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Ergonomics in the Work Environment
Study Course Description
Course Description Statuss:Approved
Course Description Version:4.00
Study Course Accepted:29.08.2024 11:14:46
| Study Course Information | |||||||||
| Course Code: | LUSDK_280 | LQF level: | Level 6 | ||||||
| Credit Points: | 2.00 | ECTS: | 3.00 | ||||||
| Branch of Science: | Clinical Medicine; Public Health | Target Audience: | Social Welfare and Social Work | ||||||
| Study Course Supervisor | |||||||||
| Course Supervisor: | Sabīne Grīnberga | ||||||||
| Study Course Implementer | |||||||||
| Structural Unit: | Department of Rehabilitation | ||||||||
| The Head of Structural Unit: | |||||||||
| Contacts: | Riga, 26a Anniņmuižas boulevard, socdk rsu[pnkts]lv, +371 67061575 | ||||||||
| Study Course Planning | |||||||||
| Full-Time - Semester No.1 | |||||||||
| Lectures (count) | 8 | Lecture Length (academic hours) | 2 | Total Contact Hours of Lectures | 16 | ||||
| Classes (count) | 8 | Class Length (academic hours) | 2 | Total Contact Hours of Classes | 16 | ||||
| Total Contact Hours | 32 | ||||||||
| Part-Time - Semester No.1 | |||||||||
| Lectures (count) | 5 | Lecture Length (academic hours) | 2 | Total Contact Hours of Lectures | 10 | ||||
| Classes (count) | 5 | Class Length (academic hours) | 2 | Total Contact Hours of Classes | 10 | ||||
| Total Contact Hours | 20 | ||||||||
| Study course description | |||||||||
| Preliminary Knowledge: | Basic knowledge in biology (anatomy and environmental science) and physics. | ||||||||
| 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. | ||||||||
| Topic Layout (Full-Time) | |||||||||
| No. | Topic | Type of Implementation | Number | Venue | |||||
| 1 | Ergonomics and working environment. The role of ergonomics in promoting employee's health. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 2 | Identifying ergonomic risks in the work environment. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 3 | Workload ergonomics at work and its impact on social workers. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 4 | Identifying workload ergonomic risks in the work environment. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 5 | Stress caused by mental and physical work. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 7 | Computer ergonomics and ergonomic working environment. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 8 | Ergonomics of the working environment of a social worker. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 9 | Creating an ergonomic work environment. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 10 | The basis for the employment legal relationships. Characterisation of employment legal relationships, characteristics, difference in legal relationships from other civil relations. Sources of labour law. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 11 | Basic principles of labour law: invalidity of regulations that erode the legal status of employees, the principle of equal rights, the right to unite in organisations, prohibition to cause adverse consequences. Prohibition of discrimination. Moral damage, possibility of reimburse by court. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 12 | Relations prior to the conclusion of the employment contract, health inspection, introduction of the internal procedure regulations, collective agreement. Employment restrictions. Preparation, conclusion, form of employment contract, particulars to be included in the contract. Types of employment contracts. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||||
| 13 | Working procedures: internal procedure regulations, collective agreements, orders, ensurance of work organisation. The rights and obligations of the employee and the employer. Responsibility. Wages and salaries. Organisation of Work Remuneration. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||||
| 14 | Working time. Organisation of work time. Rest time. Representation of employees. Amendment of the contract of employment. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 15 | Termination of employment legal relationships. Notice of termination of an employment contract. Termination of an employment contract entered into for a specified period. Agreement between the parties. Obligations of the employer upon termination of employment legal relationships. Labour disputes, individual and collective labour disputes. General arrangements for bringing proceedings. Ways of solving disputes. Safety and protection at work. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| Topic Layout (Part-Time) | |||||||||
| No. | Topic | Type of Implementation | Number | Venue | |||||
| 1 | Ergonomics and working environment. The role of ergonomics in promoting employee's health. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 2 | Identifying ergonomic risks in the work environment. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 4 | Identifying workload ergonomic risks in the work environment. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 6 | Identifying mental and physical stressors in the work environment. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 8 | Ergonomics of the working environment of a social worker. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 10 | The basis for the employment legal relationships. Characterisation of employment legal relationships, characteristics, difference in legal relationships from other civil relations. Sources of labour law. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 11 | Basic principles of labour law: invalidity of regulations that erode the legal status of employees, the principle of equal rights, the right to unite in organisations, prohibition to cause adverse consequences. Prohibition of discrimination. Moral damage, possibility of reimburse by court. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 12 | Relations prior to the conclusion of the employment contract, health inspection, introduction of the internal procedure regulations, collective agreement. Employment restrictions. Preparation, conclusion, form of employment contract, particulars to be included in the contract. Types of employment contracts. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 13 | Working procedures: internal procedure regulations, collective agreements, orders, ensurance of work organisation. The rights and obligations of the employee and the employer. Responsibility. Wages and salaries. Organisation of Work Remuneration. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 14 | Working time. Organisation of work time. Rest time. Representation of employees. Amendment of the contract of employment. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| Assessment | |||||||||
| Unaided Work: | Students independently solve the tasks of the situation, get acquainted with literature, carry out research, jointly discuss solutions and present proposals for improvement of ergonomic work environment. (a) Student work in groups: analysis of disputable situations, preparing proposals for ways of dealing with labour disputes, discussion of results. (b) Student work in groups: analysis of terms of employment and agenda, staff status worsening rules. (b) The student shall prepare an employment contract individually in accordance with the requirements laid down in the Labour Law, including the solutions provided for in the Labour Law for the protection of the rights of the employee. | ||||||||
| Assessment Criteria: | 40-69% 1. Difficulties in naming, defining and recognising ergonomic work environment risks, explaining their impact on employees. 2. Difficulties in identifying ergonomic work environment risks, not being able to group ergonomic risks according to their dangers in an ascending order, poorly presenting topicalities in the workplace ergonomics in the researched organisation. 3. Difficult to scientifically justify and formulate existing ergonomic risks in the work environment, poorly present the results obtained. Unclearly defines preventive and protective measures to improve the situation. 70-89% 1. Know the ergonomic risks of the work environment, are able to partly explain their impact on employees. 2. Are able to partially recognise the ergonomic risks of the work environment, partly are able to group ergonomic risks according to their danger to a man in ascending order, well presented. 3. Explain and present the obtained data within its competence. Are able to formulate preventive and protective measures. 90-100% 1. Are able to freely recognise ergonomic work environment risks and fully explain their impact on employees. 2. Freely perform ergonomic work environment risk identification,are able to group ergonomic risks in the work environment according to their hazards, freely present and manage the topic. 3. The scientifically substantiated and presented data on ergonomics of work environment, ergonomic risks, their identification. The results are presented in pictures and tables, are easy to understand and clear. Preventive and protective measures are clearly formulated. | ||||||||
| Final Examination (Full-Time): | Exam | ||||||||
| Final Examination (Part-Time): | Exam | ||||||||
| 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. | ||||||||
| Competencies: | 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. | ||||||||
| Bibliography | |||||||||
| No. | Reference | ||||||||
| Required Reading | |||||||||
| 1 | Roja Ž., Kaļķis H. Cilvēkfaktors un ergonomika darbā. Rīga: Gūtenbergs druka, 2020., 293 lpp | ||||||||
| 2 | Kaļķis V., Roja Ž., Kaļķis H. Arodveselība un riski darbā. Rīga: Medicīnas apgāds. 2015, 534 lpp. | ||||||||
| 3 | Roja Ž., Roja I., Kaļķis H. Ar darbu saistīto muskuļu, skeleta un saistaudu sistēmas veselības traucējumi. Ergonomiskie risinājumi. Latvijas Ergonomikas biedrība, 2016., 19 lpp. | ||||||||
| 4 | Roja Ž., Roja I., Kaļķis H. Stress un vardarbība darbā. Ko darīt? Rīga: Latvijas Ergonomikas biedrība, 2016., 94 lpp. | ||||||||
| 5 | Roja Ž., Kaļķis H., Roja I. Datorergonomika un veselības veicināšana darbā. Rīga: Latvijas Ergonomikas biedrība, 2018., 56 lpp. | ||||||||
| 6 | Babris S., Kaļķis H., Pikšs M., Sorokins V. Praktiskais LEAN. Jelgava: Jelgavas tipogrāfija, 2021., 321 lpp | ||||||||
| 7 | Velga Slaidiņa, Ilze Skultāne. Darba tiesības. Papildināts un pārstrādāts izdevums. Zvaigzne ABC, 2017. | ||||||||
| 8 | Tatjana Džugleja. Tiesību pamati. Mācību līdzeklis. Rīga, Rīgas Tirdzniecības tehnikums, 2011. | ||||||||
| 9 | Darba likums ar komentāriem. Autori: Latvijas Brīvo arodbiedrību savienība – Dr. iur. Irēna Liepiņa, Kaspars Rācenājs, Nataļja Preisa, Zvērinātu advokātu birojs „BDO Law” – Vita Liberte, Liene Blūma, Sintija Platā, Dārta Eglīte, Jānis Ciguzis. Izdevējs: “Latvijas Brīvo arodbiedrību savienība”. 2020. | ||||||||
| Additional Reading | |||||||||
| 1 | H. Kaļķis. Biznesa Ergonomikas vadība. Rīga: Gūtenbergs Druka. 2014., 155 lpp. | ||||||||
| 2 | Darba vides riska faktori un strādājošo veselības aizsardzība: raksturlielumi, ietekme uz organismu, aizsardzība, profilakse, normatīvi, mērīšanas metodes, riska faktori un arodveselība atsevišķās nozarēs. V. Kaļķa un Ž. Rojas redakcijā. Rīga: Elpa, 2001 | ||||||||
| 3 | Ž. Roja. Ergonomikas pamati. SIA Drukātava. Rīga, 2008., 195 lpp. | ||||||||
| 4 | J. Dul, B.A. Weerdmeester. Ergonomics for Beginners: A Quick Reference Guide, Taylor & Francis; 3Rev. Ed., 2008, 147 p | ||||||||
| 5 | S. Pheasant, C. M. Haslegrave. Bodyspace: Anthropometry, Ergonomics and the Design of Work, Taylor & Francis; 3rd Ed., 2006, 344 p. | ||||||||
| 6 | Kaļķis V. Darba vides risku novērtēšanas metodes. Rīga: Latvijas Izglītības fonds, 2008. 42 lpp. | ||||||||
| Other Information Sources | |||||||||
| 1 | www.ergonomika.lv | ||||||||
| 2 | www.osha.eu | ||||||||
| 3 | www.hse.com | ||||||||
| 4 | Journal: Applied Ergonomic (http://www.journals.elsevier.com/applied-ergonomics/) | ||||||||
| 5 | Journal: Work (http://www.iospress.nl/journal/work/) | ||||||||
