"Takeo plant hit with another mass fainting", 22 January 2020

VONAMMY (Cambodia) Garment Co Ltd, a factory in Takeo province, was the site of yet another case of mass fainting…, 53 more workers lost consciousness and had to be taken for medical care, with authorities blaming the incident on hot and stuffy conditions at the plant.

… incident brings the tally of fainted workers this week at the Bati district factory to 97 after 44 others suffered the same fate …

Takeo provincial Department of Labour director Moeung Virya, who was part of the team dispatched to conduct the inspections this week said: “Our committee told the factory owners to improve the workplace by installing more fans and removing materials to make the space less cramped.”

Virya said the department ordered the factory owners to allow the 97 victims to take a three-day paid leave to “take care of themselves”.

The faintings began … when two pregnant workers were taken to the factory’s clinic after they reported feeling nauseous due to the heat. The nurses, concluding that their condition was severe, sent them to the district’s referral hospital…

Bati district governor Phuon Chhim told … that the affected workers were sent for treatment at a nearby health centre and clinic.

Collective Union of Movement of Workers president Pav Sina blamed the employer’s lack of attention to the wellbeing of workers for the events…

… “I appeal to the ministries of Environment; Industry and Handicraft; and Labour and Vocational Training to inspect all factories and take action if they do not follow industry standards…