Crunch time at KIM factory in Vitebsk ahead of Lukashenka's visit

The KIM knitting factory in Vitebsk prepares for Lukashenka's visit.

Charter97.org learnt it from a reader.

“We have a crunch time at the KIM factory in Vitebsk trying to hide the mess before Lukashenka's visit. Men from all factory departments were ordered to repair the roof of one of the buildings. What is the most cynical, it was an oral order. No written orders were made. They have to work at height, which is dangerous. Falling from a height of more than 20 metres and fatal injuries are possible. People do not have qualifications to work at height. Who will answer if an accident happens? Will they say it was the worker's own decision to work there? Why don't the authorities react to blatant violations of safety rules? Why doesn't the state labour protection department react? It is supposed to control it. Where are a prosecutor's office,the regional committee of the light industry trade union, safety inspectors, ideological departments of city and regional committee? Are they waiting for another fatal accident at the factory?” the angry reader wrote.

Charter97.org tried to sort out the situation. A factory representative denies the worker's words. Deputy general director responsible for ideological work Liudmila Mirosh says that no one violates safety rules and that workers were asked to work “at a human height”.

“I'd like to know the name of the worker who told you it. I'd like to know if he was involved in the work and if he put his signature to indicate he knew safety rules and regulations. All works relating to the roof repair were performed by special organisations. But we gave our workers minor tasks, like painting a small window at a human height. The factory has a relative decree and safety instruction No.288. All people performing this work listen to safety rules and put their signatures in the journal.

We don't currently have any works at a height of 20 metres. We don't repair the roof. We repaired the roof in the canteen about two weeks ago and used external organisations that have the right, qualifications and experience to repair roofs,” she said.

There recently was a strike at the factory due to delayed wages.