By Rick Ogden
The next phase of the revamped and simplified Safety Management System (SMS) reporting format is now underway with 20 additional factories now enrolled into the new and improved system, bringing the total number of enrolled factories to 34. Nirapon is on track to see a full implementation of the new 90-day reporting system by the remaining 300-plus factories by the first quarter (Jan-March) of 2026.
To support factories in the Nirapon Safety Management Program, Nirapon hosted three ‘Town Hall’ events at the Amari Hotel in Dhaka in early December 2025, attracting over 400 factory representatives who supply member brands.
Each Town Hall consisted of an introduction to the new, streamlined reporting system, via a detailed presentation and demo. There was also a ‘special session’ on chemical safety, following a spate of chemical-related fires and incidents in Bangladesh recently. The events were delivered by members of the Dhaka-based Safety Analyst team with Nirapon’s CEO, Lewis Temple opening and closing each event. Each of the three ‘Town Hall’ meetings were interactive and widely well received by the factory reps, with many participants asking for more frequent face-to-face interactions with Nirapon’s safety experts and the opportunity to network with each other.
‘These sessions were a great example of the level of commitment, interest and knowledge that the 400 factory representatives have in trying to help us improve and refine the Safety Management System,” said Nirapon Safety Advisor Rick Ogden. ‘The quality of questions and the clarity of thought was truly impressive and I look forward to engaging with these colleagues again in 2026.” A major follow-up task from the three town hall meetings was the collection of 170 questions submitted by the 400 attendees during lively Q&A sessions. The 170 questions are currently being reviewed and categorized by the Dhaka team and a comprehensive FAQ will be shared with all attendees and the broader Nirapon community shortly.
