3.16. Regulatory Standards (NRs) for Occupational Safety: NR 17 - Ergonomics

Regulatory Norm 17 (NR 17) is one of the norms established by the Ministry of Labor and Employment of Brazil, which aims to establish parameters that allow the adaptation of working conditions to the psychophysiological characteristics of workers. In other words, NR 17 is the norm that deals with ergonomics in the work environment.

What is Ergonomics?

Ergonomics is the study of the interaction between human beings and their work environment. It seeks to improve efficiency and safety by adapting work, equipment, machines and processes to the physical and psychological characteristics of the worker. Ergonomics aims to prevent the emergence of occupational diseases, reduce the number of accidents at work and increase productivity.

Objective of NR 17

The purpose of NR 17 is to establish administrative, planning and organizational guidelines, which aim to implement control measures and preventive safety systems in work environments, in order to guarantee the comfort and safety of workers .

Main Aspects of NR 17

NR 17 addresses a number of aspects related to ergonomics in the work environment, including:

• Lifting, transport and unloading of materials: The standard establishes that the lifting and unloading of materials must be done in a mechanized way, whenever possible, to avoid excessive physical effort by workers.< /li>
• Furniture in workstations: NR 17 determines that furniture in workstations must be suitable for the psychophysiological characteristics of the workers and the nature of the work. For example, chairs should be adjustable and provide worker comfort.
• Environmental working conditions: The standard establishes that the environmental working conditions must be adequate to the type of activity, taking into account factors such as temperature, humidity, noise and lighting.
• Work organization: NR 17 also deals with work organization, establishing that it must be planned in order to avoid monotony and repetitiveness, and to provide working conditions that allow for alternation between activities that require physical and mental effort.

Importance of NR 17

The correct application of NR 17 is fundamental to guarantee the health and safety of workers. Bad ergonomics can result in occupational diseases, such as Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI) and Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs), which are painful and disabling conditions.

In addition, the application of NR 17 can lead to increased productivity, as workers who work in suitable ergonomic conditions tend to be more productive and make fewer mistakes.

Therefore, NR 17 is a norm of great importance for work safety, which must be known and applied by all professionals in the area.