Compliance with the fire safety supervision orders will be checked at flax processing plants in the Vitebsk region

July 26, Vitebsk / Olga Bogacheva - BELTA /. Compliance with the requirements of state fire supervision bodies will be checked in the coming days at all flax processing plants in the Vitebsk region. This instruction was given today to the Vitebsk Regional Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations at a meeting of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee by its chairman, Alexander Kosinets, during the consideration of the issue of compliance with the requirements of Directive No. 1 "On Measures to Ensure Public Safety and Discipline" in terms of labor legislation, labor protection and additional measures to ensure life safety in hazardous industries of the national economy, reports a BELTA correspondent. Large fires are recorded annually at flax processing enterprises. In the second half of 2011 - the first half of the current year alone, based on the results of state fire supervision inspections, 719 fire safety measures were prescribed for implementation. The main violations include the absence or malfunction of automatic fire extinguishing systems and automatic fire alarm systems, systems for notifying people about fires and managing their evacuation, malfunction of external and internal fire water supply, and non-compliance of aspiration and dust removal systems with fire safety requirements. 16 information reports on the unsatisfactory fire safety condition of flax processing enterprises were sent to district executive committees and 6 to prosecutor's offices. During the consideration of some of these facts, the chairman of the regional executive committee expressed dissatisfaction with both the attitude of the flax plant managers towards the fire safety of their enterprises and the work of the Ministry of Emergency Situations staff. "The position of the Vitebsk Regional Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations regarding these egregious facts is too liberal," emphasized Alexander Kosinets. "The operation of all facilities with violations should be suspended, and the managers should be held accountable for the losses later," the governor added. The chairman of the regional executive committee also drew attention to the working conditions at the flax processing enterprises of the region. Thus, 4.3 thousand people, or 54.9% of all employed in this production, work in hazardous conditions. The main harmful production factors are dustiness and increased noise levels - the content of plant-based dust and the noise level in most plants in production areas significantly exceed hygienic standards. In addition, the provision of flax plant workers with workwear and personal protective equipment in the region is 85-90%. In 2011, the incidence of temporary disability in a number of these enterprises was higher than the average for districts and the region. Alexander Kosinets demanded to fully provide people with the necessary personal protective equipment and workwear, including attracting funds from the Orsha Flax Mill for this purpose, as well as to intensify efforts to modernize the flax processing plants of the region. -0-