COVID-19 PPE & essential items collective pact in S Africa

23 Apr '20

1 min read

Pic: Shutterstock

South Africa’s National Bargaining Council for the Clothing Manufacturing Industry recently ratified the country’s first ever COVID-19 Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) & Essential Products Collective Agreement, whose primary objective is to ensure that the apparel industry contributes constructively to combating the spread of COVID-19 by providing adequate PPE.

The PPE kits and other essential medical products need to manufactured under decent employment conditions.

This agreement targets 100 million fabric face masks, beginning April. In addition, the production of other essential products, such as baby and winter wear, will be significantly ramped up, according to a press release from the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers' Union (SACTWU).

The agreement also provides for significant expansion into other essential medical PPE, such as N95 masks, medical staff uniforms and safety gloves.

The agreement provides for workplaces to be re-purposed, and to provide protection for employees through anti-COVID-19 customised workplace plans, including appropriate social distancing during production and work hours restructuring.

The use of locally manufactured textile fabric will be the priority. Participating companies will be required to adhere to prescribed product manufacturing standards.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)