Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

     The Hong Kong Observatory has issued the Very Hot Weather Warning.

     To prevent heat stroke, avoid prolonged activities outdoors.

     If engaged in outdoor work or activities, wear a wide-brimmed hat and light-coloured, loose-fitting clothes. Stay in shaded areas as much as possible.

     Drink plenty of water, and avoid beverages containing caffeine or alcohol.

     If you feel sick, consult a doctor right away.

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

     Please broadcast the following special announcement immediately, and repeat it at frequent intervals when the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force:

     The Labour Department reminds employers that as the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force, they should assess the risk of heat stroke to their employees and adopt effective preventive measures such as providing cool drinking water, setting up temporary sunshade and providing mechanical aids to reduce physical exertion of employees. Employees should drink water regularly and be mindful of their physical condition. If early heat stroke symptoms such as headache and thirst appear, they should inform their supervisors and seek medical help immediately.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (May 22) reminded members of the public, particularly those undertaking outdoor activities, to take heed of necessary measures against heat stroke and sunburn in very hot weather.

     "The public should carry and drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration while engaging in outdoor activities," a spokesman for the CHP said.

     "Those engaged in strenuous outdoor activities should avoid beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee and tea, as well as alcohol, as they speed up water loss through the urinary system," the spokesman explained.

     "The obese, the sick, including those with heart disease or high blood pressure, the old and the young are more vulnerable to heat-related illnesses. They should pay special attention," the spokesman added.

     The public should adopt the following precautions:
 

• Wear loose and light-coloured clothing to reduce heat absorption and facilitate sweat evaporation and heat dissipation;
• Avoid vigorous exercise and prolonged activities like hiking or trekking as heat, sweating and exhaustion place additional demands on the physique;
• Perform outdoor activities in the morning or late afternoon;
• For indoor activities, open all windows, use a fan or use air-conditioning to maintain good ventilation; and
• Reschedule work to cooler times of the day.

     If working in a hot environment is inevitable, introduce shade in the workplace where practicable, and start work slowly and pick up the pace gradually. Get into a cool area for rest at regular intervals to allow the body to recuperate.

     The public should also note the latest and the forecast Ultraviolet (UV) Index released by the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO). When the UV Index remains high (6 or above):
 

• Minimise direct exposure of the skin and the eyes to sunlight;
• Wear loose long-sleeved clothing made of close-woven fabrics;
• Wear a wide brim hat or use an umbrella;
• Seek a shaded area or put on UV-blocking sunglasses;
• Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen lotion with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or above. Apply liberally and reapply after swimming or sweating; and
• While using DEET-containing insect repellents for personal protection against mosquito-borne diseases, apply sunscreen first, then insect repellent.

     If symptoms develop, such as dizziness, headache, nausea, shortness of breath or confusion, rest and seek help immediately, and seek medical advice as soon as possible.

     The public may get more information from the DH's Health Education Hotline (2833 0111), heat stroke page and UV radiation page; the HKO's Dial-a-Weather (1878 200), latest weather and forecast, UV Index and weather information for hiking and mountaineering; and press releases of the Labour Department on precautions against heat stroke for outdoor workers and their employers when the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force.

     The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) today (May 21) urged the public not to use three models of adaptors with potential safety hazard and bearing no indication of the manufacturer's name or trade mark .
 
     EMSD recently found three models of adaptors for sale that are imprinted with words "TRAVEL UNIVERSAL ADAPTOR" (see photos of the adaptors in annex). The exterior of those adaptors appears similar to each other but with different packaging and have two same features which are the irregular socket holes and multiple socket plug pins on adaptors.
 
     In contravention of the Electrical Products (Safety) Regulation, the three models of adaptors bear no indication of the manufacturer's name or trade mark. Furthermore, in the circumstances of one set of plug pins is being used and another set being drawn out at the same time, the live metal parts of the latter could pose electrical hazard.
 
     As those adaptors could appear in different forms of packaging, the EMSD reminds members of the public not to purchase or use adaptors that contain the aforementioned features, and not to purchase electrical products that show no name or trademark of the manufacturer. The EMSD is investigating the source of sale of the adaptors and will take follow up actions in case of contravention of the relevant legal provisions.
 
     The EMSD will further enhance the inspection of those products. For enquiries or reporting suspected cases of incompliance, please call 1823.
 

     In response to media enquiries on Guidelines on Bus Captain Working Hours, Rest Times and Meal Breaks, a spokesman for the Transport Department (TD) today (May 21) gave the following reply:

     The TD announced on February 23 the revisions of the Guidelines on Bus Captain Working Hours, Rest Times and Meal Breaks (guidelines) in which the arrangements for special shifts have, as far as practicable, struck a balance among the provision of proper bus services for passengers, the rest times of bus captains and the operational needs of bus companies.

     Currently, bus companies need to arrange special shift duties to cater for the passenger demands during morning and evening peak periods.  The bus services in Hong Kong is characterised by long service hours and concentrated patronage in the morning and evening peak periods.  For routes with longer journey distance, the bus companies need to arrange special shift duties with longer duty time to cope with passenger demand. The bus companies would also need to recruit a large number of additional bus captains (about 1 600 additional bus captains) if all the special shifts are cancelled. Under the tight manpower situation in the transport trade, it is impossible to recruit a large number of bus captains in a short period of time to maintain the service level. On the other hand, the income of some bus captains will be affected if the special shift is shortened by adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, or even shortened to a short shift of five to seven hours.

     The TD, when proposing the regulation of rest times for special shifts in the revised guidelines, has also stipulated that the upper limit of driving hours should not exceed 10 hours, which tally with all bus captains in other duty shifts.  To ensure sufficient rest times for bus captains, the revised guidelines stated that the rest times should not be less than three consecutive hours for bus captains in a special shift.  In addition, the bus companies have also pledged to improve the environment and facilities of the rest rooms for bus captains.

     The revised Guidelines only set out the upper and lower limits of the working hours and rest times respectively. The TD will continue to encourage the franchised bus companies to make effective arrangements on the shift duties of their bus captains proactively and shorten the working and driving hours of the bus captains to less than the relevant upper limit stipulated when possible. In fact, the bus companies have expressed that they will reduce the maximum working hours of special shifts gradually from 14 hours to 13 hours according to the recruitment progress of bus captains.

     The TD will closely monitor the implementation of special shifts by all the bus companies, including the proportion and pattern of special shift arrangements of bus companies to ensure that the special shifts are arranged based on genuine operational needs.

     Meanwhile, the TD is very concerned about the remuneration packages of bus captains and noted that all the bus companies have introduced enhanced remuneration of bus captains and also started discussions on the annual pay adjustment. The TD hopes the bus captains and bus companies will continue to communicate and reach a consensus as early as possible.

     The TD appeals to the bus captains to remain rational and exercise restraint in the course of striving for their labour rights, and maintain proper bus services for the well-being of Hong Kong people as far as possible.