Serious concern about factory safety

On September 12 at 4am, a fire ravaged the Omega Garment Factory in Mae Pa district, Mae Sot. Fortunately, none of the 200 workers who live on site were killed, although there were injuries because of the locked fire exits.

According to the migrant workers on site, the fire started in the factory office, when a fault in the main electricity supply caused sparks to fly and set fire to fabrics.

After the fire broke out, the kitchen gas supply exploded and the fire spread to the storerooms.

The workers who live on the premises were sleeping at the time and were woken by the noise and smoke.

Some fled the scene for safety and some brave workers tried to stop the fire. The factory security guard slept through the whole incident.

Because the fire exits were locked, some of the fleeing workers jumped over a sharp fence and were injured by sharp pieces of embedded glass. Some stepped on each other, jumping from heights, and were injured.

The Mae Sot staff of the Migrant Assistance Programme (MAP) have not learned of any worker who died in the fire, but it wasn't until noon that the fire was completely extinguished with the help of local fire-fighters.

One migrant woman fainted and received treatment at Mae Sot Hospital.

Others received basic treatment at the factory, and all work stopped for seven days. One worker said the employer has promised to pay Bt40 a day to all workers for seven days.

There are over 200 Burmese migrant workers in this factory. In the past, they have expressed concerns to MAP about the lack of upkeep of the electrical wiring and fire alarms in the factory, about the absence of fire extinguishers and about the locked fire exits. Such concerns should be investigated as they are serious violations of safety rules and standards.

Mae Sot, however, has not been allocated the appropriate budget to employ enough labour inspectors to monitor the health and safety conditions of the 200 large factories and numerous smaller factories in and around the town.

We trust the government will see fit to increase the number of inspectors to promote the safety of migrant workers in Mae Sot and to reduce the risks of such dangerous accidents which could so easily cause huge loss of life.