On occupational injuries in 2022

06/02/20234 views

The Lepel District Executive Committee informs that, according to operational data from the Department of State Labour Inspectorate of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus, in organisations of the Vitebsk region, the total number of industrial accidents in 2022 was 220 cases (in 2021 – 197). This includes 14 fatalities (11 in 2021), indicating a 27% increase in fatal accidents during the reporting period.

Out of the 14 fatal industrial accidents, 4 cases (29% of the total fatalities) occurred as a result of road traffic accidents (in 2021, 2 workers died in road traffic accidents). The number of severe industrial injuries sustained as a result of road traffic accidents in 2022 increased to 10 cases, accounting for 14% of the total number of severely injured individuals (in 2021, 7 people were injured in road traffic accidents).

In addition to the 14 fatal accidents on record, 63 people died at work due to pre-existing conditions, and following investigations, these cases were classified as non-occupational (2021 – 63, 2020 – 61, 2019 – 52, 2018 – 57, 2017 – 43, 2016 – 41, 2015 – 32).

A reduction in occupational injuries is noted for accidents resulting in severe injuries, decreasing from 74 cases in 2021 to 72 in 2022 (a 3% decrease). In 2022

In organisations of republican ownership, an increase in fatal injuries is noted in organisations of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Communications – 1 (for 2021 – 0).

With an overall decrease in cases resulting in severe industrial injuries, an increase is noted in the following organisations of republican ownership: Ministry of Forestry – 5 (for 2021 – 3), Ministry of Construction and Architecture – 3 (for 2021 – 1), Bellesbumprom – 3 (for 2021 – 0); Bellesagrom – 2 (for 2021 – 1); Ministry of Defence – 1 (for 2021 – 0); other state organisations – 4 (for 2021 – 3). In organisations of communal ownership, an increase in severe industrial injuries is noted in the sectors: Transport and Communications – 4 (for 2021 – 0), Healthcare – 3 (for 2021 – 0); Housing and Communal Services – 4 (for 2021 – 3) and organisations of other types of activities – 1 (for 2021 – 0).

An increase in the number of industrial accidents leading to non-severe injuries is noted in organisations of communal ownership, from 65 to 77 cases, including in agricultural organisations from 37 to 55 (almost 1.5 times), in transport and communications organisations from 3 to 5 cases, in education organisations from 1 to 2 cases, and in organisations related to other types of activities from 0 to 3 cases.

It should be noted that during this reporting period, compared to 2021, the number of industrial injuries involving employees under the influence of alcohol has increased. In the region's organisations, 6 accidents involving employees under the influence of alcohol were registered: 2 fatal accidents and 4 cases involving employees who sustained injuries with severe outcomes (for 2021 – 5 cases: 1 fatal and 4 cases resulting in severe industrial injuries).

For January-December 2022, out of a total of 416 supervisory measures conducted by state labour inspectors, 52 were spot checks and 14 were unscheduled inspections, 347 were monitoring activities and 3 were surveys. During these measures, 10,089 violations of labour and occupational safety legislation requirements were identified and ordered (recommended) for elimination.

For violations of labour and occupational safety legislation requirements, 673 officials were brought to administrative responsibility in the form of a fine totalling 187,360

thousand rubles, 43 warnings were issued to employees.

Taking the above into account, we propose to organize a discussion of this information within the team to take effective response measures and develop additional measures for the prevention of industrial injuries.

To prevent industrial injuries, we recommend:

- ensuring a systematic approach to occupational safety management;

- taking measures to prevent employees from being at the workplace
while intoxicated;

- intensifying efforts to inform employees on occupational safety issues at all stages of production activities;

- strengthening constant control over employees' compliance with occupational safety requirements, including through the organization of video surveillance;

- improving the forms and methods of work to encourage employees for their assistance to the employer in ensuring healthy
and safe working conditions.