Better Factories Cambodia (BFC) has launched a hotline to provide information to workers in the garment, footwear, travel goods and bag industries regarding measures that help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The hotline, part of the “COVID-19: Worker Safety” programme, uses Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology – an automated system – which workers can call to learn about COVID 19 preventive measures in their daily work. Examples of the kind of information provided include how workers can protect themselves while travelling to work and what they should do if they suspect they are infected with the virus.
The 24-hour hotline number is 093 644 644.
The contents of the service are derived from guidelines and recommendations from the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health and will be regularly updated in line with the latest official advice.
“Ensuring safety and health for our workers at the workplace has always been one of ILO’s main priorities, especially during this difficult period,” said Sara Park, programme manager of BFC. “It is essential for all of us, including workers, to understand how to protect ourselves from it. Through this hotline, workers can get information promptly and it will be particularly useful for workers with limited literacy skills.”
The COVID-19 Worker Safety hotline is the most recent example of BFC’s response to the pandemic. It has been actively liaising with stakeholders, unions, employer groups and the government, especially the Ministry of Labour to provide virtual or online training and advisory services. These services have focused primarily on awareness, prevention and mitigation of COVID-19 to workers and factories following the guidelines from the ILO, the government and the WHO.
Srey Chan, a garment worker in Russei Keo district said that she welcomes the initiative by BFC.
“I and other workers still follow the procedures set by the Ministry of Health to avoid getting COVID-19 because we still fear getting infected in our work place. I make sure that I wear a mask, wash my hands and maintain good hygiene,” she said.
On May 29, GMAC and ILO sent a letter to factories to ensure it continues to implement good hygiene in the working place.
It said during the global virus pandemic and recovery, it is crucial that industry authorities come together and collaborate. Despite the low number of cases in Cambodia, the letter said the pandemic is far from being over, and physical distancing measures and other precautions must continue to be practised in factories. These steps need to be communicated to all workers and staff to ensure understanding and effective implementation by everyone.
It said the guidelines are to remind workers to wash their hands frequently with soap and water, place sanitiser dispensers around the workplace and keep them refilled, make available personal protective gear, have temperature thermometers for screening symptoms and physical distancing.
Ath Thorn, president of Cambodian Labour Confederation said he always suggests to local unions to continue promoting preventionary measures to workers in the factories.
“Even though COVID-19 cases in Cambodia are low, we still appeal to our local unions to continue maintaining good hygiene, social distancing, and wear a mask to prevent the spread of the virus,” he added.
