Tasking RMG remediation

The findings of the inspection of garment factories by the two European and US retailer groups have finally come out. And yes, much to the shock of concerned quarters that things have turned from bad to worse. Worse, because earlier reports published in the media, since the inspection teams commenced their work months after the Rana Plaza collapse, seemed to indicate that remediation is somehow manageable without having to worry much about any serious adverse impact on the future of the industry.  
The two groups of the aforementioned western retailers have completed their initial inspection of fire, electrical and structural safety of about 1,700 factories, identifying flaws in most of them.
Accord, the European Union (EU)-based group said, it had found more than 80,000 safety hazards in 1,106 garment factories, so far inspected by it. In a statement, Accord said that it had found safety hazards in all factories, ranging from minor to significant. Accord inspections that ended in September have also identified a sizable number of safety requirements, such as installing exit doors and automated fire alarm systems, establishing fire protected exits from factory buildings, and strengthening columns in the buildings. Beside the safety measures emanating from fire risks, the critical part of the flaws in some factories relates to faulty structural designs of the buildings. Alliance, the North America-based group, which completed inspection of 587 factories, has also come up with similar findings. Although the number of factories inspected by Alliance is far fewer compared to that of the Accord, the nature of the faults appears to be more or less the same. Alliance in a recent statement mentioned that its inspection team had identified dozens of deficiencies. Terming the corrective measures highly challenging, Alliance spokesperson said that in the days ahead the group would focus on remediation efforts to bring all factories into compliance with strict safety standards. Alliance estimated that on an average $250,000 would be needed for safety improvements of each factory.
Both the inspection groups have by this time shared their findings and recommendations for remediation with the government's review panel instituted for the purpose of appraisal and suggestions for onward actions. According to the review panel, consequent upon the findings of the inspection teams, some 30 factories were closed due to structural flaws, while 17 were partially closed.
One good thing that seems to be less than unnerving is that despite the faults -- several thousands as already noted -- both the teams were accommodating in the sense that they considered correction a better remedy than outright dismissal. Initially, as newspaper reports informed, there were a number of areas where the parameters of the two teams varied - to the extent that factory owners were at times confused as to the appropriate standard they should look forward to. The differences halted the inspection process for a while. However, finally most of the differences were reconciled. This has been well reflected in their findings and recommendations. Out of 1,106 factories inspected by Accord, corrective action plan (CAP) for over 400 factories has reportedly been finalised.
The next phase of Accord action will focus on implementation and monitoring of the corrective action plans as well as rolling out training and worker participation programmes, including establishing credible labour-management, occupational safety and health committees at the factory level.
The remediation actions as reported by both the inspection teams are challenging as these are not confined to a definite set of corrective measures. The faults detected by the teams spread across a myriad of parameters, requiring large-scale corrections in factories of various scales - from the small and medium to the big. Implementing corrective measures would depend on how best the whole process of work is integrated in order to render the factories safe and compliant.
Factory insiders do not at all rule out the need for corrections. However, they consider some of the corrective measures harsh, as many countries - some in the region -- are carrying on with their exports without having to fulfil all the required needs.    
It must be admitted that despite the stupendous task ahead, the inspections -- first ever in the country - have laid out in details the fundamentals about managing factories -- from setting up to running, as functional productive units. At the same time, the inspections have brought home the perils of not doing what was required long back at the time of setting up of the units at whatever locations the owners thought suitable, with little or no clues as to the dos and don'ts.
The onus, one must not disagree, lies with the government, and today when garment export is the life-blood of the country's economy, it is the utter neglect of the successive governments for decades that weighs so heavily not only on the flourishing sector but on the economy as a whole.  The question now is: can the government take on the responsibility of enforcing the tasks of remediation, as suggested by the inspection teams? There are a few more issues that also need to be attended. Who will stand liable on behalf of the subcontracting factories? The inspection teams are concerned only about the factories from which they source their imports, and are ignorant about those from where a good deal of the works is done on sub-contract. To be more precise, there are presently hundreds of factories that survive mostly on subcontracting.
One should appreciate the works done by the inspection teams. The remediation actions, if pursued with a clear route plan, would provide a clear pathway for compliance of the garment factories along with ensuring sustained growth for the sector in the days ahead.
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