Thorn Sinorn, 19, is comforted by Theang Chan Thorn, 21, at the Cambodian-Russian Friendship Hospital after she fainted at the King Fashion garment factory in Dangkor district yesterday. (Photo by: Heng Chivoan)
By: Ngo Tuan
Just-style.com
17 June 2011
Garment workers in Cambodia have fallen ill in a further report of mass fainting in the country.
Around 250 female workers at King Fashion factory in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh fainted this week, because of bad working conditions, according to Chea Mony, president of Free Trade Union.
Mony said about 150 workers fainted on Wednesday, and that the number could rise as some workers were transported to hospital by family and friends.
This was followed by another mass fainting of 100 people on Thursday morning, Born Sam Ath, a local police official, told the local media.
The workers suspected that chemical odours from cotton and bad quality water they drank in the factory were to blame.
King Fashion Garment Co, a Taiwanese-owned dress manufacturer, was unavailable to comment when contacted by just-style.
It is a different manufacturer to Heuy Chuen (Cambodia) Corp, which reported a mass fainting of 101 workers making footwear for sportswear firm Puma in April. A subsequent investigation by Puma diagnosed hypoglycaemia, a medical term for lower than normal levels of blood glucose.
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‘Mass fainting’ at Cambodian factory
A MASS FAINTING took place at a Cambodian factory this week, with 300 workers falling ill over two days.
Reuters states the incident took place at a factory in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh and isn’t the only such mass fainting to take place in the country.
This week, about 200 female garment workers fainted while working at King Fashion Garment on Wednesday afternoon.
On Thursday morning, another 100 people fell sick.
According to Reuters, district police chief Born Sam Ath said the workers were in bad health, didn’t eat enough and were working in stuffy conditions.
There are around 2,000 people employed at the factory.
Workers told Reuters that there had been a bad smell inside the factory for two days and that heat also contributed to the fainting.
In April, another mass fainting took place, involving 800 workers over two factories.
Many Western brands source their clothing in Cambodia, and are under pressure to ensure their suppliers provide decent working conditions for employees.
1 comment:
Working condition, drinking water, bathroom break, heating and others probably major sources of the problems. In America, law suit probably shut the company down. In Cambodia, it could happen if there is attorney willing to take on the case. I would think the company should find ways to improve the condition otherwise they will get sue soon.
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