was towing two fully loaded garbage bins to a nearby refuse collection point in Yuen Long.
That day, the temperature soared to 36 degrees Celsius. Alongside the “extremely hot weather” warning, the amber heat stress signal was issued at 8.40am, indicating a high risk of heatstroke for outdoor workers.
The warning is part of Hong Kong’s new heatstroke guidelines. Under the amber code, cleaners, who are involved in “moderate” labour, are recommended to take a 15-minute break for each hour of work.
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But Mei did not take a break. She is among the frontline cleaners working in rural areas who struggle to find a place to rest. “Sometimes I have to enter other people’s private spaces covertly,” she said.
The only designated rest area provided for her is a public toilet with no drinking water. She had no choice but to use an empty space in the village whenever she needed to take a break.
“Just now, I felt like I was getting heatstroke,” she said, putting on a makeshift umbrella-like hat to shield her from the hot sun.
Hong Kong has 902 village-type refuse collection points, mostly located in Yuen Long and North district, accounting for 178 and 154 collection points, respectively.
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Mei manages the waste disposal at a village in Yuen Long. This involves transporting the garbage to the nearby collection point, as well as sweeping the streets and flyovers.
Another cleaner, Hing*, said she usually rests “somewhere with shade” but lamented that there are usually lots of mosquitos.
Hing’s designated rest area is a tiny trash station without windows or electricity, covered with a makeshift structure to protect it from the rain and sun.
Both cleaners were unaware that the amber warning had been in effect since morning, adding that they had not received any messages about it in their work group chat.
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said it had reviewed the working environment of frontline workers in nine rural areas over the past few months and “had taken specific measures to ensure that they would have convenient access to these facilities at their workplaces or nearby”.
But Lee Mei-siu, vice-chairwoman of the FEHD Staff Rights Union, argued that authorities should not assume that public toilets or other amenities provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department would be sufficient for workers.
She added that a majority of the refuse collection points in villages are not equipped with water or electricity.
“They were not designed for workers but rather for trash disposal,” she explained.
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Each worker also received a portable waist fan from contractors as required by the FEHD. But Lee noted that many cleaners do not use the fan as it runs out of battery quickly and is too bulky to carry around.
According to the Labour Department’s guidelines on the prevention of heatstroke at work, a 15-minute break under the amber code can be “deducted” if workers are given any equipment that helps with heat dissipation, such as a portable fan. “Cleaners never get to rest, even if it’s an amber signal,” Lee added.
This year, the city introduced a three-colour code system – amber, red and black – to allow outdoor workers to rest for 15 to 45 minutes an hour based on the intensity of work, following repeated calls from unions for better protection against heatstroke.
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Meanwhile, frontline cleaners in every district have told Lee that their new work uniforms contain too much plastic, making them uncomfortable to wear in hot weather and causing skin problems.
Mei, who wore a long-sleeved, orange-colour uniform the whole morning, said: “Because the uniform doesn’t absorb sweat, it goes straight down to my pants.”
Hing agreed: “I would rather not wear it ... it is not breathable at all.”
Lee believes that the heat index warning system has raised public awareness about the risk of heatstroke among outdoor workers but says it is “impractical”.
“The heat index does not reflect the actual working environment they’re in ... Workers can only fend for themselves,” she said.
She added that many cases of heatstroke went unreported because most cleaners’ symptoms were not severe enough to require medical attention or sick leave.
“Since many cleaners are responsible for managing a village on their own, it can be dangerous if they faint and there is no one around to help them,” she said.
As of now, Lee’s union has distributed salt candies, electrolyte drinks, medicated oil, and arm protectors to frontline cleaners, while also educating them on the different levels of heatstroke.
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Earlier this month, a construction worker died after being found unconscious on scaffolding outside a university building during an amber heat stress warning.
“Do we only take action after someone has died?” Lee asked, stressing the need for the Occupational Safety and Health Council to take preventive measures to protect frontline workers.
“Although finding suitable spots to install facilities is challenging, it is possible as long as you make an effort and conduct on-site visits,” she said
*Full names withheld at interviewees’ request