On the state of industrial injuries in organizations of the Vitebsk region

According to operational data from the regional administration, in organizations of the Vitebsk region in the first quarter of 2020, 5 people died as a result of industrial accidents (first quarter of 2019 – 10) and 20 people sustained severe industrial injuries (18).

Thus, a twofold decrease in fatal industrial accidents is noted at enterprises of the Vitebsk region, with an 11.1% increase in accidents leading to severe industrial injuries compared to the same period in 2019.

In the first quarter of 2020, in addition to the specified 5 fatal industrial accidents on record, 16 people died at work due to existing employee illnesses (first quarter of 2019 – 12).

For the specified reporting period, an increase in fatal industrial injuries was recorded in organizations in the city of Vitebsk – 3 (first quarter of 2019 – 1), including in organizations of the Administration of the Zheleznodorozhny District of Vitebsk – 2 (first quarter of 2019 – 0). At the same time, the number of fatalities for this reporting period remained at the 2019 level in organizations: Tolochinsky District, Administration of the Oktyabrsky District of Vitebsk – 1 (1).

An increase in accidents leading to severe industrial injuries in the current period of 2020 compared to the first quarter of 2019 was noted in organizations located in the territories of: Vitebsky, Beshenkovichsky districts – 2 (first quarter of 2019 – 0), Gorodoksky, Miorsky, Sennensky, Chashniksky, Sharkovshchinsky – 1 (0), as well as in organizations of the city of Vitebsk – 5 (2), including in organizations located in the territory of the Oktyabrsky District – 3 (1); Administration of the Pervomaisky District of Vitebsk – 1 (0).

The number of employees who sustained severe industrial injuries remains at the 2019 level in organizations of the Lioznensky, Orshansky, Postavsky districts and organizations located in the territory of the Administration of the Zheleznodorozhny District – 1 (first quarter of 2019 – 1).

In the first quarter of 2020, a decrease in fatal industrial accidents was noted in organizations of communal form

ownership from 5 to 2 cases, while an increase in fatal injuries is noted in transport and communications organizations -1 (1st quarter of 2019 – 0), and in housing and communal services organizations it remained at the 2019 level – 1 case. In the specified organizations, the cases occurred as a result of road traffic accidents. It should be noted that no fatal injuries were registered in agricultural organizations during this reporting period.

In this reporting period, a significant increase in the number of industrial accidents leading to severe injuries in communal property organizations is noted, from 6 to 14 cases, including in agricultural organizations from 4 to 10, in trade organizations from 0 to 2, transport and communications from 0 to 1, in organizations of other types of activities from 0 to 1.

A significant decrease in fatal industrial injuries occurred in republican property organizations - from 4 to 1, and the number of accidents leading to severe injuries also significantly decreased in these organizations (from 8 cases to 3), while an increase in the number of industrial accidents causing severe injuries was noted in organizations of the Bellesbumprom concern and the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus – 1 (1st quarter of 2019 -0).

During this period, fatal accidents in organizations occurred under the following circumstances:

- as a result of road traffic accidents - 2 cases;

- as a result of falls from a height of 2 cases (1 - at a construction site, the worker was intoxicated - 2.48‰; 1 – during loading and unloading operations);

- as a result of exposure to rotating parts - 1 case (cuts from a cutting tool at a construction site);

Accidents leading to severe industrial injuries in the current period of 2020 in organizations of the Vitebsk region occurred under the following circumstances:

- as a result of road traffic accidents - 1 case (fall from a moving vehicle, presence of alcohol 2.64‰);

- as a result of a fall

workers - 5 cases (including falls from vehicles - 2 cases during loading/unloading; 2 - during maintenance (repair) of equipment (manure removal system), utilities (building sewage system) (in one case, the person was intoxicated, but the fact is not confirmed by documents as the person sought medical attention the day after the incident); while moving on a flat surface - 1);

- as a result of falling (collapse) of objects, materials, etc. onto workers – 6 cases (2 – during logging operations; 4 - during repair of motor vehicles);

- as a result of exposure to moving, scattering objects and parts, mechanisms – 2 cases (1 - destruction of elements (pipes) of the heating system; 1 - impact by a conveyor mechanism of the manure removal system (the worker was intoxicated at 2.56‰));

For reference: in the first quarter of 2020, 4 accidents involving workers who were intoxicated were registered: 1 fatal accident and 3 cases with workers who sustained injuries leading to severe outcomes (analogous period in 2019 - 3 fatal, leading to severe injuries - 0):

Fatal accident

05.02.2020 a roofer of the Limited Liability Company "Prof NK" (Vitebsk, Zheleznodorozhny district), while performing roofing work, being intoxicated at 2.48‰, while lifting (lowering) cargo from the roof, fell together with the hoist.

Accidents causing severe injuries

22.02.2020 a fitter for repair of agricultural machinery and equipment of OJSC "Adamnenki", Liozno district, while servicing a manure removal conveyor that was switched on, suffered a traumatic amputation of his right foot. The worker was intoxicated at 2.56‰.

20.02.2020 a milking machine operator of the Communal Production Unitary Enterprise "Yazno", Miory district, after finishing milking on

at a dairy farm, upon returning to the place of residence, while being transported on a trailer, while in a state of severe alcoholic intoxication (2.64‰), without waiting for the tractor to stop, she attempted to get off the trailer, fell to the ground, and sustained severe injuries as a result of the fall.

On 10.01.2020, a livestock breeder of the "Rassvet" dairy farm of the Markov State Unitary Production (Agricultural) Enterprise of the Sharkovshchyna District, at approximately 11:00 AM at the "Rassvet" dairy farm, while attempting to perform repair work on an inclined conveyor, being in a state of alcoholic intoxication, fell from a height and sustained injuries. On the day of the injury, he was intoxicated. This is confirmed by the testimony of employees (he was admitted to the hospital the next day, no samples were taken. The victim stated upon admission that he sustained the injury at home).

Based on the results of the completed investigations, the characteristic causes of accidents that occurred in the first quarter of 2020 have been identified:

- non-fulfillment of labor protection duties by managers and specialists - 13.6%;

- the victim being in a state of alcoholic intoxication – 18.2%;

- violation by the victim of labor and production discipline, labor protection instructions – 13.6%;

- personal carelessness – 13.6%;

- admission of the victim to work without training and knowledge testing on labor protection issues – 9.1%;

- admission of the victim to work without an internship on labor protection issues and (or) labor protection briefing – 9.1%.

Preventive work carried out jointly with local authorities and administrations has made it possible to ensure a reduction in fatal industrial injuries in the first quarter of 2020.

Based on the analysis of supervisory activities for compliance with labor protection legislation for the first quarter of 2020, and the state of industrial injuries, economic entities, in cooperation with local executive and administrative bodies, should ensure the implementation of the following preventive measures:

- control over

places, compliance with the requirements of Directive No. 1, labor and production discipline, conducting pre-shift (before the start of work, shift) medical examinations, examinations for the presence of employees in a state of alcoholic, drug or toxic intoxication, taking into account the requirements of current legislation.

- high-quality conduct of departmental and public control over the state of labor protection at workplaces, with the direct participation of the trade union and public labor protection inspectors;

- in order to more effectively control the compliance of employees with labor protection requirements, labor and production and technological discipline, ensure the implementation of the issue of introducing (expanding the practice of) using video surveillance systems in subordinate organizations at production, construction and other facilities (excerpt from the minutes of the meeting of the Presidium of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated April 23, 2019 No. 10);

- control over the introduction of corrective actions into the existing (territorial) OHS management systems in organizations, taking into account the analysis of occupational injuries and violations of current labor protection legislation identified during supervisory, control and preventive activities;

- control and timely completion by employees of pre-employment professional medical examinations and periodic medical examinations in accordance with the requirements of the legislation;

- staffing of organizations with qualified occupational safety specialists in accordance with the Staffing Norm.

Vitebsk Regional Department of the Department of State Labor Inspectorate of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus.