16.10. Occupational Hygiene: Legislation and regulatory standards

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Occupational Hygiene is a discipline of extreme importance in the field of Occupational Safety. She is responsible for identifying, evaluating and controlling situations that may cause occupational diseases or damage to workers' health. Legislation and regulatory standards are the main instruments that guide and regulate occupational hygiene practices.

The Brazilian legislation on Occupational Hygiene is quite extensive and includes laws, decrees, ordinances, normative instructions and regulatory standards (NRs). The Federal Constitution of 1988, in its article 7, item XXII, guarantees the right of workers to reduce the risks inherent to work, through health, hygiene and safety standards.

The Consolidation of Labor Laws (CLT), in its articles 154 to 201, also provides for measures to protect the health of workers, addressing topics such as ventilation, lighting, thermal comfort, noise, vibrations, radiation, among others.

The Regulatory Norms (NRs), in turn, are technical regulations prepared by the Ministry of Labor and Employment, which establish obligations, rights and duties to be fulfilled by employers and workers, aiming to guarantee safe and healthy working conditions. There are currently 37 NRs, some of them directly related to Occupational Hygiene, such as NR-7 (Program for Medical Control of Occupational Health), NR-9 (Program for the Prevention of Environmental Risks), NR-15 (Unhealthy Activities and Operations) and NR-16 (Dangerous Activities and Operations).

The NR-7, for example, establishes the mandatory elaboration and implementation of the Occupational Health Medical Control Program (PCMSO), with the objective of promoting and preserving the health of workers. The PCMSO must consider the risks to which workers are exposed in their work environment and define preventive actions, such as conducting periodic medical examinations.

The NR-9, in turn, determines the preparation and implementation of the Environmental Risk Prevention Program (PPRA), aimed at preserving the health and integrity of workers, through the anticipation, recognition, evaluation and control of existing environmental risks or that may exist in the work environment.

The NR-15 classifies unhealthy activities or operations and establishes the situations in which companies are required to pay unhealthy premiums to their employees. NR-16, in turn, lists dangerous activities and operations and defines the payment of premium for dangerous work.

In addition to legislation and regulatory standards, there are also technical standards, prepared by standardization entities, such as the Brazilian Association of Technical Standards (ABNT). These standards provide technical guidelines and procedures for the assessment and control of occupational hazards.

Occupational Hygiene, therefore, is a field of activity that requires knowledge of legislation and regulatory standards, as well as technical skills for the identification, evaluation and control of occupational risks. Compliance with these standards is critical to ensuring a safe and healthy work environment for workers.

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