Heat alert raised, but many can't afford to take break

The first amber heat alert for outdoor workers was in effect for two hours yesterday - when the mercury reached 31 degrees Celsius, with 74 percent humidity - just four days after the new warning system took effect.

The lowest level in the three-tier Heat Stress at Work Warning system was issued from 1.50pm to 3.50pm.

Outdoor heavy workers such as bar benders and scaffolders were advised to rest for 45 minutes after every 15 minutes of work.

Yesterday also marked the hottest day this year so far at 31.4 degrees.

But construction workers said they were not told that they could rest despite the amber heat alert being hoisted.

A worker named Wai said he had not heard of the new alert system.

He said: "I was not told that I could rest. Of course, it would be great if I can rest for a while from working during hot weather."

A delivery worker said schedules were so packed that he could not enjoy a break despite the hot weather, but he did prepare a portable fan and bottled water.

But a man named Tse said his boss reminded them to rest after working for an hour.

A Labour Department spokesman reminded employers to refer to the department's guidance and take preventive measures as far as practicable, including rescheduling work periods and providing appropriate rest breaks to reduce the risk of heat stroke.

The three-tier alert is based on the Hong Kong heat index, a measure of heat stress when the effects of a range of conditions - including temperature, humidity, wind and radiation - are taken into account.

A heat index of 30 takes effect when the temperature reaches 30 degrees, with humidity above 50 percent. Higher relative humidity increases the heat index further. The amber warning comes into effect when the heat index is between 30 and 32.

The red warning will activate at a heat index of 32. Light workers work 45 minutes followed by a 15-minute break, with work suspended for very heavy work.

The black warning kicks in at a heat index of 34, under which those carrying out heavy and very heavy tasks will have work suspended, while moderate workers have 45 minutes of rest for every 15 minutes of work and light workers have an equal 30 minutes of break and work.

The observatory expects the hot weather to continue to the end of the week, with temperatures ranging from 27 to 32 degrees, and relative humidity at 70 to 95 percent.

Meanwhile, scientists are predicting that global warming will break the crucial 1.5-degree Celsius threshold for the first time in the next four years.

A new forecast by the United Nations' World Meteorological Organization on global average temperatures said there is a 66 percent chance that the world could cross the threshold between 2023 and 2027.

The secretary-general of the organization, Petteri Taalas, said temperatures will not return to previous levels in the foreseeable future.

"There's no return back to the good old days because we already have such a high concentration of carbon dioxide and also of course increased methane concentration in the atmosphere," he said.

Limiting global warming to within 1.5 degrees of preindustrial temperatures is a key part of the Paris Agreement inked in 2015, committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting the global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius, while trying to keep it at 1.5 degrees.

eunice.lam@singtaonewscorp.com