26 August, Vitebsk /Diana Kurilo - BELTA/. 24 mobile groups of specialists are engaged in the prevention of industrial injuries during the harvest in the Vitebsk region, the Vitebsk Regional Department of the State Labour Inspectorate of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection informed a BELTA correspondent. For the second year in a row, 24 mobile groups have been established by decisions of district executive committees to provide practical and methodological assistance to employers in ensuring compliance with labour protection legislation, and in the prompt identification and suppression of violations of labour protection requirements. The practice of mobile groups operating during mass grain harvesting has proven effective: over the past two years, mass grain harvesting operations in the Vitebsk region have been carried out without injuries or fatalities among workers. At the same time, inspections organized in some agricultural organizations of the region during the safety month from 18 July to 18 August revealed gross violations of labour protection legislation. The main shortcomings and violations are repeated year after year and are often due to the so-called "human factor," when employer officials fail to fulfill their duties to ensure labour safety and the safe organization of the work process, which indicates low labour and executive discipline in organizations. In many agricultural organizations, organizational and technical measures for labour safety are not developed when organizing and conducting harvesting operations, and officials responsible for compliance with labour protection rules and norms are not appointed. Shortcomings in training employees in safe working methods and techniques have been noted. It is not uncommon for workers without professional training or relevant qualifications to be allowed to perform hazardous work. Pre-trip and post-trip medical examinations of drivers and machine operators were not organized in all farms in the region. The technical condition of machinery and mechanisms permitted to perform harvesting operations causes concern among inspectors. Cases of technically faulty tractors, trailers, and complex agricultural machinery that have not passed annual technical inspections being allowed into operation have been identified.