Major effort to build health and safety skills in RMG sector underway

Major effort to build health and safety skills in RMG sector underway

The training effort is being undertaken by the ILO’s Improving Working Conditions in the RMG sector project funded by Canada, the Netherlands and the UK with close collaboration from the Bangladesh Employers Federation (BEF), Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers Exporters Association (BKMEA).

The initiative sets out to create a safety culture at the workplace and implement practical measures to reduce risks of accidents including fire safety. The training also includes orientation to creation of safety and health committees.
 
A layered training approach will see training provided to 10020 senior master trainers and 100 master trainers. They in turn will provide training to 7,500 mid-level managers and chiefssupervisorswho will then pass on basic OSH skills and knowledge to some 750,000 workers.
 
Master trainer training has to date taken place in both Dhaka and Chittagong. Master trainers have been selected by the BEF, BGMEA and BKMEA and include their own staff as well as officers from private sector companies in the RMG sector.
 
The International Training Centre (ITC) of the ILO is providing the technical knowhow to deliver the courses which use the ITC-ILO Essentials of Occupational Safety and Health (EOSH) package.
Key elements of the material have also been translated into Bangla.
 
The complete EOSH course delivered to the master trainers comprises 25 different subject areas. As training is cascaded down to the factory floor emphasis will be placed on a smaller number of areas that best reflect local needs.

“At the end of the full process there should be a better understanding of basic safety measures while safety culture at workplace level should also be boosted,” said Paolo Salvani from ITC

“The strategy of this layered training is to reach the highest number of people in the most effective way. We need trainers who know both the garment sector and individual company context. In order to reach the workers we use middle level managers working in the same company. The master level trainers are all also very experienced in the garment sector so are well placed to deliver these skills.”

Master Trainers Meeting flyer

EOSH flyer EN