A month of ensuring safe working conditions during the harvest is taking place in the Vitebsk region
As reported by Sergey Kaminsky, Deputy Head of the Department of Social and Labor Relations, Wages, and Labor Protection of the Committee, a month dedicated to ensuring safe working conditions has been declared in the region from July 30 by order of the Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee during the period of mass harvesting of agricultural crops.
Within its framework, the work of mobile groups has been intensified. These groups include representatives from district executive committees, the Department of State Labor Inspection, internal affairs bodies, centers for hygiene and epidemiology, emergency response units, energy supervision, and other interested structures.
To date, they have inspected 27 organizations, 60 facilities, and 300 workplaces, identifying 288 violations of legislation. However, all of them do not require financial or time costs and are being promptly rectified, specified Sergey Alexandrovich.
For example, 11 cases of failure to provide employees with personal protective equipment were identified, the operation of 9 units of potentially hazardous equipment was suspended, and 7 instances of allowing work without training and instruction were noted.
This time, the mobile group focused on the agricultural unitary enterprises "Sovkhoz imeni Masherova" and "Druzhbinets," and OJSC "Studenka" in Senno District.
The mobile group visited grain drying complexes and fields. As reported by Alexander Durankov, labor protection engineer at SUP "Sovkhoz imeni Masherova," currently, four certified operators are working at the farm's grain dryer located in the village of Mossory. They work 12-hour shifts in two rotations and are provided with free two meals a day.
The complex processes from 50 to 100 tons of grain per day, depending on moisture content. To assist in agricultural work, students and schoolchildren over 14 years of age are involved, provided there are no medical contraindications, informed Leonid Khirevich, chief specialist of the department of labor, employment and social protection of the Sennensky district executive committee. They participate in harvesting and processing of crops that do not involve the operation of equipment, machinery, and mechanisms, or working at height.
Currently, harvesting is in full swing, and the attention of mobile groups is focused on this process. As Leonid Khirevich noted, unscheduled labor protection and safety briefings have been conducted with employees of agro-industrial enterprises. Only drivers, machine operators, and other individuals who have undergone pre-trip and post-trip medical examinations are allowed to participate in the harvesting.
All work is carried out in compliance with labor protection standards, reported Nikita Lushchinsky, agronomist of SUP "Sovkhoz imeni Masherova". As of today, 9 harvesters are working in the field in the village of Peschanka, harvesting about 70 hectares of grain per day.
As noted by Sergey Kaminsky during the raid, systematic work is being carried out in the Sennensky district to prevent occupational injuries, and as a result, no fatal accidents have been recorded for several years.
On average, each mobile group conducts about 11 inspections per month, added Sergey Alexandrovich. Letters with recommendations for eliminating violations of labor safety requirements are sent to all enterprise managers.
In general, in the Vitebsk region, great attention is paid to labor protection issues by both authorities and employees of organizations. As a result, the rate of occupational diseases in the region has been the lowest in the republic for several years.
No cases of occupational diseases were registered in 2017-2018. It was also possible to prevent an increase in fatal injuries.