Hong Kong authorities have intensified efforts to protect outdoor workers from heatstroke by offering subsidies to employers purchasing cooling equipment, as the city faced its fourth “very hot weather” warning in under a week. This announcement came after a 42-year-old construction worker died from heatstroke at a Sha Tin site.
The worker fainted on Wednesday and was pronounced dead at Prince of Wales Hospital. His grieving father expressed shock over the sudden loss. The city has experienced several days of intense heat since last Saturday, with temperatures exceeding 33 degrees Celsius in parts of the New Territories and reaching 35 degrees on Thursday afternoon.
The Labour Department issued an amber heat stress warning from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm on Thursday, advising outdoor workers to take breaks ranging from 15 to 45 minutes every hour. Deputy Commissioner for Labour Vincent Fung Hao-yin stressed that heatstroke is preventable when employers provide adequate cooling measures.
To support employers, the department partnered with the Occupational Safety and Health Council to launch a “cooling products sponsorship scheme,” which subsidizes cooling vests, solar fans, and other equipment at about 70 percent off. Council executive director Bonnie Yau Man encouraged companies to establish cooling kiosks, especially in remote areas lacking shade. Simple solutions like tubs of cold water for workers to soak their arms can significantly reduce body temperature.
Currently, around 130 cooling kiosks operate across Hong Kong. Fung confirmed that while an investigation into the recent worker’s death is ongoing, preliminary checks show that the employer had implemented necessary heatstroke prevention measures, and the worker had been working in the shade.
Fung addressed concerns about the accuracy of the Hong Kong Observatory’s heat index, which relies on two detectors in King’s Park and Sheung Shui. He emphasized that the index serves as an overall reference and did not oppose site managers using their own measurement methods.
Last year, about 30 heatstroke-related industrial incidents were reported. The city’s improved three-tier heat stress warning system—amber, red, and black signals—helps reduce repetitive alerts that may confuse the public. Fung noted employers generally respond appropriately to warnings and provide rest breaks.
Between May and October last year, the Labour Department issued 1,031 warnings to worksite managers, with most taking prompt action to meet heat prevention requirements.
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