Phnom Penh: Mr. Heng Sour, Minister of Labor and Vocational Training and Chairman of the National Committee for Occupational Safety and Health, chaired the second tripartite consultation workshop on the draft law on “Occupational Safety and Health” (OSH) on the morning of July 8, 2026 at the Sokha Phnom Penh Hotel to consult and collect additional inputs from representatives of ministries, relevant institutions, national and international partner organizations, employers and workers, to ensure that the law is more comprehensive, in line with the Cambodian context and ILO standards, supporting the promotion of occupational safety and health and the development of a sustainable labor market.
Speaking to approximately 200 participants, the Minister said that through the high attention of the Royal Government of Cambodia to promoting occupational safety and health, the Ministry has prepared a strategic plan for the development of the labor, social security and vocational training sectors for 2024-2028 and implemented the third master plan on occupational safety and health for 2023-2027 to build a safety culture in the workplace, moving towards achieving the vision of “every workplace having a proper occupational safety and health management system to eliminate occupational accidents and occupational diseases.”
He pointed out that this draft law stems from the compilation of more than 20 existing declarations and legal documents, and the creation of this law is a direct and timely response to the Royal Government’s commitment to achieving high labor productivity, economic competitiveness on the international stage, and contributing to promoting national economic growth. At the same time, this law also clearly shows that Cambodia is no different from other countries in the ASEAN region, which have already adopted and implemented this law. For Cambodia, the upcoming adoption of this law is a demonstration of the will to ensure compliance with occupational safety and health in line with global trends and international labor standards, especially in promoting the implementation of human rights and environmental law (HREDD).
On that occasion, he said that the ministry always adheres to the tripartite mechanism And good and comprehensive laws emerge from tripartite dialogue that involves equal participation, openness, and honesty. This second national consultation is another major step forward in re-examining the key points that have been revised and agreed upon, whether the revised provisions are consistent with economic changes, balance between protecting workers and easing the business burden of employers, and whether the revised provisions included in the law are in line with international standards set by the ILO, in particular International Labor Conventions Nos. 155 and 187.
The Minister called on the workshop to be open to constructive criticism and to engage in discussions based on data, evidence and techniques to find common ground that all parties can accept. In order for the discussion to achieve its intended strategic objectives, he recommended that the workshop review the content, specific articles and language of the law, divide inter-ministerial competences and transfer detailed provisions to legal regulations, which should only set out the fundamental principles, main obligations and general framework in the law. He firmly believes that the spirit of cooperation and the rich experience of the workshop will achieve historic results, and this law will become a strong foundation to ensure that all Cambodian economic development does not go hand in hand with the sacrifice of workers’ health.
Meanwhile, Mr. Tun Sophoan The National Coordinator of the ILO in Cambodia, Mr. Oknha Sar Kinal, Vice President of the Cambodian Employers’ and Business Associations Federation, and Mr. Ly Vichet, President of the Workers’ Happiness Union and Vice President of the National OSH Sub-Committee, supported and thanked the Royal Government and the Ministry of Labor for preparing this important draft law and opening the opportunity for discussions from all stakeholders, which shows more attention to the safety and health of workers, reflects the value of the ILO in helping to promote international competitiveness, and also contributes to the promotion of the “One Enterprise, One Healthy Community” movement.
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