Extreme heat brings amber warning for workers
Deputy labour commissioner Vincent Ho said outdoor workers should take appropriate breaks, no matter whether a heat stress warning is in effect or not. Photo: RTHK
Authorities issued the amber heat stress warning for outdoor workers on Thursday, the lowest of the three-level system.
According to the Observatory, an anticyclone has made it very hot over the coast of Guangdong, as local temperatures over many places rose to 33 degrees Celsius or above around noon.
At around 2pm, the mercury at weather stations in Kowloon City and Cheung Chau even reached 35 and 36 degrees, respectively.
The warning was withdrawn at 4.30 pm after being in force for a few hours.
The Labour Department said as the heat stress warning is in effect, employers should take measures to lower heat stroke risks for workers, such as giving water breaks and re-scheduling work periods.
It expressed sorrow over the death of a 42-year-old worker on Wednesday after fainting in a construction site at the Prince of Wales Hospital.
Deputy labour commissioner Vincent Ho said an initial probe showed the worker's employers had taken heat stress preventive measures and that he had been going about his duties in a shaded area.
Regardless of the fact that no heat stress warning was issued on Wednesday, Ho stressed that the safety of workers should always come first.
"With or without a heat stress warning, our guidelines states that all workers should take a break after working for a certain period," he said.
"Even when it's cooler during the autumn, workers should have a 10 to 15 minute break after two hours of work.
"If it's hot, then everyone should be even more cautious."
Meanwhile, the department and the Occupational Safety and Health Council are sponsoring firms and unions to buy products such as cooling vests and fans at discounted prices.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTHK
3 hours ago
- RTHK
HK reports two more imported chikungunya cases
HK reports two more imported chikungunya cases The Centre for Health Protection says the patients could not confirm if they were bitten by mosquitoes in Bangladesh. File photo: RTHK Health authorities on Thursday reported two more imported case of chikungunya fever, bringing this year's total to eight. The latest infections of the mosquito-borne disease involved a 50-year-old man and his eight-year-old daughter, who live in Sai Kung District. The Centre for Health Protection said the pair visited the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka between July 20 and August 10, but could not confirm if they were bitten by mosquitoes there. The father developed a fever and joint pain when he was in Bangladesh and sought medical attention there. His fever had subsided before returning to Hong Kong on Sunday, but he sought treatment at a private hospital two days later because of swollen joints and was not hospitalised. His daughter developed a fever, cough and fatigue on Tuesday and sought treatment at a private hospital where she's in stable condition. The SAR has recorded eight imported cases of chikungunya fever so far this year.
RTHK
5 hours ago
- RTHK
Half of shoes for younger students carry health risks
Half of shoes for younger students carry health risks The Consumer Council says tests found 13 out of 28 pairs of different shoe models for primary school children contained harmful substances. Photo: RTHK The Consumer Council on Thursday warned of health risks arising from shoes for primary school students after finding harmful substances in nearly half of samples that it tested. It urged manufacturers to improve the designs and materials used to make the shoes to protect children's health. Kenneth Chan, the vice chairman of the watchdog's committee on sustainability, public affairs and education, said the council purchased 28 pairs of different student shoe models from retail outlets at prices ranging from HK$198 to HK$599. Chemical tests showed that 13 pairs of shoes contained harmful substances, including chromium VI, which can cause lung cancer, and reproductive toxicant plasticisers. 'Using leather containing chromium VI could cause rashes, ulcers and allergic reactions resulting in contact dermatitis,' Chan said. 'Two models were detected with 4.5mg/kg and 5.0mg/kg of chromium VI in their lining, both exceeding the EU limit. "Although children generally wear socks with shoes, the risk of contact with chromium VI in shoes cannot be completely ruled out.' The plasticisers, which affect human hormone levels, were detected in four samples, with the concentration in one sample exceeding the European Union limit by nearly 86 times. 'Generally, plasticisers are not readily absorbed by human skin, but with wounds or eczema the risk of absorption increases,' he said. 'Parents should also teach their children to wash hands after putting on or taking off their shoes to avoid indirect ingestion of plasticisers through contact with the mouth or food.' Chan said two shoe models also showed cracks after 35,000 or 50,000 flexes in durability tests. Children should try on shoes in person and avoid wearing those that are bigger by one size, he added.
RTHK
6 hours ago
- RTHK
Short eight-week wait within sight for eye patients
Short eight-week wait within sight for eye patients Dr Christopher Leung says the next step is to develop a community-based primary eye-care model that is supported by AI. Photo: RTHK Eye patients who are covered under two hospital clusters may be able to receive treatment within eight weeks instead of putting up with the current wait of up to 117 weeks, a University of Hong Kong ophthalmologist said on Thursday. That will happen as part of the upcoming phase of a community eye-screening project conducted by the university and the eye-care NGO Orbis, which have provided eye checkups for more than 5,800 public housing estate residents aged 50 or above, over a span of two years. Around 12 percent of Hong Kong residents suffer from optic nerve degeneration, project researchers found, while almost seven percent are susceptible to glaucoma, an irreversible eye disease that can lead to blindness. Researchers also revealed that among those with glaucoma, more than 70 percent of people did not know they had the disease and often only sought medical consultations when their conditions worsened. Dr Christopher Leung, from the university's department of ophthalmology, said a more comprehensive detection system for eye diseases is needed to prevent avoidable vision loss among Hong Kong residents. He said the next step is to develop a community-based primary eye-care model, which will be supported by an AI-powered optical coherence tomography diagnostic system – a non-invasive and non-contact imaging test that uses machines. 'The design of the project is based in the community. We have these [machines] set up in the general outpatient clinics and district health centres. These clinics typically have no eye doctors and eye specialists,' Leung said. 'The fact that we are now able to train AI to read out investigation reports at the same level as an eye specialist, and the ophthalmic nurses and optometrists can make use of the information provided by the AI to inform our patients whether they need a referral, whether they need to see an eye doctor.' The project will be first implemented in 2026 for a year in the Kowloon East and Hong Kong West clusters of the Hospital Authority. It will see patients either being referred to general outpatient clinics and district health centres to receive care from optometrists and ophthalmic nurses or following current treatment procedures that puts them in the queue. Leung said his team will then compile and analyse the data gathered and provide suggestions to the government to refine ophthalmology services in the city.
