The call from the Hong Kong Property Services Alliance came after the Labour Department said it was examining ways to enhance the Heat Stress at Work Warning after only the lowest amber alert was issued during recent record temperatures.
Speaking on an RTHK radio programme on Wednesday, chairman Mickey Yan said many street workers only take breaks outdoors.
“Usually they rest in chairs near the park. But some of them are not in the shade and are under the sun. Even if they go to a shady spot, the heat is still very strong,” he said.
Yan added it may not be practical for them to go to indoor shelters far away from their work site.
“If the heat is very intense, returning to a warehouse or an office that’s very far is not a practical action and approach.”
He said the city can make reference to rest areas for workers on the mainland where they are set up to allow employees to take breaks during rain.
Li Wing-foo from the Staffs and Workers Union of Hong Kong Civil Airlines told the same show that the mercury at the apron at Chek Lap Kok could top 40 degrees Celsius during the day and reach 35 to 36 degrees even at night time.
He also said temperatures in the urban areas and places such as Sheung Shui and Yuen Long could differ significantly.
The authorities could adopt a dual-track system for the heat stress warning, so that a corresponding indicator for a specific place could be issued when the temperature surges to a certain level, Li added.
Unionist lawmaker Lam Chun-sing, for his part, said the warning could be tied directly to the temperature recorded. For instance, the amber warning could be issued when the mercury hits 35 degrees, followed by the red warning for 36 degrees, and the black warning could be triggered when it soars to 37 degrees.
