On the state of industrial injuries in organizations of the Vitebsk region and analysis of the causes of industrial accidents based on the results of work for 2021

According to operational data from the Vitebsk Regional Department of the State Labor Inspectorate Department (hereinafter referred to as the Department), in organizations of the Vitebsk region for 12 months of 2021, a total of 197 cases of industrial injuries were registered (including cases not classified as severe industrial injuries), while for the same period in 2020, 201 cases of industrial accidents were registered.

During the specified reporting period, 11 people died as a result of industrial accidents (12 months of 2020 – 10), and 74 people sustained severe industrial injuries (85). Thus, during this reporting period, there was an increase of 1 fatal industrial accident and a decrease of 11 cases leading to severe industrial injuries (a decrease of 13%).

In 2021, in addition to the mentioned 11 fatal industrial accidents on record, 63 people died at work due to pre-existing illnesses (2020 – 64, 2019 – 52, 2018 – 57, 2017 – 43, 2016 – 41, 2015 – 32).

An increase in fatal industrial injuries was noted in organizations in 7 territorial units of the region: Administration of Pervomaisky District of Vitebsk – 4 (12 months of 2020 – 0), Administration of Oktyabrsky District of Vitebsk – 2 (1), and respectively in organizations of Vitebsk – 6 (3), in organizations of Braslavsky, Verkhnedvinsky, Vitebsky districts – 1 (0), in organizations of Orshansky district – 2 (1).

An increase in accidents leading to severe industrial injuries in 2021 compared to 2020 was noted in organizations located in the territories of: Dokshitsky, Rossony – 1 (0), Gluboksky, Lepelsky, Sharkovshchinsky – 2 (1), Miory – 3 (2), in organizations located in Novopolotsk – 8 (5); Tolochinsky district – 5 (3); Administration of Zheleznodorozhny District of Vitebsk – 7 (3), Pervomaisky District of Vitebsk – 8 (5), and respectively in organizations of Vitebsk – 19 (15).

In 2021, a decrease in fatal occupational accidents was noted in organizations of communal ownership, from 5 to 3 cases. At the same time, an increase in fatal injuries was observed in healthcare organizations – 1 case (in 2020, 0 cases; the accident involving the victim was caused by traffic violations by the driver (a third party)). It should be noted that in agricultural organizations, the number of fatal occupational injuries in 2021 decreased from 4 to 1 accident compared to 2020.

A decrease in the number of occupational accidents leading to severe injuries was noted in organizations of communal ownership, from 53 to 36 cases, including in agricultural organizations, from 33 to 20 cases. However, the number of occupational accidents leading to severe injuries increased in organizations of architecture and construction, from 4 to 8 cases, light industry, from 0 to 2 cases, and food industry, from 0 to 1 case.

During this reporting period, an increase in the number of accidents leading to severe injuries was noted in organizations of republican ownership (from 14 cases to 18). Furthermore, an increase in such cases was observed in organizations subordinate to the Belneftekhim concern (from 2 to 4), Bellegprom, Minstroiarkhitektura, and Minprom – 1 case (in 2020, 0 cases).

It should be noted that compared to 2020, the number of occupational injuries among employees in a state of alcohol intoxication decreased. In the region's organizations, over 12 months of 2021, 1 fatal occupational accident involving an employee in a state of alcohol intoxication was registered, and 4 accidents resulted in severe occupational injuries (in the same period of 2020, there were 3 fatal accidents and 4 resulting in severe injuries).

Fatal occupational accident

01.03.2021 a car repair fitter of the Vitebsk Regional Consumer Society (Verkhnedvinsk branch), while performing tire fitting operations, being in a state of alcoholic intoxication 0.39‰, manually rolled a dual tractor trailer wheel after inflating it. The employee received a fatal injury as a result of the impact of the flying parts of the dual wheel (a suddenly detached outer wheel) due to the separation of the removable parts of the inner wheel rim. Causes of the accident: violation by the victim of the requirements of local legal acts on labor protection when inflating tires.

Accidents resulting in severe injuries

30.06.2021 Dovatorsky Open Joint-Stock Company, Sharkovshchyna district, while disconnecting a single-axle trailer from a tractor in field conditions, the trailer's drawbar fell on the right leg of the tractor driver-machinist (alcohol 1.67‰).

04.07.2021 Papshuli Open Joint-Stock Company, Miory district, a milking machine operator (2.28‰) during towing operations, did not hold the trailer's drawbar in her hands and dropped it on her right leg.

07/20/2021 Agricultural Production Branch "Zaozerie" of Vitebsk Meat Processing Plant Open Joint-Stock Company, Lepel district. While replacing a submersible pump, during the lowering of the pump and pipes into the well by a truck crane, as a result of their detachment from the crane hook, the agricultural machinery repair fitter was injured by the falling load (alcohol 1.79‰).

13.10.2021 Postavy Flax Mill Open Joint-Stock Company, while eliminating flax tow clogging on a retting and scutching unit lacking a protective guard, the victim, a raw material loader, received a severe injury while being allowed to work without training and knowledge testing on labor protection issues, being in a state of alcoholic intoxication (1.8‰).

Based on the results of completed investigations conducted over 9 months of 2021, the following characteristic causes of accidents have been identified, the number of which has increased compared to the same period last year or has remained at a consistently high level:

• unsatisfactory maintenance and deficiencies in the organization of workplaces – 4.5% (2.1%);
• violation of safety requirements during the operation of faulty machinery, mechanisms, equipment, tooling, instruments, and vehicles – 8.9% (4.2%);
• failure of managers and specialists to fulfill labor protection duties – 14.3% (16.8%);
• violation of labor and production discipline, and labor protection instructions by the injured party – 17% (18.9%);

For January-December 2021, out of a total of 298 supervisory measures conducted by state labor inspectors, 135 (144) inspections, 86 (47) monitoring activities, 56 spot checks, and 21 unscheduled inspections were carried out. During these activities, 10169 (4518) violations of labor and labor protection legislation requirements were identified and ordered (recommended) for elimination.

Following the supervisory measures conducted in the region's organizations, and taking into account information received by the department regarding signs of administrative offenses for violations of labor and labor protection legislation, 716 officials and 90 employers (employers, individual entrepreneurs) were brought to administrative responsibility in the form of fines totaling 147.7 thousand rubles.

Based on the results of the work for 2021, informational letters analyzing industrial injuries in the districts with proposals were sent to district executive committees for responsive measures.

First Deputy Head of Department S.V. Anufriev