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The issue of the firefighting organization in rural areas is particularly important and topical today. More populated places in Latvia currently have no firefighting structural units therein located because the number of existing firefighting stations is insufficient. According to statistical data, no country in the world can afford to organize the presence of a professional fire and rescue service in every populated place. A solution to the problem can be the development of volunteer firefighter associations and volunteer firefighter brigades. The study is aimed to evaluate the creation of voluntary fire safety, firefighting and rescue service models at the municipal level in the Republic of Latvia, to find and propose efficient solutions for the creation of voluntary fire safety, firefighting and rescue service models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Possible fire risks are urgent taking into account the potential damages that could be caused by fires. One of the aspects of human safety is the prevention of risks and maintenance of adequate fire safety level at workplaces, public areas and in own dwelling. The study is aimed to develop proposals for reduction in the number of fires and victims, improve the preventive measures collectively implemented by the State Fire and Rescue Service and private persons. The study used the theoretical research methods: deconstruction, descriptive, analysis of aspects as well as the empirical research methods (survey) and data processing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flood risk management is the process of data and information gathering, risk analysis and evaluation, appraisal of options, and making, implementing and reviewing decisions to reduce, control, accept or redistribute the flood risks. It is a continuous process of analysis, adjustment and adaptation of policies and actions taken to reduce the flood risk. Preventive measures and timely, reasonable flood risk prevention measures can help reduce the risk of floods and caused damages. In addition, protection against floods is primarily necessary for populated areas, especially when it comes to densely populated areas, since floods may affect a large number of citizens and their property thereby causing enormous material damage not only to the inhabitants of these territories but also to business infrastructure, respectively, it can result in significant material and socioeconomic losses. The aim of the paper is to evaluate the flood risk management theoretical and practical aspects, identify the potential impact of floods on natural and socioeconomic environment, as well as to show the usefulness of flood risk reduction measures. To reach this aim, the following tasks must be fulfilled: to give the definitions of flooding and flood risk and briefly characterise the flooding and flood risk in Latvia; to study and characterize the flood risk management legal and institutional aspects; to carry out an analytical overview of the flood risk assessment on right bank of the Daugava River in Riga; to carry out a cost-benefit analysis of flood risk prevention measures on the right bank of the Daugava in Riga. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire risk assessment is essential for evaluation of fire safety goals and objectives. Modern studies concentrate on risk assessment for dwellings but evaluation of fire safety for public buildings is significant for analysis and decision-making. Paper provides assessment approach based on expert evaluation. The point diagram method of fire risk quantitative assessment is modified for its application in social care institutions in the Republic of Latvia; to assess by means of this method the fire safety condition in social care institutions and develop proposals how to prevent violations and imperfections of fire safety standards. After the fire risk assessment, the facility's risk level can be identified, wherefrom the actions are further planned for the improvement of fire safety condition. Assessment method is approbated for some regional social care institutions developing specific recommendations for fire safety improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Possible improvements of labour safety and protection in Latvia's micro and small enterprises are crucial for sustainable development of national economy. The paper analyses the significance of small enterprises for Latvian economy and provides a survey of labour protection issues in Zemgale region. Study of enterprises at locations of their economic activity allows to conclude that most of microenterprises are facing problems with essential non-observance of labour protection requirements. Visually evaluating the workplace environment, it appeared to be incompliant with the labour protection requirements. Recommendations for specific companies were developed, shaping the employer's motivation in establishment and maintenance of labour protection system, development of reporting and information system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to identify the most typical and dangerous work environment risks in construction and their causes, put forward the proposals for risk reduction. Comparison and grouping methods for the analysis of statistic data, as well as methods and schemes for evaluating work environment risks were used in the research. Proposals for reducing the causes of the most typical and hazardous risks are presented in the paper. Specific solutions for each of hazardous risks and their causes are offered paying particular attention to the means of collective protection, as well as a model of corporate system is offered to regulate the procedures by which employees should be instructed and examined in order to improve the quality and control of labour protection instructions in construction for companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to identify in the construction sector problems associated with the work at height arising from incorrect or insufficient planning and use of collective protective equipment, to provide practical proposals for the improvement of collective protection measures at construction sites. Practical suggestions for the improvement of collective protection measures at construction sites are presented in the paper: the system has been developed as a solution of for collective protection means to be foreseen and included in the project report. Practical solutions for collective protection measures are presented. A structural flowchart of the labour protection system at the construction site has been developed in order to ensure the control of the availability and technical condition of collective protection equipment as well as their advance planning and informing of the employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]