Efficient management of emergency requires the capability of various institutions involved throughout the world to coordinate their activities, decision-making, information sharing and the ability to share situation reports. The paper analyzes the term “disaster” explanation and the criteria to be set for this term both in Latvia and in the world, the disaster management criteria and the regulatory enactments, from which the numerical criteria of the disaster are derived. The article provides a review and analysis of the term "disaster" explanation and criteria put forward for this term in both Latvia and the world, the authors also look at the disaster management criteria and governing laws and regulations where the disaster numerical criteria result from. The existing most popular international databases relating to the accumulation of information on scale of disasters and damages caused by them have been reviewed. Implementation of Seveso III in Latvia has been considered as well as therewith associated regulatory enactments and their importance in the context of Latvia as a tool for reducing risks.