"WHP as part of the new Occupational Health Strategy and system in Latvia"

1. “Development Of Structures For Dissemination Of Good Practice In The Field Of Workplace Health Promotion In The Acceding And The Applicant Countries” - DRAGON FLY – 2004316 "WHP as part of the new Occupational Health Strategy and system in Latvia" Ivars Vanadzins Madara Kapeniece Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health Riga Stradins University Krakow, 13-14 October 2006 Ivars.Vanadzins@rsu.lv Ivars Vanadzins Madara Kapeniece

2. Content • Short summary of statuss • Legal situation and understanding • Main players • Knowledge and understanding statuss • Main problems and challenges? • Perspective of WHP as part of new OH&S strategy and new situation? • Future cooperation • Models and possible role of Latvia? • Future Projects? Ivars Vanadzins Madara Kapeniece

3. Short summary of statuss • No specific terminology and approaches for “Workplace Health promotion” (WHP) as opposite to to relatively wide use of term “health promotion” (also not defined) • Current understanding of WHP mostly as activities concerning vaccinations, encouragement of sport and recreation activities, health examination, change in life style habits (smoking) etc. Ivars Vanadzins Madara Kapeniece

4. Short summary of statuss • Legally • WHP not mentioned as term in in Occupational health and safety legislation • No specific obligations for employers towards specific WHP activities, except some linked activities like: • Smoking ban in work places • Vaccinations, health examinations Ivars Vanadzins Madara Kapeniece

5. Short summary of statuss • Training • WHP mentioned in training curricula for some of the key professional groups like occupational doctors and OH&S specialists • No specific training provided for those professional groups that might provide further spread of WHP ideas • Training on general health promotion quite well developed Ivars Vanadzins Madara Kapeniece

6. Short summary of statuss – Main players? • Ministry of Health (department of Public health) – currently activities on general health promotion: • State Agency for Health Promotion • Public Health Agency • Ministry of Welfare (department of Labour) – no specific WHP activities so far, understanding of the problem and support in general • Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health (future role of the National institute) • Several NGO, trade unions, employers organizations Ivars Vanadzins Madara Kapeniece

7. Short summary of statuss • Economic consequences of WHP • Some WHP activities might be covered by employer with reduced tax (vaccination, sport activities etc.) • In general - no understanding and information of WHP as concept that in longer run reduces staff costs and increases productivity Ivars Vanadzins Madara Kapeniece

8. Short summary of statuss • Understanding and activities ar workplace level • Some information from ESF project “Work environment and risks in Latvia” (in progress, first data summarised, full report in January 2007) • Questionnaires for Employers, employees, occupational patients, health care workers, pregnant women etc.) • Objective situation (measurement data) • Analysis of research etc. Ivars Vanadzins Madara Kapeniece

9. Short summary of statuss • Summary of findings • Lots of detailed data on many questions • Worse than we expected in terms of information and understanding of OH&S (despite new OH&S legislation in force since 2002) • Some key figures • What employers think about risks (? • What employees think are they duties? • What employers provide for employees? Ivars Vanadzins Madara Kapeniece

10. 16 100% 6 7 10 80% 17 100% 60% 80-99% 40% 60-79% 43 40-59% 20% Less than 40% NOBODY has risks 0% Hard to say Employees (%) Ivars Vanadzins Madara Kapeniece

11. Is this your responsibility? (n=2488) Taking care of own safety Taking care of own health Follow signs and regulations Ivars Vanadzins Madara Kapeniece

12. Training 31.1 PPE 30.6 Health insurance 30.1 Social conditions 19.8 Health examinations 19.5 17.3 NOTHING Fire safety equipment 13.8 First aid kit 13.3 Work env. improvement 13.3 Vaccination 13.1 Difficult to say 8.9 8.4 First aid training Sport activities 6.9 Safety signs 5.4 Risk assessment 4.0 OH&S staff training 2.5 1.2 Measurements Other 1.0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 % Ivars Vanadzins Madara Kapeniece

13. Main problems and challenges in future? • Information/training for awareness, understanding and expertise for all players • Each level requiring different approach and tools: • policy and implementation level • OH&S experts • Employers • employees Ivars Vanadzins Madara Kapeniece

14. Main challenges in future? • Awareness of economical side of the WHP – experts and employers, employees (tools for analysis of costs, MoGP) • Networking – involvment of different actors (supported by some sort of pushing force – secretariat) • Experts • Employers • Employee organizations • Municipalities • Labour inspectors Ivars Vanadzins Madara Kapeniece

15. Future perspectives of WHP • Mentioned in new OH&S strategy (in draft now, expected in early 2007) as one of the tasks/work areas for future • Development and Action plan for the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (on current institute) created within Phare Transition Facility project, including setting tasks/functions for: • Research • Training and information • education Ivars Vanadzins Madara Kapeniece

16. Future perspectives of WHP • Future NIOHS will have “management by objectives” approach • WHP seen as one of top objectives (level of understanding so low that significant achievements could be reached) • Phare project reviewing training strategy both for NIOSH, State Labour inspection, intending: • to set up curricula for some “specific” OH&S specialist • Arrange train the trainers system and network with other universities Ivars Vanadzins Madara Kapeniece

17. Future perspectives of WHP • Lack of employees – employers starting to listen to anything that might make their workplaces more attractive • Rising costs of health care – helping in convincing of workers • Insurance premium system change under discussion hopefully bringing link between employers behaviour and insurance rate (supported by ~ 60% employers) Ivars Vanadzins Madara Kapeniece

18. Future opportunities for WHP internationally – from Latvian point of view • Being a part of the international occupational health and safety community is a prerequisite for effective OSH (including WHP) activities in any country • Participation in networks and international events recognised as part of NIOHS activities in future • Basic funding for international networking is essential Ivars Vanadzins Madara Kapeniece

19. Future Projects? • There are opportunities out there...! • EWHPN suitable platform for organization of project consortiums • Currently we are exploring the project sheme under EEA grants • Minimum 250 000 EURO support per project • Up to 85-90% costs covered if projects support activities of trade unions, NGO and similar activities, EU partners welcomed • Time table – 3 months from November/December 2006 Ivars Vanadzins Madara Kapeniece

20. Future Projects? • EEA grants support activities: • In Education sector • support to activtities for development of training and education in social, environmental and health care sciences (with involvment and development of digital technologies) • In Health care sector: • Reducing the burden of life style related diseases • Rising of professional capacities of health care professionals Ivars Vanadzins Madara Kapeniece