How Hong Kong can protect manual workers bearing brunt of heatwave

Heatwave has taken toll on indoor and outdoor workers, triggering calls for authorities to review heat stress prevention measures

At a bustling fruit store in Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay, a crowd of workers sporting damp towels around their necks or fan vests buy up chilled drinks to stay hydrated as temperatures hit 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 Fahrenheit) on a busy weekday morning.

Soaked in sweat, 29-year-old construction worker Yau buys a litre of water to help beat the heat on Wednesday.

“I spend at least HK$100 per day to buy water these days. It is expensive, and I get poor just drinking water to survive the heat,” said Yau, who works without shade for a few hours every day.

At some stores, a one-litre bottle of cold water can set a busy worker back as much as HK$20.

The recent heatwave has also taken a toll on indoor workers. Cleaner Zoe Ip, who keeps the back staircases, car parks and outdoor areas at a private estate clean, described the weather this summer as particularly “stifling” compared with past years.

With limited ventilation indoors, Ip said “the air felt thinner”, leaving her low on energy and her mouth feeling dry after just 20 minutes of sweeping the floors.