Hong Kong authorities step up safety measures after worker dies from heatstroke

Hong Kong labour authorities have stepped up measures to better protect outdoor workers at risk of heatstroke by subsidising employers who want to purchase cooling equipment, as the city issued its fourth “very hot weather” warning in less than a week.

The announcement followed a fatal industrial incident of a 42-year-old worker, who reportedly suffered from heatstroke and fainted at a hospital construction site on Wednesday. He was pronounced dead at Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin that same afternoon.

The worker’s father was so shocked to learn about the sudden death that he cried in front of local media, saying: “I still do not know … why I suddenly lost my son.”

The city has seen several torrid days since last Saturday, with the Hong Kong Observatory issuing four “very hot weather” warning signals within six days. Some places in the New Territories recorded temperatures of more than 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, while some areas rose to 35 degrees on Thursday afternoon.

The weather forecaster issued the amber heat stress warning from 1.30pm to 4.30pm on Thursday, alerting outdoor workers of different job types to rest for 15 to 45 minutes every hour.

Deputy Commissioner for the Labour Department Vincent Fung Hao-yin told the press heatstroke was preventable if employers took appropriate measures to help workers cool down.