Br36.5 billion has been allocated to the program for improving working conditions in the Vitebsk region for January-June.

September 29, Vitebsk / Olga Bogacheva - BELTA /. In the Vitebsk region, Br36.5 billion was allocated for the implementation of the program to improve working conditions for 2006-2010 in January-June this year, Mikhail Leschinsky, Chairman of the Committee for Labor, Employment and Social Protection of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, told a BELTA correspondent. In total, for 2007-2009, funds for the program implementation within the framework of technical re-equipment and modernization of production amounted to Br230 billion. During the program implementation period, the region managed to reduce the level of industrial injuries by 1.72 times - from 479 cases in 2006 to 278 cases by the end of 2009. The number of fatalities at work during this period decreased by almost half (from 35 to 19 people), and the number of people with severe injuries decreased by 26.4% (from 106 to 78 people). Technical re-equipment of agro-industrial complex enterprises and the decommissioning of hazardous, obsolete equipment allowed to reduce fatalities in this sector by three times compared to the 2006 level. Significant attention is paid in the region to the implementation of a labor protection management system in accordance with the requirements of the national standard STB18001. As of July 1, 214 enterprises in the region have passed this certification, including 113 organizations of communal and private ownership. By 2015, it is planned to implement a labor protection management system at 825 enterprises of communal ownership and in small businesses. The region has established training for employees, managers, and specialists on labor protection issues. Since the beginning of the year, 1168 officials have passed knowledge tests on this topic. At the same time, the work carried out to prevent accidents at work in a number of regions of the area is at an insufficient level, the head noted. During 2006-2009, 127 workers died in the region, and 418 were severely injured. The main causes of accidents are the failure of managers and specialists to fulfill their labor protection duties, violations by victims of labor and production discipline, safety requirements, as well as alcohol intoxication. -0-