In the area of Occupational Safety, Regulatory Norms (NRs) are fundamental instruments to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. Among the various existing NRs, NR 3 - Embargo or Interdiction, plays a crucial role. In this chapter, we will deepen our understanding of this standard, its objectives, applications and implications.
NR 3 is a norm from the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MTE) that deals with the embargo and prohibition of labor activities. It was created to ensure that, in situations of serious and imminent risk to the health or safety of workers, activities are paralyzed or limited until safety conditions are restored.
The embargo is the total or partial stoppage of a work or activity, while the interdiction is the total or partial prohibition of the use of machines, equipment, service sectors, construction site, installation or activity. Both are urgent measures, adopted after finding a situation of serious and imminent risk that could cause a work accident with serious injury to the worker.
NR 3 establishes that the embargo or interdiction can be determined by the competent regional authority in worker safety and health, be it a labor tax auditor, a labor delegate or the minister of labor himself. The decision is made based on a technical analysis of the work environment and must be communicated to affected employees and employers.
It is important to point out that the norm states that the embargo or interdiction decision does not exempt the employer from the responsibility of paying the wages of the workers affected during the stoppage period. In addition, the employer has the obligation to eliminate the identified risk and only then request a reassessment of the situation so that the activity can be resumed.
NR 3 also establishes that disobeying the embargo or interdiction is a serious infraction, subject to fines and other legal penalties. This reinforces the importance of complying with the determinations of the authorities on worker safety and health and of always seeking a safe and healthy work environment.
In short, NR 3 is a standard that aims to protect the health and safety of workers, ensuring that high-risk activities are stopped until safety conditions are restored. It is a fundamental instrument for the prevention of accidents at work and for the promotion of a safe and healthy work environment.
Therefore, it is essential that work safety professionals, managers and workers in general have a good understanding of NR 3 and its implications. After all, work safety is everyone's responsibility and knowledge of regulatory standards is a fundamental step to ensure a safe and healthy work environment.
We hope that this chapter has contributed to your understanding of NR 3 - Embargo or Interdiction, and that it can be useful in your professional practice. Keep following our course to learn more about the other regulatory standards for work safety.
