NR 18 – Simplification of health and safety standards at work in civil construction increases worker safety and promotes modernization

More safety for construction workers! The approval of the new NR 18 – Safety and Health at Work in the Construction Industry, published last Tuesday (11), in the Official Gazette of the Union, by the Special Secretariat for Social Security and Labor of the Ministry of Economy, brought workers in the sector more security and modernization.

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NR 18 establishes administrative, planning and organizational guidelines, aimed at implementing control measures and preventive safety systems in the processes, conditions and work environment in the civil construction industry.

The new NR 18 is simpler, more objective and easier to be inspected by the authorities. At a time when civil construction has been leading this resumption of economic growth, simpler, less bureaucratic rules were needed, but which, at the same time, guarantee the health and safety of the worker.

The norm now says what should be done, not how it should be done. That is, the responsibility lies with the builder, with the people who will take care of health and safety at work.

Companies will have 24 months to abolish the use of compressed air tubes, a task considered high risk for civil construction workers. Manual excavations will be limited to a depth of 15 meters.

Air conditioning is also mandatory in self-propelled machines (with their own movement) weighing more than 4,5 kilograms and in crane equipment.

Companies will not be able to adapt containers to areas where workers live, such as cafeterias, locker rooms or construction offices.

The new standard also brings safer rules for carrying out excavations and for tasks involving heat, such as welding and grinding.

Check here the booklet 'New Regulatory Standard NR 18 for the Construction Industry', which details advances in NR 18.

Modernization of NRs

Since February 2019, in addition to NR 18, NR 1, which deals with general provisions on health and safety, have already been fully revised; NR 3, on embargo and interdiction; NR 12, on safety at work with machines and equipment; NR 20, on flammable and combustibles; NR 24, which deals with hygiene and comfort conditions in the workplace; and NR 28, for inspection and penalties.

NR 2, on prior inspection, was revoked. There was also a review of the annex on heat in NR 15 and the item on the dangers of fuel for own consumption in NR 16.

Estimates by the Economic Policy Secretariat of the Ministry of Economy point to a cost reduction of almost BRL 5 billion in the construction industry in 10 years with the entry into force of the new wording.

The calculation is based on information from the Brazilian Construction Industry Chamber (Cbic), considering the reduction in bureaucracy introduced by the new text, the possibility of adopting better management practices and improvements in health and safety rules.

See the full text of Ordinance 3.733/2020.