Information letter "On the facts of industrial injuries in organizations of the construction industry located in the Vitebsk region for January-April 2021"

Analysis of operational data from the Department of State Labor Inspectorate of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus for 2021 indicates that a significant proportion of workplace accident victims who sustained severe occupational injuries in organizations of communal ownership are employees of organizations of communal ownership engaged in construction activities in the Vitebsk region (46.2% of the total number of severely injured individuals).

For the period of January-April 2021, a substantial increase in injuries was observed in construction organizations in the Vitebsk region, with 6 employees in this sector sustaining severe injuries (compared to 0 during the corresponding period of 2020).

In 2021, accidents in construction organizations of communal ownership occurred under the following circumstances: falls from height (1); falls during movement on a level surface (staircases) (2); as a result of falling objects onto workers (1); impact of flying objects (1).

Following the investigations of accidents that occurred in construction organizations of communal ownership, the persons who committed violations of labor protection legislation have been identified: in one case, an official, and in one case, violations by two other employees were identified.

Following the investigations in the specified organizations, the following common causes of accidents have been identified:

- failure of an official to fulfill labor protection duties;

- allowing an employee to perform high-risk work without verifying their knowledge of labor protection issues;

- failure to issue personal protective equipment;

- violation of labor protection requirements contained in local regulatory legal acts by other employees;

- personal negligence;

25.01.2021

A stoker

of the Communal Unitary Construction Enterprise "Shumilinskaya PMK-70", while performing firewood chopping work, sustained an eye injury from a flying, unidentified object.

Cause of the accident:

- Failure to provide the employee with personal protective equipment (safety goggles). The requirement for the stoker to use safety goggles is determined by the organization's current occupational safety instructions for the stoker.

- Allowing the victim to perform work without verifying their knowledge of occupational safety to

17.03.2021 A form setter of products and structures at the Construction Utility Unitary Enterprise "Vitebsk DSK", Vitebsk (Pervomaisky District) sustained a severe head injury in Molding Shop No. 1 of the large-panel housing construction plant as a result of formwork falling on the victim's head, which detached from the hook suspension of a crane during its movement.

Causes of the accident:

Violation by other employees of GP "Vitebsk DSK" (bridge crane operator, repair fitter) of the requirements of local legal acts on labor protection, which: the repair fitter, not being a slinger, and lacking special skills and knowledge for performing this operation, independently began to perform cargo slinging work, and the crane operator continued to lift the cargo attached by a person who was not a slinger and was performing work in the absence of a person responsible for the safe operation of the crane at the work site, with cargo for which no slinging diagrams were developed, moved the cargo while people were underneath it, and did not warn by an audible signal all persons near the cargo about the need to move to a safe distance from the work area.

14.04.2021 A refractory worker at JSC "Keramzit Gravel Plant, Novolukoml", Chashniksky District

fell from scaffolding at a height of approximately 2.5 m while performing repair work on the loading chamber of a furnace, sustaining severe injuries upon falling. Regarding this accident,

a special investigation is being conducted, the causes and persons who allowed violations are being established.

During the reporting period, in two more cases, injuries to victims in construction organizations occurred as a result of falling from their own height, due to personal carelessness. In one case, while moving on a level surface, and in the second case, while descending a stationary stairwell.

(JSC "Keramzit Gravel Plant of Novolukoml", Chashniksky District, JSC "Construction Trust No. 9, Vitebsk" (OSP SU-39) Vitebsk (Zheleznodorozhny District).

The stated causes of accidents allow us to conclude that the measures aimed at preventing violations of labor protection requirements, preventing industrial injuries, and informing employees about the causes of accidents and the need to comply with safety requirements are insufficiently effective.

The majority of identified violations of labor protection requirements that led to employee injuries are still a consequence of significant shortcomings in the organization and procedure for carrying out high-risk work. In addition, considering the lack of self-discipline and diligence on the part of employees, we consider it advisable to demand that employers tighten accountability for officials of organizations for ensuring control during high-risk work, as well as for compliance by employees themselves with the requirements of local regulatory legal acts (labor protection instructions and internal labor regulations).

For reference:it should be noted that during raids by mobile groups in January-March 2021, 511 inspections of organizations of various types of activities were carried out, including 59 construction organizations, with 766 violations of safety requirements identified at construction sites, which is 13% of the total number of violations identified. On average, 12.9 violations of safety requirements were identified per organization visit.

In 2021, state inspectors conducted 1 selective inspection of construction organizations of communal ownership, during which 123 violations of current legislation were identified, including 105 violations of labor protection legislation. At the same time, the operation of 50 units of equipment, 6 construction sites, and 3 sections was suspended.

Over 3 months, the Vitebsk Regional Directorate received applications for only 1 monitoring and 3 inspections of organizations in the industry. During these preventive measures carried out by state labor inspectors, 39 violations of labor protection legislation were identified and recommended for elimination. No further applications from construction organizations in the region for preventive measures were received.

Based on the foregoing and for the purpose of preventing industrial injuries, the Department of State Labor Inspection of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus proposes to the Committeeof architecture and construction of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee:

1. To bring this information to the attention of subordinate organizations (located within the supervised territory) for the adoption of effective response measures.

2. To demand from the heads of subordinate organizations (located within the supervised territory):

2.1. to regularly review at general meetings, meetings of managers and specialists the circumstances and causes of accidents, incidents that occurred at production facilities, to develop and take comprehensive measures to prevent them. To hear the individuals who violated labor protection requirements, to discuss employees' proposals for improving working conditions and labor protection;

2.2. to tighten control over the development of organizational and technological documentation (construction organization projects (POS) and work execution projects (PPR)). To organize the execution of work strictly in accordance with POS, PPR, and relevant technological maps. To ensure that employees are familiarized (by signature) with the work execution project before commencing work;

2.3. ensure the performance of construction and installation works in strict compliance with the requirements of regulatory legal acts, technical regulatory legal acts, including in accordance with the requirements of the Labor Protection Rules for Construction Works, approved by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus and the Ministry of Architecture and Construction of the Republic of Belarus dated 31.05.2019 N 24/33;

2.4. allow persons of the appropriate profession and qualification, who have undergone training, instruction and knowledge testing on labor protection issues in accordance with the requirements of the Instruction on the Procedure for Training, Internship, Instruction and Knowledge Testing of Workers on Labor Protection, approved by the Resolution of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus dated 28.11.2008 N 175 (as amended by the Resolution of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus dated 29.05.2020 N 54);

2.5. ensure that works of increased danger (repair, commissioning, loading and unloading performed under a work permit) are carried out with the mandatory presence of the person responsible for their safe execution;

2.6. ensure that employees in organizations of the industry are provided with the necessary personal and collective protective equipment and control over their use;

2.7. consider the issue of introducing collective responsibility for violations of labor protection requirements;

2.8. organize personalized accounting of violations of labor protection requirements and use its data when implementing personnel policy in the organization;

2.9. ensure pre-shift medical examinations and testing of employees for alcohol, drug, or toxic intoxication for professions or when performing types of work specified in the list of works (professions) for which pre-shift medical examination or testing of employees for alcohol, drug, or toxic intoxication is required in accordance with the requirements of the Resolution of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus dated 02.12.2013 No. 116/119 (as amended).

First Deputy Head of Department S.V. Anufriev