Health and safety at work are recurring themes in industries, shops, offices and also in civil construction. In the latter, there are specific regulations for each situation, since it is an environment that naturally presents many risks. One of them is NR 21. And that’s what we’re going to talk about in this post. Keep reading to find out more.
NR 21 is the Regulatory Norm that establishes the health and safety parameters for workers who work outdoors.
The objective of the norm is to avoid accidents and unhealthy situations in the execution of work in the open, since these environments are subject to the most varied risks.
Open-air work includes work activities carried out in the open air. NR 21 is best known on construction sites, however, other functions also fit this standard, such as: postmen; urban cleaning collaborators; street vendors; fishermen; farmers; between others.
NR 21, which determines open-air working conditions, also establishes rules for the work structure made available to professionals. That is, even accommodation or adequate housing must be provided by employers.
Knowing the main risks of working in the open air
Open air work exposes professionals to various unhealthy conditions, whether physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic or accidents. These risks may include:
- Heat and/or excessive exposure to the sun
- rain and humidity
- Presence of venomous animals, viruses, bacteria or protozoa
- smoke and dust
- Noises
- Ionizing radiation
- Excessive repetitive movements
Thus, one of the most obvious risks of working outdoors is exposure to UVA and UVB rays through the sun, which can cause premature aging of the skin and even cause skin cancer.
In addition, possible first, second and third degree burns, skin spots, sunstroke, dehydration, headaches and even changes in the body’s metabolism must be considered.
Main measures of NR 21 for safety and prevention
It is the employer’s obligation to provide shelter such as tents, cabins or temporary structures in case of outdoor work. In this way, workers will have adequate protection against accidents and misfortunes.
Service shelters must always be clean and organized, taking into account sanitary conditions.
There are projects that require the worker to live in the workplace. This means that, in the same way as shelters, accommodation with adequate sanitary conditions must be made available.
The environment must be airy, with abundant ventilation, free of vegetation and have direct lighting. It must have at least one bedroom, a kitchen or a toilet.
The walls, floors and roof must be made of impermeable, rot-proof and non-combustible material. In addition, all doors and windows must have a closing mechanism.
The maintenance of the space must be done periodically to avoid the proliferation of insects and pests that endanger the health of the worker.
If there is a water well, it must be protected from contamination, and the pits must be built at least 15 meters from the well, 10 meters from the house.
Remembering that accommodation is a place restricted to workers. This means that your family members cannot live in space.
However, more than one collaborator can share the space. In this case, the size of the accommodation must be compatible with the number of occupants.
We hope this information has been useful to you. And we take the opportunity to invite you to know a little more about Geartech BR by accessing this page.
