Regulatory Norms (NRs) for Occupational Safety: NR 15 - Unhealthy Activities and Operations

Regulatory Norm 15, known as NR 15, is one of the most important legal provisions regarding occupational health and safety in Brazil. It establishes the criteria for identifying and controlling unhealthy activities and operations, ensuring the protection of workers against health risks.

Definition of Unhealthy Activities and Operations

NR 15 defines unhealthy activities or operations as those that, by their nature, conditions or work methods, expose workers to agents harmful to health above established tolerance limits. These limits are determined according to the nature, the intensity of the agent and the time of exposure to the harmful agent.

Classification of Unhealthy Activities and Operations

NR 15 classifies unhealthy activities and operations into three levels: minimum, medium and maximum. This classification is based on the intensity and duration of exposure to harmful agents and determines the amount of additional unhealthy work to be paid to the worker.

Harmful Agents

Harmful agents can be physical, chemical, or biological. Physical agents include noise, vibrations, ionizing radiation, heat, cold, and abnormal pressures. Chemical agents are substances, compounds or products that can enter the body through the respiratory tract, in the form of dust, fumes, mists, mists, gases or vapors, or that can come into contact with or be absorbed by the body through the skin or by ingestion. Biological agents are bacteria, fungi, bacilli, parasites, protozoa, among others.

Control of Unhealthy Activities and Operations

NR 15 establishes that unhealthy activities and operations must be controlled in order to eliminate or reduce unhealthy conditions to the tolerance level. This can be done through the adoption of collective protection measures, such as installing exhaust fans, adequate ventilation of the work environment, replacing dangerous products with less harmful ones, among others. When it is not possible to eliminate or reduce unhealthy conditions through collective protection measures, the employer must provide workers with adequate and effective personal protective equipment (PPE).

Unhealthy Work Additional

The unhealthy work premium is a right of workers exposed to unhealthy activities or operations. The value of the additional is calculated based on the degree of unhealthy conditions: 10% for the minimum degree, 20% for the medium degree and 40% for the maximum degree. The surcharge is calculated on the minimum wage in the region, unless otherwise contractually or collectively provided.

Conclusion

NR 15 is an essential standard to ensure the safety and health of workers. It establishes the criteria for identifying and controlling unhealthy activities and operations, protecting workers against health risks and guaranteeing the payment of the unhealthy premium. The knowledge and correct application of NR 15 are fundamental for the prevention of accidents and occupational diseases.