Sanitation and FSM workers are directly exposed to occupational health risks because of the nature of their work. Due to the geophysical nature and settings of the Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals’ camps in Cox’s Bazar, the job of pit or tank emptying and transporting it to the treatment plant is a difficult task. Ensuring occupational health and safety of the emptiers is a big challenge for the sanitation actors in those camps. Based on the findings of training need assessment among the FSM professionals working in these camps, OXFAM and UNHCR, with the technical support from ITN-BUET, organized two batches of Training of Trainers (ToT) course on June 15 and June 16, 2022, at Long Beach Hotel, Cox’s Bazar. The course focused on occupational health and safety measures, hygiene practices during work, use of proper safety gear and measures to prevent infectious diseases of the FSM workers.
Having the ToT, the participants will conduct the field-level training courses as trainers for the workers involved in FSM activities in the camps. Mr. Md. Shamsud Douza, Additional Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (Deputy Secretary), RRRC, Cox’s Bazar, Mr. Ritthick Chowdhury, Executive Engineer, DPHE, Cox’s Bazar, Mr. Didier Boissavi, Head of WASH, UNHCR, Mr. Md. Shahidul Islam, Assistant WASH Officer, UNHCR, Mr. Grover Hector Mamani Casilla, WASH Officer, UNHCR, and Mr. Julien Graveleau, WASH Sector Coordinator, WASH Sector Cox’s Bazar, were present as guests of the event. They encouraged the participants and urged them to convey the messages learned from the training. Mr. Mohammad Imtiaz Sharif, Training Specialist, ITN-BUET, Ms. Fariha Rahman, Project Officer, ITN-BUET and Mr. Safwatul Haque Niloy, Sanitation Coordinator, OXFAM, facilitated different sessions of the ToT.
More than 60 participants working with different sector partners attended the training course and received certificates. They admired the participatory approach of the ToT and commented that such programs would help build their confidence. The new trainers are committed to deliver the field-level programs effectively to ensure workers’ occupational health and safety.
