On the preparation of grain drying complexes for the grain harvesting campaign and fodder procurement

The Vitebsk Regional Department of Gospromnadzor informs about the necessity to comply with industrial safety requirements when preparing seasonal gas-using units for operation, which provide air heating for grain drying complexes.

There are over 60 enterprises in the Vitebsk region that have approximately 130 seasonal grain drying complexes on their balance sheets. These complexes include heat generators operating on gaseous fuel, which are considered potentially hazardous facilities (hereinafter referred to as PHF) in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Belarus of January 5, 2016 No. 354-Z "On Industrial Safety".

Inspectors of the Vitebsk Regional Department of Gospromnadzor annually conduct inspections of all potentially hazardous facilities ensuring the operation of grain drying complexes, the operation of which is planned for the current year's harvest campaign.

As past experience shows, when preparing seasonal units for operation during the harvest campaign, economic entities commit a number of typical violations of industrial safety requirements.

Here are some of them:

• current repairs of gas pipelines, gas equipment, automation systems of grain drying complexes, and planned preventive maintenance of grain drying complexes and auxiliary equipment have not been carried out;

• documents confirming the qualifications of workers servicing potentially hazardous facilities are missing;

• • lack of certificates for workers operating gasified grain drying complexes on the right to service potentially hazardous facilities;

  • failure to conduct knowledge checks for maintenance personnel on industrial safety issues;

  • absence of an act from a specialized organization on checking the technical condition of smoke ducts;

  • lack of technological and labor protection instructions for persons engaged in the technical operation of gas distribution and gas consumption system facilities.

  Important! In accordance with paragraph 344 of the Rules for ensuring industrial safety in the field of gas supply, approved by the Resolution of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus of December 5, 2022 No. 66, the operating organization, before putting seasonal gas-using equipment into operation, must ensure:

  • knowledge checks for workers on industrial safety issues;

  • maintenance and current repair of gas pipelines and gas-using equipment (conclude contracts with an organization licensed to carry out activities in the field of industrial safety for the maintenance and repair of internal gas pipelines and gas-using units, performing these works on a contractual basis, in the absence of its own gas service within the operating organization);

  • checking the operational status of automation and signaling systems;

  • performing scheduled preventive maintenance of gas-using and auxiliary equipment;

  • checking smoke removal and ventilation systems with formal documentation;

  • checking grounding devices and lightning protection.

  ATTENTION! Removal of the plug and gas ignition are permitted only in the presence of documents confirming the completion of the specified works.

  The most problematic issue is the admission of personnel to the maintenance of POO.

  In accordance with clause 13 of the Rules, operating organizations must ensure the availability of the number of employees required for the safe operation of gas distribution system facilities, as determined by the project, who have undergone the necessary training and knowledge verification on industrial safety issues, including employees working in blue-collar occupations, meeting the necessary qualification requirements, with the right to perform hazardous gas operations, trained in the rules for using personal protective equipment, methods of providing first aid, having no medical contraindications for the specified work, and admitted in the established manner to independent work.

  In order to prevent the disruption of the 2025 grain harvesting campaign and fodder procurement, to provide methodological assistance and to conduct explanatory work with economic entities, it is proposed to contact the Vitebsk Regional Directorate of Gospromnadzor for the purpose of organizing and conducting control (supervisory) measures upon the request of the inspected entity in accordance with paragraph 23 of Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus of October 16, 2009 No. 510 "On improving control (supervisory) activities in the Republic of Belarus".

  For all questions arising regarding the procedure for commissioning seasonal equipment, please call 8 (0212) 48-07-23.