Hong Kong open to classifying heatstroke as occupational disease

Hong Kong labour authorities are open to classifying heatstroke as an occupational disease, the city’s labour chief has said, acknowledging the revamped heat warning system would have triggered stronger alerts on two exceptionally hot days last month.

Commissioner for Labour Sam Hui Chark-shum said retrospective modelling showed the revised system would have issued a black warning on August 8 and a red alert on August 9, when the Observatory recorded 36.9 degrees Celsius (98.4 Fahrenheit) at its headquarters – the highest temperature since records began in 1884.

“If we had applied the revamped Heat Stress at Work Warning system, we would have issued a red warning on August 9 and even a black warning on August 8,” Hui told a television programme on Sunday.

The heat stress warning system has three levels – amber, red and black – and advises employers on rest arrangements for outdoor workers and those in indoor environments without air conditioning.

Amber signals significant heat stress and advises employers to arrange additional rest periods, while black is the highest warning level, under which workers performing heavy or very heavy labour should suspend work.