By Resolution of the Government of Belarus dated July 31, 2015, No. 654, amendments and additions have been made to the "Rules for the Investigation and Accounting of Occupational Accidents and Occupational Diseases" (hereinafter referred to as the Rules).
By Resolution of the Government of Belarus dated July 31, 2015, No. 654, amendments and additions have been made to the "Rules for the Investigation and Accounting of Occupational Accidents and Occupational Diseases" (hereinafter referred to as the Rules).
The Rules have been supplemented with the term "occupational injury" – damage to health as a result of an occupational accident.
The norms specifying the algorithm of actions for healthcare organizations that have become aware of information about patients (victims) who have sustained an occupational injury, as well as the norms determining the procedure for the organization on whose territory the victim was located, and the insurer upon receiving a report of an accident falling under the Rules, have been clarified.
The investigation of an occupational accident (except for group accidents, fatal accidents, or accidents resulting in severe occupational injuries) shall be conducted by an authorized official of the organization with the participation of an authorized representative of the trade union (other employee representative body), the organization's occupational safety specialist or another specialist entrusted with relevant occupational safety duties, or the head of a legal entity (individual entrepreneur) accredited to provide occupational safety services, as well as the insurer, the victim and/or a person representing their interests under a power of attorney, or one of the deceased's close relatives (at their request). The investigation of the specified accidents by natural person insurers shall be conducted personally.
Upon receiving a report of an accident falling under the Rules, the organization shall notify the insurer of the accident within one working day after receiving the conclusion on the severity of the victim's occupational injury, sending a copy of the conclusion on the severity of the occupational injury.
It is established that the healthcare organization shall send a conclusion on the severity of the industrial injury of the prescribed form to the organization no later than three working days from the date of receipt of the request. This request may be sent either in writing or as an electronic document drawn up in accordance with the legislation on electronic documents and electronic digital signatures.
The form NP report is again drawn up in four copies. The fourth copy is sent to the insurer.
An application for the investigation of an accident, which has not been reported to the organization within a working day (the investigation of which may last for one month), can be filed not only by the employee but also by their relatives.
The Rules have been supplemented with a provision according to which, in the event of the termination of the organization's activities, the investigation of accidents shall be carried out upon application by the victim or their representative, by a state labor inspector with the participation of representatives of the insurer and the victim or their representative (at their request). Based on the results of the investigation, the state labor inspector shall draw up a conclusion on the accident and a corresponding form N-1 report or form NP report, approved by the chief state labor inspector of the region (Minsk city).
Appeals against the conclusion on the severity of an industrial injury must first be lodged with the main departments, departments (sections) of healthcare of regional executive committees, the healthcare committee of the Minsk city executive committee and the Ministry of Health, and thereafter – to the court.
In the event of a group accident or a fatal accident, the organization shall immediately notify the bodies and organizations listed in the Rules, and in the case of accidents leading to severe industrial injuries – within one working day after receiving the conclusion of the healthcare organization on the severity of the victim's industrial injury.
The amendments come into force on September 6, 2015.