The Ministry of Environment has instructed the owner of a Kandal province handbag factory to improve cooling and ventilation systems after 19 workers recently fainted. Officials laid out a number of measures, including improved ventilation, especially when solvents were in use.
In a March 5 statement, the ministry explained that a team from the General Department of Environmental Protection, working with officials from the Kandal Provincial Department of Environment and local authorities, investigated the incident, at Shi Hao Handbag CO., LTD.
The factory, located in Kandal village, Prek Anhchanh commune, Muk Kampoul district, was inspected on March 4, the day after the fainting incident reportedly took place.
Although the exact cause of the fainting was not confirmed, environmental specialists required the company to strengthen several key environmental technical standards. They are adjusting the temperature inside production buildings to remain below the standard limit of 30°C, installing an appropriate cooling system, ensuring adequate air circulation within the production area, separating the glue application area for leather products and the use of chemical cleaning solvents from the sewing section and properly storing and separating industrial waste.
Sun Mesa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, explained that preliminary findings determined that the incident may have been caused by increased heat inside the production building.
Mesa explained that the incident began with two female workers, Ros Sreyny, 36, and Veng Naylin, 34, who work together in the sewing section. They reportedly experienced dizziness, shortness of breath, and weakness before losing consciousness.
Co-workers nearby carried them to the factory clinic, where administrative staff provided immediate first aid before transferring them to the Prek Anhchanh Health Centre.
Other workers who witnessed the incident reportedly became frightened, experiencing weakness and fainting in succession.
“Preliminary findings by experts from the ministry show that the factory’s ventilation and air purification systems were not functioning properly. The indoor environment was hot and there was a noticeable smell of glue,” said Mesa.
He noted that the workers were granted paid leave from March 3 to March 5, and scheduled to return to work on March 6.
