Labour Department Promotes Heat Stroke Prevention for Frontline Workers with FEHD in Shau Kei Wan with Cooling Products and Guidance

LD works with FEHD to promote prevention of heat stroke at work and prior work arrangements in times of adverse weather and extreme conditions

The Labour Department (LD), together with representatives from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), visited a public refuse collection point in Shau Kei Wan today (June 4) to distribute cooling products to frontline cleansing workers and promote the Guidance Notes on Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work (GN) and the preventive measures in times of the Heat Stress at Work Warning to enhance their awareness of heat stroke prevention. They also called on employers and employees to make work arrangements in advance for adverse weather and extreme conditions.

The Deputy Commissioner for Labour (Occupational Safety and Health), Mr Vincent Fung, together with the Deputy Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene (Environmental Hygiene), Mr Arsene Yiu, presented cooling products to the frontline cleansing workers and reminded them to take appropriate precautions to prevent heat stroke during the high temperatures of summer. Mr Fung and Mr Yiu also inspected various welfare and heat stroke prevention facilities set up at the refuse collection point for frontline workers. The refuse collection point, which completed refurbishment works last year, is equipped with changing and personal storage spaces, as well as facilities for short breaks and meals, and provides equipment such as an air-conditioning system, hot and cold drinking water dispensers, microwave ovens, refrigerators, and electric fans to provide a suitable resting environment for frontline staff. In addition, Mr Fung and Mr Yiu also gained a deep understanding of the various protective equipment provided to frontline cleansing workers, including new work uniforms with better sweat-wicking, breathability and reflective functions, portable waist-mounted fans, sun hats, new rain coats with thermoregulation functions and new work shoes with ergonomic design and good breathability to further enhance work safety.

"Frontline cleansing workers face a higher risk of heat stress during summer. The LD has been maintaining close collaboration with various departments and the cleansing industry, striving to assist the industry in referencing and adopting the recommendations in the GN flexibly. We urge supervisors to establish clear work and rest arrangements at workplaces, to take heed of the levels of the Heat Stress at Work Warning issued by the LD and to provide adequate cooling equipment based on the outdoor environment to safeguard the health and safety of our workers," Mr Fung said.

Mr Fung added that workers should also pay attention to their physical conditions. Whenever there are any symptoms of heat-related illnesses, such as a headache, dizziness, thirst, and nausea, they should rest and drink water in a cool and shaded place, and inform employers or supervisors to take appropriate action immediately.

Apart from strengthening employers' and employees' knowledge of heat stroke prevention through promotion and publicity as well as education and training every summer, the LD will also step up its inspection of workplaces with higher risks of heat stroke, including construction sites, worksites of outdoor cleansing workers, gardening workers, and security guards. The LD urges relevant responsible duty holders to refer to the GN, assess the risk of heat stress on their employees during work, and take corresponding preventive measures based on the assessment results.

In addition, Mr Fung appealed to the employers and employees to make prior work arrangements in times of adverse weather and extreme conditions by taking reference to the "Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and 'Extreme Conditions'" (CoP) issued by the LD.

For detailed information of the GN and other heatstroke prevention measures, employers and employees can visit the dedicated webpage launched by the LD at www.labour.gov.hk/eng/news/prevention_of_heat_stroke_at_work.htm or the Occupational Safety and Health Council at www.noheatstress.hk. The LD's latest revised CoP can be downloaded from the department's webpage www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/wcp/Rainstorm.pdf.

The Labour Department and representatives of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department visited a public refuse collection point in Shau Kei Wan to promote the prevention of heat stroke at work and prior work arrangements in times of adverse weather and extreme conditions today (June 4). Photo shows the Deputy Commissioner for Labour (Occupational Safety and Health), Mr Vincent Fung (second left), and the Deputy Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene (Environmental Hygiene), Mr Arsene Yiu (first left), being briefed by staff on the various protective equipment provided to frontline cleansing workers. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Labour Department and representatives of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department visited a public refuse collection point in Shau Kei Wan to promote the prevention of heat stroke at work and prior work arrangements in times of adverse weather and extreme conditions today (June 4). Photo shows the Deputy Commissioner for Labour (Occupational Safety and Health), Mr Vincent Fung (second right), and the Deputy Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene (Environmental Hygiene), Mr Arsene Yiu (first right), being briefed by staff on the facilities for short breaks and meals set up for frontline workers. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Labour Department and representatives of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department visited a public refuse collection point in Shau Kei Wan to promote the prevention of heat stroke at work and prior work arrangements in times of adverse weather and extreme conditions today (June 4). Photo shows the Deputy Commissioner for Labour (Occupational Safety and Health), Mr Vincent Fung (second left), and the Deputy Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene (Environmental Hygiene), Mr Arsene Yiu (first left), distributing cooling products to workers. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Employers and employees should make reasonable work arrangements after tropical cyclones or rainstorms

The Labour Department (LD) today (June 8) reminded employers to make practical and reasonable work arrangements for employees after the cancellation of tropical cyclone warnings or rainstorm warnings, with due consideration to the road and traffic conditions and other factors, and make flexible arrangements for staff to resume work or work remotely (if applicable). This will help maintain good labour-management relations, and ensure the safety of employees as well as the smooth operation of organisations.

"For staff who have genuine difficulties in resuming work on time upon cancellation of a tropical cyclone or rainstorm warning, employers should be sympathetic and handle each case flexibly. For example, employers may allow employees to resume work in stages, permit employees who have difficulties in returning to workplaces to work remotely (if applicable) or allow more time for them to report for duty and resume work," an LD spokesman said.

The spokesman reminded employers to observe the statutory liabilities and requirements under the Employment Ordinance, Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance, Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance, Employees' Compensation Ordinance and Minimum Wage Ordinance.

"As natural calamities cannot be avoided, for employees who are not able to report for duty or resume duty on time due to adverse weather or extreme conditions, employers should neither deduct their wages, good attendance bonus or allowances, nor reduce employees' entitlement to annual leave, statutory holidays or rest days under the Employment Ordinance, or ask for additional hours of work from employees to compensate for the loss of working hours when they are unable to report for duty," the spokesman said.

Employers should note that they have an obligation to provide and maintain a safe working environment for their employees under the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance. Moreover, under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, employers are liable to pay compensation for injuries or deaths incurred when employees are travelling by a direct route from their residence to their workplace, or from their workplace back to their residence after work, four hours before or after working hours on a day when Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or higher, a Red or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal or extreme conditions are in force.

The LD has published the "Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and 'Extreme Conditions'", which provides the major principles, reference guidelines and information on relevant legislation on making work arrangements for the reference of employers and employees. The booklet can be obtained from branch offices of the Labour Relations Division or downloaded from the department's webpage (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/wcp/Rainstorm.pdf).

Source: AI-found images