Phnom Penh: Mr. Heng Sour, Minister of Labor and Vocational Training, presided over the ceremony to celebrate the “World Day for Safety and Health at Work” under the theme “Together to continue protecting workers from heat stress and promoting mental health in the workplace” on the morning of May 13, 2026 at the Royal Group Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone in a ceremony attended by approximately 1,300 people.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister highlighted that the important theme for Cambodia in holding this event is to promote increased vigilance and attention from all stakeholders in order to understand the effects of heat stress and psychological stress and jointly prepare comprehensive preventive measures. He said that climate change is having a negative impact on the environment and human health worldwide and is not unique to Cambodia, which led the ILO to create Conventions 155 and 187, which focus on occupational safety and health.
Mr. Heng Sour explained in detail the causes of these two problems, stating that The Ministry has been implementing a series of measures to ensure the effectiveness of preventing and controlling occupational accidents. In particular, the Ministry has strengthened the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) management system in enterprises and establishments through the organization of training programs, inspections, and active monitoring. In particular, in a proactive spirit, the Ministry is preparing a draft law on occupational safety and health, which includes measures to prevent heat stress and promote mental health, in line with the high recommendations of His Excellency Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia, who has always given the highest priority to the well-being of workers.
Along with strengthening enforcement mechanisms and workplace risk assessments, the minister stressed that investing in thermal management systems and considering the mental health of workers is not a cost burden, but a strategic investment to increase productivity and ensure business sustainability. In this regard, the ministry will pilot an automated technical system to monitor temperature, pollutants, odors, air, and humidity levels in factories. At the same time, educational campaigns on the effects of heat stress and mental health are also being actively promoted to ensure a truly safe and comfortable working environment.
In addition to technical measures, the Minister recommended that occupational health inspectors continue to fully strengthen their role in encouraging enterprises, factories Establish an effective temperature monitoring and rapid information system, as well as an occupational safety and health (OSH) management system. At the same time, he encouraged continued cooperation with development partners and the use of tripartite mechanisms to expand the scope of worker protection more broadly.
Along with the efforts of the ministry, unions, and enterprise owners, Mr. Heng Sour also called on workers to join in implementing safety measures consistently. And must “dare” to report any non-compliance activities related to occupational safety via hotline 1286 or scan the QR Code for anonymous complaints. At the same time, he reminded every factory to ensure that there is an occupational health and safety committee to be the commander in charge of accident prevention. The Minister firmly believes that collaboration and high attention to mental health and heat stress prevention will be a strong foundation for improving the quality of life of workers and the national economy as a whole.
Mr. Tun Sophon, National Coordinator of the ILO, Mr. He Enjia, President of the Textile Association The Cambodian Trade, Footwear and Travel Agents Association (TAFTAC) and Mr. Sam Soeun, President of the National Confederation of Labour of Cambodia, highlighted the importance of heat stress prevention and mental health, vowing to continue working with the government and encourage more joint efforts from relevant parties to address this issue for workers.
