Twenty-three garment workers at TY Electric Co Ltd in Svay Rieng province fainted on Monday after 49 others fainted on Friday and Saturday from tiredness and lacking vitamins.
Labour and Vocational Training Department provincial director Ou Sokhoeun said on Monday that the workers were tired and fainted in the morning and evening. The 49 who fainted over the weekend have recovered and returned to their homes on Sunday.
He said labour officials inspected the factory and concluded that tiredness was the motive behind the fainting and the factory did not have any problems that caused the fainting.
“We are still monitoring the issue and whether or not such fainting continues. If other workers faint, we will ask the factory to close for a few days so that workers can feel better and assess whether additional cleaning inside the factory is needed so that it does not smell unpleasant,” he said.
Ngin Sothy, an assistant to the factory’s administrative director, could not be reached for comment on Monday.
TY Electric Co Ltd is owned by a Chinese national and has 1,600 employees in the GIGA Resource Special Economic Zone in Deumpou Village, Kandieng Reay commune, Svay Teap district. It is the first account of fainting at the factory, Sokhoeun said.
Cambodian Labour Confederation president Ath Thon said he has not obtained additional information on the fainted workers, but he noted that smells from electrical wires and insufficient oxygen at the workplaces make it difficult for workers to breathe.
He said most fainting cases were caused by working many hours in an unpleasant environment with odour from equipment and hot weather.
“I think when such fainting occurs, factory owners should allow workers to relax for a few days and begin cleaning the factory. Inspectors from the labour ministry must regularly monitor the environment at factories,” Thon said.
