LD reminds employers and employees to take heat stroke preventive measures in times of Heat Stress at Work Warning
As the Heat Stress at Work Warning is now in effect, the Labour Department (LD) reminds employers and employees to take appropriate measures during the effective period of the warning to prevent heat stroke when working in hot weather or hot environments.
Employees who work outdoors or in non-air-conditioned indoor environments face high levels of heat stress and are at a relatively higher risk of heat stroke. Employers should assess the risk factors of heat stress for employees at work and, based on the identified risk factors, take necessary preventive and control measures, including rescheduling work periods, setting up shading covers, providing ventilation and heat dissipation equipment, and reminding employees to replenish water and rest in a timely manner.
The Heat Stress at Work Warning is formulated by the LD based on the Hong Kong Heat Index. There are three levels of the warning: Amber, Red and Black, which help employers and employees better understand the level of heat stress while working outdoors or indoors without air-conditioning systems.
A spokesman for the LD said that when the department issues the Heat Stress at Work Warning, employers must refer to the criteria and recommendations provided in the "Guidance Notes on Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work" to conduct risk assessments, according to the workloads and other relevant heat stress risk factors, for employees who work outdoors or in non-air-conditioned indoor workplaces. Appropriate rest breaks should be arranged every hour, as far as reasonably practicable, based on various levels of the Heat Stress at Work Warning, to reduce employees' risk of heat stroke.
Employees must also follow instructions to rest on time. Whenever there are any symptoms of heat-related illnesses, such as headache, dizziness, thirst, and nausea, they should rest in a cool and shady place, drink water, and inform employers/supervisors to take appropriate action immediately.
The LD issued the "Guidance Notes on Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work", detailing the various risk factors that should be considered when conducting heat stress risk assessments and recommending corresponding control measures for identified risk factors for employers' and employees' reference. For the Heat Stress at Work Warning and related guidelines, please refer to the department's thematic webpage: www.labour.gov.hk/eng/news/prevention_of_heat_stroke_at_work.htm.
Source: AI-found images
HKMA publishes Project CargoX Recommendation Report
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) today (January 19) published the "Project CargoX Recommendation Report", which presents 20 recommendations and a roadmap for modernising the trade finance landscape in Hong Kong.
Since the launch of Project CargoX (Note), the HKMA has convened an Expert Panel on CargoX comprising 24 industry experts from banks, cargo data providers, credit reference agencies, export credit insurers, government agencies and international organisations (the member list is available in the Annex). The Expert Panel has contributed valuable insights and concluded the CargoX recommendations and development roadmap in December 2025.
With the vision of maintaining Hong Kong's position as a leading trade financing hub, powered by a robust, globally connected digital trade infrastructure, the report outlines a roadmap for taking forward the recommendations. The HKMA will play a critical role in implementing the roadmap through collaboration with relevant public and private organisations in a series of pilot trials.
Informed by extensive research and industry engagement, a total of 20 recommendations, structured under three strategic pillars of Data, Infrastructure and Connectivity, are put forward in the report:
Data: this pillar focuses on accelerating data-enabled trade finance automation. By integrating strategic government cargo and trade data along with infrastructure, and enabling access to historical trade transaction data, banks'assessment of corporate creditworthiness can be facilitated. This will increase the availability of trade finance, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Infrastructure: this pillar seeks to facilitate the development of digital trade infrastructure to enable paperless trade both in Hong Kong and with overseas trading partners.
Connectivity: this pillar prioritises enhancing connectivity with other jurisdictions including Chinese Mainland and ASEAN, and implementing relevant policies to maintain Hong Kong's competitiveness as a trade and trade finance hub.
Deputy Chief Executive of the HKMAMr Howard Leesaid, "Project CargoX marks a pivotal step in modernising Hong Kong's trade finance ecosystem by integrating advanced digital solutions, optimising cargo and trade data connectivity through our next-generation Commercial Data Interchange infrastructure, and strengthening international links. The recommendations of the CargoX Expert Panel provide a strategic blueprint and actionable roadmap to position Hong Kong as a trusted, data-driven hub for global digital trade. I extend my sincere thanks to the CargoX Expert Panel members, drawn from a rich diversity of experiences spanning both public and private sectors, for their exceptional insights that have shaped this transformative initiative."
The full report is available on the HKMA website.
Note: In April 2025, building on the Commercial Data Interchange data infrastructure, the HKMA launched Project CargoX, a multi-year initiative that aims to enhance the digital ecosystem for trade finance by harnessing the power of cargo and trade data.
HKMA publishes Project CargoX Recommendation Report Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
HKMA publishes Project CargoX Recommendation Report Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
