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Hong Kong to overhaul heat-stress warning system by month end
Hong Kong’s Labour Department faced criticism after the lowest alert level stayed in place during August 9, when a record 36.9 Celsius temperature was logged.
Hong Kong’s Labour Department aims to complete a revamp of the city’s Heat Stress at Work Warning system by the end of this month, the region’s labour minister said, following public criticism that the alert level did not rise during record-breaking temperatures.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said the changes will require preparatory work across several stages, including setting new activation thresholds and deciding how alerts will be triggered to keep the system operating seamlessly.
He added that any optimization must take into account climate change challenges in Hong Kong, and said authorities intend to finalize the work quickly and put necessary adjustments into practice.
The department drew criticism because the warning system remained at its lowest level even as the city’s forecaster recorded 36.9 degrees Celsius, or 103 Fahrenheit, on August 9, the highest temperature since records began in 1884, according to SCMP Economy.