Hong Kong bosses not warm on new alert system protecting workers from heatstroke, say guidelines ‘hard to implement’
Industry representatives point to work processes at construction sites, arguing halting one job type could affect production lines
Labour unionist also says threshold for rest too high, given there have not been many heat index marks yearly that would trigger new alerts
A new warning system to protect Hong Kong’s outdoor workers from heatstroke would be difficult to implement, especially at construction sites, industry representatives on Tuesday warned.
The three-tier guidelines, announced on Monday and set to take effect next week, will advise employers on when staff should rest according to their job nature when temperatures soar.
“There will be great difficulties in actual execution. Workers at construction sites range from a few hundred to a few thousand with different duties. It’s hard for a foreman to comprehend everything,” Hong Kong Construction Association executive director Godfrey Leung King-kwok told a radio show, arguing operations would become “very confusing”.
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