Functions and Tasks of the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety

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• Functions and Tasks of the National Institute of
  Occupational Health and Safety
• LV/2004/SO/01
• Matti Ylikoski
• FIOH
• 28 March 2007, Riga

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What is expected for the functions of the NIOHS ?

• National body on OSH to support
• the development of the OSH, and particularly OHS
  systems and its high quality,
• expert services for and in enterprises and
• the SLI through knowledge and competence

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The NIOHS will

• Support for MoW in policy making and strategy
  implementation and monitoring
• Strengthen SLI through training, information and
  services
• Increase public awareness
• Assure availability of OSH specialists
• Support of development of high quality OSH system
• Carry out research
• Report on OSH status and monitor indicators

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Mission of the NIOHS

• "NIOHS promotes workers health and safety as a
  cornerstone for health and wellbeing of people
  and the success of the nation.
• To reach this the NIOHS supports the government
  and authorities as well as experts and actors in
  different levels of work life by carrying out
  research, compiling and disseminating information
  and data, and by offering training and education
  and other services".

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NIOHS in practice

• produces, compiles and disseminates
  research-based information on the presence of
  work-related health and safety hazards, and on
  their prevention.
• and promotes the practical application of this
  information by training and through developing
  methods, solutions, services and practices.

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Functions of the NIOHS

• Research and development (RD)
• Training
• Information gathering and dissemination
• Laboratory Service provision

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As an information institute

• increases awareness
• of citizens, media, workplaces, decision makers
  and specialists
• provides information services on OSH
• library, information sources searching and data
  banks
• an OSH call centre
• in electronic form
• acts as the EU focal point on OSH information
  compilation and dissemination

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NIOHS information tasks

• Increasing awareness
• Continuous dialogue with media
• Organization of permanent OSH exhibition
• Development of the NIOHS website and integrating
  the Focal Point website
• Establishment and development of an OSH Call
  Centre
• Provision of information services on OSH
• Organization of library and information services
• Publishing activities
• Management of data, information and knowledge
  sources at NIOHS, nationally and internationally
• Acting as the EU Focal Point
• Maintaining the Focal Point website
• Acting as Secretariat of the National Network
• Responding to the information needs of Bilbao
  Agency

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As a research institute

• NIOHS research supports the Ministry of Welfare
  and other policy formulators by providing
  reliable knowledge on OHS situation, and
  development needs. The strategy highlights the
  following principles
• emphasis on policy-driven needs and priorities
• balancing scientific and applied research
• balancing quantitative and qualitative knowledge
• systems orientation with feed-back mechanisms
  through outcome and impact evaluation
• multidisciplinarity where relevant
• active collaboration and networking.

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NIOHS Research development tasks

• The greatest impact from research is achieved by
  producing knowledge that gets the whole OHS
  infrastructure work better, such as
• evaluation and identifying functional states and
  constraints of OHS infrastructures at different
  levels
• coverage and quality of OHS risk management
  systems at enterprises
• intervention research on life-style and
  occupational risk factors of work-related
  disorders
• indicator frameworks and monitoring systems at
  national level and by branch of industry
• prioritizing research that is transferable into
  policy and practice.

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As a training institute

• Assures continuous availability of competent OSH
  specialists and other actors to support
  problem-solving in OSH questions at workplaces
• Provides knowledge and competences for
  administration, authorities (SLI), social
  partners and citizens.
• Strengthens the OSH training system in schools,
  vocational and academic training by training of
  trainers, informatics and researchers
• Collaborates in training with other universities
  (such as Latvian Agriculture University, Latvian
  University and Riga Technical University)
• Develops OSH training programmes, modules and
  methods
• Strengthens OSH system by increasing OSH skills
  and competencies on workplaces and among managers
  and employees

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NIOHS training tasks

• Academic training for OSH specialist degrees and
  competences (under- and postgraduates), e.g.
• Occupational Medicine and Health,
• Occupational Safety and Health,
• Public Health
• Training of authorities
• State Labour Inspectorate
• Ministry of Welfare and other administration
• Further and advanced training for work life
  actors
• Managers in companies and organizations (line
  managers, human resource managers, OSH managers
  aso.)
• Social partners and OSH actors (delegates)
• General public and tailored courses for the
  companies
• Training of trainers and informatics on OSH
• Trainers in universities and other training
  institutions
• Teacher in schools, especially in vocational
  training and technical training institutions

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As a laboratory service institute, the NIOHS

• provides occupational hygiene measurements,
  consultations and other services for risk
  assessment and management
• offer occupational hygiene advisory services to
  other OHS specialists in NIOHS, labour
  inspectorate and workplaces
• provides occupational hygiene training
• acts as a reference and model laboratory in Latvia

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Thank You For Your Attention !