NR 8 is part of the set of Occupational Safety Regulatory Standards in construction and is what we are going to talk about today. Like all other NR's, NR 8 it must also be fulfilled since it is mandatory to meet the requirements established by it in order to guarantee a safe and healthy work environment for workers.
We know, however, that although there are regulations that regulate safety measures in all types of work environments, there are still many records of accidents at work in Brazil, especially in the construction sector.
In today's article you will learn about the most important topics covered by NR 8, because if you work in the construction business, you need to know what are the main practices that employers must adopt to provide safety for employees while they are working on buildings.
This issue is very important to guarantee quality seals for the works, since a well-executed construction is useless if there are no good working conditions for the employees.
Efficient buildings involve not only technical knowledge and execution experience, but also healthy employees who are able to work in suitable locations directly influence the entire process.
Therefore, not complying with NR 8 implies serious accidents, very high fines, and labor lawsuits. In addition, those who do not want to work in an environment that has good working conditions security?
This directly influences the health and productivity of employees! This is why it is so important to comply with the provisions of NR 8, especially when it comes to a sector that contributes significantly to the country's economic development and that employs a large portion of the population!
Thinking about the responsibility of complying with NR's by civil construction, where accidents at work occur the most, we saw the need to bring today, in this article, the main topics of NR 8, but remember that it is essential to know all the other regulations, as they complement each other and must be seen together! Ready to learn? So, have a good read!
Like the other civil construction NR's, NR 8 was created in 1978 with the main objective of ensuring maximum health and safety for work environments. The determinations established by NR 08 are mandatory and must be followed by any company that has employees governed by the Labor Code.
Thus, NR 8 is a standard that aims to establish the minimum requirements that, compulsorily, must be observed in buildings so that workers have safety and comfort.
Therefore, the standard defines parameters that observe working conditions so that they are safe and comfortable, even on a construction site, where it is an environment that requires heavy work and with high risks for workers.
Ensuring safety during the execution of works is not always so simple and that is why NR 8 exists: to establish the necessary requirements to make an environment more suitable for work.
As the construction site is the place where risks and hazards tend to prevail due to the greater amount of dirt, machines, materials, and employees circulating around the site, NR 8 plays a fundamental role in ensuring the quality of safety on construction sites, protecting employees from health risks.
Therefore, we can understand that NR 8 aims to ensure the quality of working conditions for everyone who works on construction sites, regardless of the activity they carry out.
In the next topics, you will learn about the main points addressed and required by NR 8. We will also explain some common mistakes made in buildings.
We just sent you a message in your email. See if it arrived in the inbox or in the spam.
Oops! There was an error. Check that you filled it out correctly.
Subscribe and Receive Exclusive Content
What are the main requirements established by the standard to guarantee building safety?
NR 8 establishes some requirements regarding floor-to-ceiling height, circulation, and weather protection to guarantee the quality of safety during the exercise of workers' activities in buildings. It's these requirements that we're going to talk about now!
Then, learn about the main points required by NR 8 to ensure the health and comfort of workers.
Floor to ceiling height: the first requirement established by the standard relates to the height from floor to ceiling, that is, the minimum height of the ceiling. According to NR 8, workplaces must have ceilings in accordance with municipal positions, meeting the comfort, safety and health conditions established in Ordinance 3,214/78.
Circulation: in relation to circulation, NR 8 determines that workplace floors must not have bumps or depressions that impair the movement of people or the movement of materials. Thus, the floors must be in perfect condition to provide the movement of workers without posing risks of falling. In addition, openings in floors and walls must be protected in such a way that they prevent people or objects from falling, so they must be correctly marked. The floors, stairs and ramps must offer sufficient strength to withstand the mobile and fixed loads, for which the building is intended. Thus, they must be constructed in such a way that their design offers resistance and safety to the workers and the loads to which they are subjected. Fixed ramps and ladders must be built in accordance with official technical standards and kept in perfect condition. Anti-slip materials or processes, such as tapes, carpets, or anti-slip floors, should be used on floors, stairs, ramps, corridors, and workplaces, where there is a danger of slipping. The floors above the ground must have adequate protection against falls, in accordance with technical standards and municipal laws, meeting safety and comfort conditions, such as a bodyguard.
Weather protection: here, the standard establishes that external parts, as well as all those that separate autonomous units of a building, even if they do not accompany its structure, must comply with official technical standards relating to fire resistance, thermal insulation, acoustic insulation and conditioning, structural strength and waterproofness.
Workplace floors and walls should be, whenever necessary, waterproofed and protected against humidity, since humid environments favor the emergence of pathological manifestations that may compromise the health of employees.
Workplace coverings must ensure protection against rain and buildings must also be designed and constructed in such a way as to avoid excessive insolation or lack of insolation.
What are the most common building safety mistakes?
It is possible to verify several errors regarding safety in buildings, which may be caused from the lack of use of PPE's to the neglect of the importance of safety in the work environment and the health of employees.
Among the most common errors present in buildings caused by lack of security, we can mention: lack of commitment on the part of the team, security not included in the building project, delayed maintenance, lack of use of PPE's, disqualified professionals and, finally, the lack of investment in good risk analysis.
Therefore, it is important to pay attention to every detail that may influence the safety of the work environment, because when it comes to worker health, attention must be redoubled and prioritized, as it is inevitable that it will interfere with the final result of the work!
Conclusion
Today, we saw about another NR that deals with occupational safety issues in civil construction. As it is a sector with high rates of accidents at work, it is important to implement it as soon as possible so as not to suffer unnecessary losses.
Unfortunately, it is still very common to see works that do not meet Regulatory Standards, but safety is an investment that brings great returns, because in addition to production being much more efficient, it avoids unnecessary inconvenience.
If you want to know more about NR's and NBR's, access our blog because, for sure, you will find useful information for your daily work! And, don't forget to count on Blok to guarantee excellent waterproofing for your works, ensuring quality and safety in every sense!
BLOK'S BLOG
Join the team of the best professionals in the construction industry and always be informed about the greatest advances in your profession.
.webp)
