RSC to clear RMG safety inspection backlog by Dec

The safety inspections in a good number of garment factories supplying apparel to brands mostly based in the European Union will be completed by upcoming December, according to the RMG Sustainability Council (RSC), a safety monitoring body in the RMG sector in Bangladesh.
A total of 1,900 export-oriented readymade garment factories were listed with the then Accord and commenced initial inspections to identify fire, electrical and structural flaws, according to sources.
Out of the 1,900 units, initial inspections in around 377 factories have yet to be completed as of the present date, even though the assessment process began in 2014 after the formation of the Western buyers' platform - Accord.
Following the expiration of Accord, the RMG Sustainability Council (RSC), established in June 2020, has been addressing the safety issues of these apparel manufacturing units.
The council acknowledged that its operations were impeded by the Covid-19 pandemic, while manpower shortages were also a factor.
The RSC has hired some 44 engineers to double its capacity, said the council.
George Faller, chief safety officer of RSC, said it is a continuous process.
"There was a backlog of initial inspections that accumulated during the pandemic, which has not yet been entirely cleared but is expected to be by December 2023," he added.
Every new factory that falls under the purview of RSC undergoes an initial inspection before a corrective action plan is developed. As long as new factories continue to join RSC, there will always be a requirement for initial inspections, he added.
So far, 27 independent factories that currently do not have business with RSC or Accord signatory brands have been listed with the RSC through the two apparel apex bodies - BGMEA and BKMEA, Mr Faller said.
He added that the initial inspections of brand and independent factories will be conducted simultaneously.
Meanwhile, a total of 534 factories have addressed all initial safety findings.
The RSC is a collaborative effort involving the Bangladeshi RMG industry, global brands and trade unions.
It has taken over the responsibilities of the Accord, managing safety inspections, training and an independent occupational safety and health complaints mechanism for workers in its listed RMG factories.
Mr Faller also noted that the RSC is exploring how environmental issues can be addressed in the future.
If any factory fails to address the initial safety findings within the stipulated timeframe, it enters an escalation process and brands ultimately terminate business with that unit.
Currently, 228 factories are in stage one, 103 are in stage two of the escalation process, while 52 have been declared ineligible to do business with RSC brands.

munni_fe@yahoo.com