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Decision Recognizes Violation of Human Dignity and Sets Compensation of R$ 5 Thousand for Worker Forced to Use Abandoned Lots and Eat in Poor Conditions.
The Superior Labor Court (TST) condemned a waste management company in Goiânia to compensate a street sweeper in R$ 5 thousand after finding that the worker had no access to bathrooms and appropriate places to eat during her shift.
According to Conjur, the decision was made by the 8th Panel of the TST and reinforces the understanding that the lack of minimum hygiene and nutrition conditions represents a serious violation of the worker’s dignity, constituting compensable moral damage.
The Case of the Cleaning Worker
In the labor lawsuit, the employee reported that she was forced to relieve herself in abandoned lots and eat in makeshift and unsafe spaces.
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For her, the situation not only represented a violation of legislation but also a humiliating and inhumane treatment.
The company, in its defense, claimed that it maintained over 50 support points, equipped with restrooms, drinking fountains, and changing areas.
Still, both the first-instance court and the Regional Labor Court of the 18th Region (GO) rejected the complaint, arguing that the itinerant nature of urban cleaning made it unfeasible to require complete infrastructure at all operational points.
The Turning Point in the Judgment at the TST
When analyzing the street sweeper’s appeal, Minister Sergio Pinto Martins emphasized that, in February of this year, the TST established the Theme 54 of binding repercussion, stating that the absence of adequate bathrooms and meal areas for external workers justifies compensation for moral damages.
According to the rapporteur, the company’s omission defies minimum health, hygiene, and safety standards required in the workplace, and it is the employer’s obligation to ensure these conditions, even in itinerant activities.
The decision of the 8th Panel was unanimous, consolidating the duty to make reparations.
Impacts on the Urban Cleaning Sector
The decision represents a milestone for external service workers, especially street sweepers, who often face precarious working conditions that are invisible to society.
For experts, the TST’s position may serve as a benchmark for future labor actions, expanding accountability for companies that do not provide minimum infrastructure.
On the other hand, the measure should encourage a review of practices among cleaning companies, which will have to invest in logistical and sanitary support structures, reducing the risk of new convictions and promoting better working conditions for their employees.
The TST ruling not only guaranteed reparations to the worker but also shed light on the need to respect the dignity and basic rights of street sweepers, whose work is essential to the functioning of cities.
And you, do you believe that the decision will compel cleaning companies to revise their practices, or will we still see workers exposed to undignified conditions? Leave your opinion in the comments — we want to hear from those who live this reality day to day.
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