Working Conditions and Risks in Latvia 2005 - 2006

Objective of the Study “Work conditions and risks in Latvia” was to create analytic basis in the field of occupational health and safety, which would ease rational and effective decision-making for elaboration of employment and social policy programmes and for ensuring sustainable development. During the Study following groups of people were surveyed: residents of Latvia, employers, occupational health and safety specialists, employees (especially of specially protected and socially castaway groups), health and social care employees. Besides, activities of the Study included analysis of available occupational health and safety data
bases, analysis of existing studies, objective assessment of occupational health and safety situation (analysis of
measurement results), which ensures that results of the Study could be considered during development of occupational health and safety programme. Results of the Study reveal insufficient compliance of workplaces with legal requirements regarding occupational health and safety, as well as legal labour relations. Besides, awareness and understanding of general public regarding such requirements is also dissatisfactory. Further on
attention should be paid to simplification of legal requirements, development of alternative methods for informing and educating people, as well as recurrent definition of national indicators to assess efficacy of implemented measures related to occupational health and safety, as well as legal labour relations.

In Latvia no noteworthy and wholesome studies have been carried out, which could reveal occupational health and safety situation in Latvia and could help in decision making. Therefore, any
changes and reforms within this field were based on requirements provided in European Union directives. However, it would be reasonable to consider existing situation, as well as historic,
economic and social specifics, which differ a lot among countries, in spite the unified European Union requirements. It should be also noted that in Latvia no single national strategy in occupational health and safety has been approved, which would include priorities, objectives to be reached in future, justified solutions to existing problems and necessary changes in the field of occupational health and safety. Thus, objective of the Study “Work conditions and risks in Latvia” was to create analytic base
in the field of occupational health and safety, which would ease rational and effective decision-making for elaboration of employment and social policy programmes and for ensuring sustainable development. This would, in its turn, promote drawing up of research based occupational health and safety policy programme, which could be then integrated into national employment and social programmes leading to balanced and sustainable development of the state through improved regional
development, social dialogue, work conditions and sexual equity.

The Study “Work conditions and risks in Latvia” included following activities:
 Analysis of policy plans regarding occupational health and safety;
 Analysis of cooperation schemes of respective institutions, analysis of information circulation
and overlapping functions, as well as assessment of interaction of different organisations;
 Analysis of existing similar studies and review of similar studies;
 Analysis of databases currently existing in Latvia;
 Survey of employers, their representatives and employees; analysis and summarisation of the
obtained results;
 Objective assessment of working conditions and occupational risks;
 Calculation of work ability index and working conditions the field of health care; comparison
of the results in dynamics;
 Elaboration of alternatives for occupational health and safety policy development.