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About Study Course

Credit points / ECTS:2 / 3
Course supervisor:Ivars Vanadziņš
Study type:Full time
Course level:Bachelor
Target audience:Social Welfare and Social Work
Language:Latvian
Branch of science:Clinical Medicine; Public Health

Objective

To develop understanding of ergonomics as a science discipline that studies human relations with work, health problems caused by ergonomic risks, the importance of ergonomics of work environment in promoting the well-being of employees. Analyse work environment risk factors, their impact on social worker health and safety at work. Explain potential ergonomic risks to the workplace for social workers. Analyse possible situations of accidents related to work environment ergonomics, including occupational social workers, introduce preventive and protective measures against unfavorable ergonomic risks at work.
To provide social work students with an understanding of the employment policies, labour protection and labour rights of the European Union and Latvia, their nature, content and importance, the characteristics of the legal relationship, the difference from other civil relations, the importance and place of the basic principles of labour law in the legal relationships of employment. To provide an understanding of the main institutes of labour law, the mechanism for the realization of labour rights in the European Union, the functions of workers' and employers' organisations, the negotiation of the parties as the basis of employment relationships, the principles of fair remuneration for work, the norm of employment legal relationships, the prohibition of forced labour, changes in human biological capabilities, depending on age, labour law enforcement institutions, mechanisms and forms of protection of the rights of the participants in employment relationships.

Prerequisites

Basic knowledge in biology (anatomy and environmental science) and physics.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to use the acquired knowledge to identify ergonomic risks at work, analyse the results of ergonomic risk assessment, compare them in dynamics, compare identified problems in Latvia and the world, analyse the impact of ergonomic risks on the employee's quality of life.
Students will acquire knowledge in the form of documents necessary for the defence of the interests of workers and the procedures for solving disputes in court. As a result of the acquisition of the course of studies, students will be able to identify problems of a legal nature which are related to the implementation of labour rights and to find ways and forms for their realisation.

Skills

Students will be able to independently analyse literature data on ergonomic work environment, to identify ergonomic risks of work environment, to group ergonomic risks in a particular work environment, to present topicalities in work environment ergonomics using appropriate terminology. Students will be able to independently identify ergonomic risks, analyse their effects on people, evaluate the results obtained and interpret the reliability of the data.
Students will acquire skills in labour law, gain insight into other laws and regulations governing labour rights. Familiarise with the fundamental rights, will acquire skills as a practical exercise of the rights provided by law during the establishment and existence of employment legal relationships.

Competence

Students will competently identify the most appropriate health promotion measures to develop the potential of human resources, protect the health of employees, and create a scientifically based basis for selecting the necessary preventive measures in accordance with the requirements of Latvian legislation and European Community directives; will also present the results and solutions at scientific and practical conferences.
Students will learn action on specific situations in labour disputes in cases faced by social service clients.

Study course planning

Planning period:Year 2024, Autumn semester
Study programmeStudy semesterProgram levelStudy course categoryLecturersSchedule
Social work, SD7Bachelor’sRequired