Biological agent: Microorganisms, parasites, or materials derived from organisms that have the potential to cause injury or damage to the health of the worker, depending on the nature and type of exposure.
Examples: Bacillus anthracis bacterium, human T-cell lymphotropic virus, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease prion agent, Coccidioides immitis fungus.
Physical agent: Any form of energy that, depending on its nature, intensity, and exposure, is capable of causing injury or damage to the health of the worker.
Examples: noise, vibration, abnormal pressure, extreme temperature, ionizing radiation, non-ionizing radiation.
Note: Lighting, thermal comfort and acoustic comfort criteria from NR-17 do not constitute a physical agent for purposes of NR-09.
Chemical agent: Any chemical substance, alone or in mixtures, whether in its natural state or manufactured, used, or generated in the work process, which by its nature, concentration, and exposure is capable of causing injury or damage to the health of the worker.
Examples: cadmium fumes, mineral dust containing crystalline silica, toluene vapors, sulfuric acid mists.
Risk Assessment: A continuous and systematic process aimed at determining the risk levels associated with the hazards to which workers are exposed, classifying them, and making judgments about the need to adopt or maintain preventive measures. (Added by MTE Ordinance No. 1419, of August 27, 2024 – effective as of May 26, 2025)
Construction Site: A fixed and temporary work area where construction, demolition, or renovation activities are performed.
Large-Scale Emergencies: An unexpected event, without warning, related to the organization’s processes, whose consequences affect not only the workers but also the population or the environment. (Added by MTE Ordinance No. 1419, of August 27, 2024 – effective as of May 26, 2025)
Employee: a person who performs non-occasional services for an employer, under the latter’s control and in return for remuneration.
Employer: a company or sole proprietorship which takes the risk for its economic activity, hires, remunerates and sets out the guidelines for the services provided by the employee. The self-employed professionals, charities, recreational associations or other non-profit organizations which hire workforces as employees are equivalent to employers.
Establishment: Private or public place, built or not, mobile or stationary, owned or belonging to third parties, where the company or organization carries out its activities on a temporary or permanent basis.
Hazardous event: An occurrence that has the potential to cause injury or health problems.
Work front: Mobile and temporary work area.
Occupational Risk Management (GRO): A continuous and systematic process of identifying hazards, assessing, and controlling occupational risks within an organization, aimed at providing safe and healthy workplaces, preventing work-related injuries and health issues, and improving occupational safety and health (OSH) performance in organizations. (Added by MTE Ordinance No. 1419, of August 27, 2024 – effective as of May 26, 2025)
Hazard Identification: The process of searching for, recognizing, and describing hazards to the safety and health of workers. (Added by MTE Ordinance No. 1419, of August 27, 2024 – effective as of May 26, 2025)
Preliminary Hazard and Risk Analysis: The initial stage of occupational risk management aimed at identifying hazards and risks to avoid or eliminate hazards and to reduce or control evident occupational risks to the safety and health of workers, with the adoption of immediate measures. (Added by MTE Ordinance No. 1419, of August 27, 2024 – effective as of May 26, 2025)
Workplace: Area where work is performed.
Harmonized European Standards: European technical standards developed by a recognized European Standardization Organization. The updated list of harmonized standards is published in the Official Journal of the European Union. (Added by MTE Ordinance No. 344, of March 21, 2024)
International Technical Standards: Standards published by one of the following international entities: International Organization for Standardization (ISO) or International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). (Added by MTE Ordinance No. 344, of March 21, 2024)
National Technical Standards or Official Technical Standards or Brazilian Technical Standards: Technical standards published by the Brazilian Association of Technical Standards (ABNT), a private entity recognized as the National Forum for Standardization through Resolution No. 07, of August 24, 1992, by the National Council of Metrology, Standardization, and Industrial Quality – CONMETRO. (Added by MTE Ordinance No. 344, of March 21, 2024)
Work: Any construction, assembly, installation, maintenance or renovation engineering service.
Work Order: Written instructions on precautions to prevent occupational accidents or illnesses. The work order may be included in work procedures and other health and safety instructions.
Organization: A person or group of people with their own functions, responsibilities, authorities and relationships to achieve their objectives. It includes, but is not limited to, an employer, service provider, individual entrepreneur, rural producer, company, corporation, firm, authority, partnership, nonprofit organization or institution, or any part or combination thereof, whether incorporated or not, public or private.
Contracted Organization: A private legal entity contracted to perform activities for the contracting organization, in accordance with Law 6,019/1974 and its amendments. (Added by MTE Ordinance No. 1,419, of August 27, 2024 – effective as of May 26, 2025)
External Hazard: Foreseeable situations not controlled by the organization, outside the limits of the establishment, front, or worksite, which may cause injuries and harm to workers’ health, and for which possible mitigating preventive measures must be adopted. (Added by MTE Ordinance No. 1,419, of August 27, 2024 – effective as of May 26, 2025)
Occupational Hazard or Risk Factor/Occupational Hazard or Source of Risk: A source with the potential to cause injuries or harm to health. An element that, either in isolation or in combination with others, has the intrinsic potential to cause injuries or harm to health. (As per MTE Ordinance No. 344, of March 21, 2024 – effective until May 25, 2025)
Occupational Hazard or Risk Factor: An element or situation that, either in isolation or in combination, has the potential to cause injuries or harm to health. (As per MTE Ordinance No. 1,419, of August 27, 2024 – effective as of May 26, 2025)
Prevention: the set of provisions or measures taken or planned at all stages of the organization’s activities to avoid, eliminate, minimize or control occupational risks.
Risk Management Program (PGR): A coordinated set of actions by the organization to achieve the objectives of occupational risk prevention and management, formally documented. (Added by MTE Ordinance No. 1419, of August 27, 2024 – effective as of May 26, 2025)
Technical Person Responsible for Training: A legally qualified professional or a qualified worker, as specified in a specific NR, responsible for the preparation of training programs, who may also be the technical person responsible for conducting the training. (Amended by MTE Ordinance No. 344, of March 21, 2024)
Technical Person Responsible for Conducting Training: A professional or qualified worker, or a legally qualified professional, unless specified otherwise in a specific NR, responsible for executing the training, who may also be the instructor of the training. (Added by MTE Ordinance No. 344, of March 21, 2024)
Occupational Risk: The combination of the probability of injury or damage to health caused by a hazardous event, exposure to a harmful agent or the requirements of the work activity, and the severity of that injury or damage to health.
Evident Occupational Risk: An obvious and uncontrolled risk situation that does not require in-depth analysis and can be reduced or controlled by the immediate adoption of preventive measures. (Added by MTE Ordinance No. 1419, of August 27, 2024 – effective as of May 26, 2025)
Service Area: The smallest administrative or operational unit within the same establishment.
Worker: a natural person in an employment relationship, including administrative relationships, such as employees and others without an employment relationship.