On the preparation of grain drying complexes for the grain harvesting campaign and fodder procurement

The Vitebsk Regional Directorate of Gosgortechnadzor informs about the need to comply with industrial safety requirements when preparing seasonal gas-using units for operation, which provide air heating for grain drying complexes.

There are over 60 enterprises in the Vitebsk region that operate approximately 130 seasonal grain drying complexes. These complexes include heat generators that run on gaseous fuel and are considered potentially hazardous facilities (hereinafter referred to as PHFs) in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Belarus of January 5, 2016 No. 354-Z "On Industrial Safety".

Inspectors of the Vitebsk Regional Directorate of Gosgortechnadzor annually conduct inspections of all potentially hazardous facilities that ensure the functioning of grain drying complexes, the operation of which is planned for the current year's harvest campaign.

As past experience shows, when preparing seasonal units for operation during the harvest campaign, economic entities commit a number of typical violations of industrial safety requirements.

Here are some of them:

• current repairs of gas pipelines, gas equipment, automation systems of grain drying complexes, and scheduled preventive maintenance of grain drying complexes and auxiliary equipment have not been carried out;
• documents confirming the qualifications of workers servicing potentially hazardous facilities are missing;
• workers operating gasified grain drying complexes do not have certificates entitling them to service potentially hazardous facilities;
• knowledge assessment of maintenance personnel on industrial safety issues has not been conducted;
• an act from a specialized organization on checking the technical condition of smoke ducts is missing;
• technological instructions and labor protection instructions for persons engaged in the technical operation of gas distribution system and gas consumption facilities are missing.

Important! In accordance with paragraph 344 of the Industrial Safety Regulations in the field of gas supply, approved by the Resolution of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus of December 5, 2022 No. 66, the operating organization, before commissioning seasonal gas-using equipment, must ensure:

• checking employees' knowledge of industrial safety issues;
• maintenance and current repair of gas pipelines
  and gas-using equipment (conclude agreements with an organization licensed to carry out activities in the field of industrial safety for the maintenance and repair of internal gas pipelines and gas-using units, performing these works on a contractual basis, if the operating organization does not have its own gas service);
• checking the operability of automation and signaling systems;
• carrying out scheduled preventive maintenance of gas-using and auxiliary equipment;
• checking smoke removal and ventilation systems with the issuance of an act;
• checking grounding devices and lightning protection.

ATTENTION! The removal of the plug and the start of gas are permitted only in the presence of documents confirming the completion of the specified works.

The most problematic issue is the admission of personnel to the maintenance of gas consumption facilities.

In accordance with paragraph 13 of the Regulations, operating organizations must ensure the availability of the number of employees required for the safe operation of gas consumption system facilities, as determined by the project, who have undergone the necessary training and knowledge check on industrial safety issues, including workers employed in blue-collar occupations who meet the necessary qualification requirements, are authorized to perform hazardous gas operations, have been trained in the use of personal protective equipment, methods of providing first aid, have no medical contraindications for the specified work, and have been duly authorized for independent work.

In order to prevent the disruption of the 2025 grain harvesting campaign and fodder procurement, to provide methodological assistance and to conduct explanatory work with economic entities, it is proposed to contact the Vitebsk Regional Department of Gosgortechnadzor for the organization and conduct of control (supervisory) measures upon the request of the inspected entity in accordance with paragraph 23 of Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus No. 510 of October 16, 2009 "On improving control (supervisory) activities in the Republic of Belarus".

For all questions regarding the procedure for commissioning seasonal equipment, please call 8 (0212) 48-07-23.