On serious accidents that occurred in the Vitebsk region in 2020-2021
One of the fatal cases occurred with an employee as a result of a fall from a height of 9 meters, at a construction site while moving along an unsecured wooden ladder laid between metal structures (UTSChP "STROYSFERA", Vitebsk (Oktyabrsky district).
In 6 cases, employees sustained severe work-related injuries also due to falls from height under the following circumstances.
- fall into an uncovered technological opening during roof demolition ("Vitebskobselstroy", Vitebsk (Pervomaysky district);
- while moving on a level surface and a stair flight – 3 cases (personal carelessness of the employee, Correctional Institution "IK No. 3", Vitebsk district; OAO "Stroitelny Trest No. 9, Vitebsk" (OSP SU-39) Vitebsk (Zheleznodorozhny district); OAO "Keramzit Gravel Plant, Novolukoml", Chashniksky district);
-(the hoist was not properly secured). The responsible official did not exercise constant control over the work performed under the work permit. The worker did not use PPE (safety belt). The worker was not medically examined before the shift for alcohol presence.
It should be noted that one of the fatal cases occurred during loading and unloading operations and was also due to the failure of officials to organize safe performance of hazardous work (loading and unloading operations carried out at height).
17.01.2020 During the unloading of rails, a track fitter of the Operational Republican Unitary Enterprise "Track Machine Station No. 118" of Belarusian Railways, Vitebsk (Zheleznodorozhny District), fell from a railway platform from a height of about 2 meters. The causes of the accident were:
- deficiencies in the organization of the workplace during loading and unloading operations carried out at height (lack of and failure to define the method of movement on the working surface, lack of ramps, etc.);
- failure to provide workplaces and passages with necessary collective protection measures (protective barriers, nets, etc.);
- allowing work to be performed without PPE (safety belt), in the absence of
collective protective equipment;- imperfection or non-compliance of the technological process with labor protection requirements, specifically, the technological map does not specify the collective protective equipment and personal protective equipment necessary for the safe performance of loading and unloading operations carried out by an employee at height using a crane. Persons who committed violations: site foreman and deputy head of the organization.
One of the fatal accidents occurred during construction work at height (roof repair) as a result of non-compliance with safety requirements by the official himself.
On June 26, 2020, the construction and installation works foreman of "Nixilstroy" LLC, Ushachsky district, being an official, while at the construction site, organized and supervised the work of a team performing roof repair (building height over 8 meters), and at the same time violated labor protection requirements by being on the roof of the building near an unprotected height difference of more than 1.3 meters – he did not use a safety harness and a safety rope for its attachment, and as a result of falling from the roof, he sustained injuries incompatible with life.
In 2020, the number of accidents resulting in severe injuries, which occurred with employees of organizations under circumstances related to falls from height, from elements of serviced communications (equipment, transport), including inas a result of falling from their own height while moving around the organization – 29 cases (2019 – 34).
It should be noted that such accidents in 2020 occurred in organizations of the construction, transport, road, and housing and communal services sectors under the following circumstances, with certain characteristic violations:
- falls while moving on a level surface, descending stairs, ladders (including portable ladders, stepladders), descending from a vehicle; these accidents occurred largely due to personal carelessness. In one case, a fall during movement occurred due to the unsatisfactory condition of the passages (improper covering of channels located on the workers' movement path);
For reference: 01/29/2020, a driver of OJSC "VITMIL", Vitebsk (Oktyabrsky District), fell due to personal carelessness while descending a retractable stationary ladder from the cabin of a GAZ-377030 truck; during the fall, the worker sustained a patella fracture.
02/17/2020, a plumber-fitter of the Communal Unitary Enterprise for Service Provision "Hotel Complex "Novopolotsk" received a severe injury while performing work on clearing sewage pipes located under the ceiling in the basement. The worker fell from a height due to personal carelessness while descending a stepladder, sustaining a hip and arm injury during the fall.
- falls during loading and unloading operations occurred due to the following reasons: - violations in the organization and execution of work; - admission of employees without proper training, without conducting briefings, and without checking knowledge of labor protection issues; - absence of specific measures in the work permit defining safe work execution methods; - failure to ensure constant supervision during work execution under a work permit;
- falls from height during construction and installation work occurred as a result of the following violations in the organization of construction and installation work: - absence of work execution projects or their poor development, and in their presence, violation of the requirements defined in these documents; - admission to work without a work permit and consequently without defining safe methods and procedures for work execution; - failure to ensure constant supervision during work execution under a work permit; - admission to work not in accordance with the profession and without training and knowledge checks on labor protection issues; - violation of the requirements for the operation of scaffolding.
In order to prevent such accidents and reduce the percentage of harm to employee health in the event of similar situations, the heads of organizations shall ensure the conduct of unscheduled briefings with employees of organizations, using the provided information, and implement the following measures to be considered when developing labor protection instructions and accordingly communicate them to
information of employees during training sessions.
Special attention should be paid to ensuring that employees are constantly informed about the possibility of such hazards as falls when moving on a level surface, stairs (stair flights), and falls from height when descending from serviced building structures, equipment (machinery), scaffolding, portable ladders, and stepladders. During training sessions, employees should be instructed to focus their attention on the surface they are moving on, and when descending portable ladders and stepladders, to hold firmly onto their structure with their hands.
During training sessions, attention should be drawn to the fact that employees must be careful when moving. Additionally, special caution is required when moving while carrying any objects (manual handling of loads), and the maximum permissible lifting limits in accordance with the requirements of current regulatory legal acts must also be taken into account.
When instructing employees, special attention should be paid to the need for employees to take certain additional precautions when moving on stair flights (when moving, look at the steps, do not rush, hold onto the stair railings and handrails). After cleaning premises (washing floors), be careful if they are not completely dry, and do not rush when moving.
Regarding the organization of safety in areas designated for employee movement (floor surfaces, including staircases), special attention must be paid to the condition of these structural elements used in buildings and structures, and their compliance with the requirements of current legislation.
In areas of employee movement (corridors, stairwells), ensure the presence of natural and artificial lighting in accordance with the requirements specified in the design documentation and relevant norms of applicable laws.
It should be noted that by fulfilling the aforementioned safety requirements and taking precautionary measures, an employee is thereby performing their duties as defined by Article 19 of the Labor Protection Law, which in turn must be stipulated in every labor protection instruction: "The worker is obliged to: take care of their personal safety and health, as well as the safety of others during the performance of work or while on the organization's premises."
Do not allow (remove from work) individuals in a state of alcoholic, narcotic, or toxic intoxication, and organize pre-shift (before the start of work, shift) medical examinations or screenings to determine if an employee is in a state of alcoholic, narcotic, or toxic intoxication, for workers engaged in high-risk jobs, taking into account the requirements specified by the Law on
for labor protection and in accordance with the requirements of the Instruction on the procedure for examination for alcohol, drug or toxic intoxication of employees and the Instruction on the procedure for pre-shift (before the start of the shift) medical examination of employees, approved by 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 December 2, 2013 No. 116/119 (as amended).When organizing work at height, ensure control over the execution by employees of safety requirements stipulated in the developed and approved POS and PPR, work permits (issued in cases provided for by the requirements of the legislation), which the employee must be familiar with. Before being allowed to perform work, the employee must be provided with personal and collective protective equipment, the use of which must be defined in the aforementioned documents and communicated to the employee during the targeted briefing when performing work under a work permit. In turn, officials of the organization must ensure constant control over the progress of work when performing work under a work permit.
When carrying out work at height, in order to ensure the safety of employees performing these works and persons in the work area, ensure the procedure for organizing and carrying out work at height, climbing work in accordance with the requirements of the Labor Protection Rules for work at height, approved by the Resolution of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus dated April 28, 2001 N 52 (as amended by19.11.2007 No. 150).
Loading, unloading, placement and storage of cargo shall be carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Inter-industry Rules for labor protection during loading and unloading operations, approved by the Resolution of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus dated January 26, 2018 No. 12.
First Deputy Head of Department S.V. Anufriev