During the Month for Ensuring Safety, Working Conditions and Labour Protection in the region's organisations, from 26.07.2021 to 30.08.2021, state labour inspectors of the Vitebsk Regional Department of the State Labour Inspectorate Department, as part of mobile groups of district executive committees, conducted 137 inspections of agricultural organisations, during which 259 facilities were inspected and 1637 violations were identified.
During the Month for Ensuring Safety, Working Conditions and Labour Protection in the region's organisations, from 26.07.2021 to 30.08.2021, state labour inspectors of the Vitebsk Regional Department of the State Labour Inspectorate Department, as part of mobile groups of district executive committees, conducted 137 inspections of agricultural organisations, during which 259 facilities were inspected and 1637 violations were identified.
Recommendations for the elimination of identified violations issued to organisation managers included the suspension of 185 employees who had not undergone training, instruction, knowledge testing, or who were not using or were not provided with personal protective equipment (PPE). Based on the work of the mobile groups during this period, recommendations included the suspension of 137 units of equipment (machines, mechanisms) that did not meet safety requirements and the prohibition of 14 types of work. During this period, 80 pieces of information were promptly sent to district executive committees and 24 pieces of information to prosecutor's offices.
During the inspections, 13 instances of violations related to the non-organisation (non-conduct) of pre-shift medical examinations (medical assessments) were identified.
Information on the results of the inspections, highlighting relevant typical violations, was promptly published in the media (41 media appearances were published).
During the work of the mobile groups for the period of the month, the following typical violations were identified and recommended for elimination:
- employees were not fully provided with personal protective equipment;
- employees and officials did not use the issued PPE and special clothing;
State inspectors identified the following typical violations related to the non-compliance with safety requirements for the operation, repair, maintenance, etc. of machines, mechanisms, equipment and other machinery:
- agricultural machinery was repaired in violation of safety requirements. For example, during the repair of tractors, agricultural units, and vehicles, random objects (boards, wooden blocks, etc.) were placed under the suspended parts of the equipment;
- wheel 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 are missing on tested items);
- unused inspection pits are not covered with shields;
- there is no traffic flow scheme on the territory;
- routes for agricultural machinery and units to the place of work have not been developed;
- faulty (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 along public roads with the header attached;
Violations related to the maintenance of the organization's territory, storage (keeping) of material assets have been identified:
- order has not been maintained in the workshop and auxiliary premises, materials, spare parts, etc. are not stored on special racks.
Violations of safety requirements at grain drying complexes have been identified:
- belt drives on the grain cleaner are not covered with guards;
- operation of the grain drying chamber fan without a protective guard for the drive;
- hatches, grain storage bunker hatches, receiving pits at grain drying complexes are in an open position (not covered with gratings, the elevator is not guarded);
- protective guards for chain and belt drives are missing on the grain drying complex equipment (seed treater, grain loader without protective guards).
- portable ladders are used at the grain drying complex without undergoing testing and do not meet safety requirements.
Violations related to the breach of safety requirements for the operation of electric and gas welding equipment and lifting mechanisms are identified:
- a homemade electrode holder is used during welding work;
- oxygen cylinders are operated with faulty pressure gauges.
- the crane beam's load hook is not equipped with a safety lock to prevent the accidental release of the load-gripping device;
Violations related to the failure to conduct internships, briefings, and knowledge checks on labour protection were identified in a number of organisations. Employees were allowed to perform work without undergoing training, briefings (internships), and labour protection knowledge checks:
- The labour protection briefing registration log does not show signatures of all employees who underwent the briefing, confirming the conduct of labour protection briefings;
- Employees of the "crop production" department have not undergone knowledge checks;
- Employees of the grain drying complex are allowed to perform work without undergoing special training, internships, and labour protection knowledge checks (grain drying complex operator).
Violations related to the organisation and conduct of medical examinations (pre-shift, periodic, initial) and the provision of first aid were identified:
- The employer has not organised pre-shift medical examinations (check-ups) of employees for alcohol intoxication;
- Employees were allowed to work without undergoing periodic medical examinations;
- Tractor drivers/machinists are allowed on the line without undergoing pre-trip medical examinations;
- Medical kits are not fully equipped.
In certain agricultural organisations, violations related to the failure to organise periodic labour protection monitoring and to provide working and rest conditions for employees were identified:
- The organisation does not conduct periodic monitoring (daily, monthly, quarterly) of compliance with labour protection requirements;
- Rest areas have not been equipped in harvested fields.
It should be noted that the majority of violations identified during mobile group raids were rectified promptly.
During the month-long campaign in the region's agricultural organisations, no fatal accidents or accidents resulting in severe occupational injuries were registered during harvesting operations.
In order to ensure preventive work in agricultural organizations, analytical information on the results of the monthly campaign has been 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.
Vitebsk Regional Department of the State Labour Inspectorate Department.