On the results of supervisory and preventive work in agricultural organizations of the region during the participation of state inspectors in mobile group raids in 2021

Throughout 2021, state labor inspectors of the Vitebsk Regional Department of the State Labor Inspectorate Department, as part of mobile groups of district executive committees, carried out continuous work to provide methodological assistance in agricultural organizations of the region. During the work of mobile groups, inspections were carried out in agricultural organizations, including within the framework of 3 months: Month for ensuring safe working conditions in the winter period, Month for ensuring safe working conditions during the preparation and conduct of spring field work, Month for ensuring safety, working conditions and labor protection in organizations of the region during the harvesting campaign of grain crops, announced by the order of the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee.

In addition, during the mass harvesting of fodder and agricultural crops, Months of Safety were announced and held in a number of districts during the mass harvesting of fodder and agricultural crops, as well as according to the Schedule of events "Weeks of Zero Injuries in organizations of the Vitebsk region", approved by the order of the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee in Beshenkovichi, Verkhnedvinsk, Tolochin, Chashniki, Sharkovshchina and other districts, within the framework of the work of mobile groups, supervision was also carried out to ensure safe working conditions during the mass harvesting of fodder and agricultural crops.

Thus, during the above-mentioned supervisory and preventive measures with the direct participation of the department's state inspectors, 935 inspections of agricultural organizations were carried out, during which 10867 violations were identified. On average, up to 11.6 violations were identified per raid in one organization.

During the months of campaigns in agricultural organizations, recommendations for eliminating identified violations indicated the suspension of 655 employees who had not undergone training, instruction, knowledge testing, or who were not using or provided with PPE. During these campaigns, special attention was paid to the condition of the equipment, machinery, and mechanisms in operation. For example, based on the results of mobile group raids, recommendations included the suspension of 616 units of equipment (machinery, mechanisms) that did not comply with safety requirements and the prohibition of 61 types of work. Based on the work of mobile groups during 2021, state labor inspectors promptly sent 239 information reports to district executive committees and 79 information reports to prosecutor's offices.

During inspections, 36 violations were identified regarding the non-organization (non-conduct) of pre-shift medical examinations (medical assessments).

Information on the results of conducted inspections, highlighting relevant characteristic violations, was promptly published in the media, with 93 reports published.

During the work of mobile groups, the following characteristic violations were identified and recommended for elimination:

In a number of organizations, violations related to the non-conduct of internships, instruction, knowledge testing on labor protection, or violations of the procedure for their registration and conduct were systematically identified. Employees were allowed to perform work without undergoing training, instruction (internship) on labor protection and knowledge testing for the type of work performed, without appropriate qualifications, etc.:

In the labor protection instruction registration log, not all employees who underwent instruction had their labor protection instruction confirmed by signatures;

employees of the "crop production" department do not undergo knowledge testing;

employees of the grain drying complex are allowed to perform work without undergoing special training, without an internship, and without knowledge testing on labor protection (grain drying complex operator);

State inspectors identified typical violations related to non-compliance with the requirements for the safe operation of machinery, mechanisms, equipment, and other technical devices, as well as violations of safety requirements during their repair and maintenance, etc.:

defective (non-compliant) agricultural machinery is allowed for operation (grain harvesters lack protective guards for the cutting apparatus drive, cardan shafts on agricultural machinery are not guarded, etc.);

grain harvesters move on public roads with attached headers;

violation of safety requirements during the repair of agricultural machinery, specifically during the repair of tractors, agricultural units, and vehicles, where random objects (boards, wooden blocks, etc.) are placed under the suspended parts of the equipment;

anti-roll chocks are not used during repair work;

supports used during equipment repair are not tested, not registered in the logbook (special plates (tags) or inscriptions on tested items are missing);

Cases of violations in the provision and use of personal protective equipment by employees continue to occur (employees are not fully provided with personal protective equipment, employees and officials do not use issued PPE and workwear). Violations of safety requirements were identified at grain drying complexes regarding the absence of protective guards for drives and rotating equipment elements, and hatches and manholes of grain storage bins, as well as receiving pits, were not closed. In addition, violations related to non-compliance with the requirements for the safe operation of gas and electric welding equipment and lifting mechanisms were identified.
Violations were identified related to the organization and conduct of medical examinations (pre-shift, periodic, initial), as well as the organization of first aid (pre-shift examination (medical check-up) of workers for alcohol intoxication was not organized; admission to work without undergoing a periodic medical examination; first-aid kits were absent or not fully equipped).

In certain agricultural organizations, violations were identified regarding the non-organization of periodic control on labor protection issues and the provision of working and rest conditions for employees (periodic control (daily, monthly, quarterly) for compliance with labor protection requirements was not carried out, or the periodicity of control measures was not observed).

The largest number of violations of labor protection legislation requirements was identified in the organizations of the agro-industrial complex of Beshenkovichi, Braslav, Vitebsk, Glubokskoye, Gorodok, Dokshitsy, Dubrovno, Orsha, Rossony, Sennoye, Chashniki, Ushachi districts.

In order to ensure preventive work in agricultural organizations, analytical information on the results of the monthly campaigns was sent to the Committee for Agriculture and Food with proposals to inform the agricultural departments of district executive committees about the thematic nature of typical violations committed in organizations, and to take the necessary measures to organize preventive work in subordinate organizations to prevent similar violations.

First Deputy Head of Department S.V. Anufriev