The Department for Labour, Employment and Social Protection of the Lepel District Executive Committee informs about fatalities and injuries at work, resulting in severe occupational injuries, for the first half of 2019 in comparison with the same period in 2018.
According to operational data as of July 5, 2019, in the first half of the current year, 12 workers died (deceased) and 35 people sustained severe injuries in organisations of the Vitebsk region. Of the specified number of injured, a connection with production has been established for 9 fatalities, which is 2 people less than in the same period of 2018, and 34 people sustained severe occupational injuries (in January-June 2018 – 39). Moreover, in the current year, the indicator of the number of fatalities at work per 100,000 insured persons under mandatory insurance against industrial accidents and occupational diseases (Kch) in the region is one of the highest in the republic (for the region – 2.1, for the republic – 1.3).
For reference. As of July 5, 2019, the investigations (special investigations) of 7 fatalities and 13 cases of severe occupational injuries have not been completed. Of these, according to preliminary information, the accidents leading to the death of 3 workers and severe injury of one person will be classified as non-occupational.
A significant increase in occupational injuries with severe consequences in the region during the first half of the current year has been noted in organisations without departmental subordination, where 3 workers died and 9 people were severely injured (in January-June 2018 – none and 5 people, respectively). In addition, an increase in the number of fatalities has been noted in organisations subordinate to (part of the system of) the Ministry of Forestry and the Ministry of Industry – one each (in January-June 2018 – none). The number of victims who sustained severe occupational injuries increased in organisations subordinate to (part of the system of) the Ministry of Forestry – 4 (one), the Ministry of Transport and the Belgorneftekhim concern – 2 each (none and one, respectively), and the Ministry of Education – one (none).
Out of the total number of employees who suffered severe work-related injuries, 18 people, or 41.9 percent of their total number in the region, are employed by organisations of communal ownership (in the same period of 2018 – 35 injured employees, or 70 percent). Furthermore, 11 people, or 61.1 percent of the number of employees who suffered severe injuries in organisations of communal ownership, are workers of agricultural organisations.
The main causes of severe work-related accidents that occurred in organisations of the region in the first half of the current year, according to special investigations (investigations) completed by July 5, 2019, were:
- Violation of labour and production discipline, requirements of normative legal acts, technical normative legal acts, and local normative acts on labour protection by the injured employees (19 percent of the total number of causes);
- Personal negligence of the injured employees (19 percent);
- Failure by managers and specialists to fulfil their labour protection duties (11.9 percent);
- Unsatisfactory condition and deficiencies in the organisation of workplaces (7.1 percent);
- Allowing injured employees to work without training and knowledge testing on labour protection issues (4.8 percent);
- Violation of labour protection requirements by other employees (4.8 percent);
- Violation of labour protection requirements by injured employees who are officials (4.8 percent);
- Violation of traffic regulations by other persons (4.8 percent);
- Violation of safety requirements during the operation of vehicles, machinery, mechanisms, equipment, accessories, and tools (4.8 percent).
In a state of alcohol intoxication at the time of injury in the first half of the current year, there was one injured employee who sustained a severe work-related injury (in January-June 2018 – 2 people died and 3 sustained severe work-related injuries).
Taking the above into account, we propose to continue taking effective measures to further reduce the number of work-related injuries, eliminate the causes of industrial injuries, ensure the unconditional fulfilment of labour protection duties by both officials of organisations located in the supervised territory and the employees themselves, as well as ensuring production and technological, executive, and labour discipline.