(MTP Ordinance No. 90, of January 18, 2022)
SUMMARY
37.1 Objective
37.2 Scope
37.3 Responsibilities
37.4 Workers’ Rights
37.5 Risk Management Program (RMP) and Risk Analysis of Facilities and Processes
37.6 Healthcare on the Platform
37.7 Specialized Services in Occupational Health and Safety (SESMT)
37.8 Internal Committee for Prevention of Accidents and Harassment on Platforms (CIPLAT)
37.9 Qualification and Training in Occupational Health and Safety
37.10 Commissioning, Expansion, Modification, Repair, Decommissioning, and Dismantling
37.11 Access to the Platform
37.12 Living Conditions on Board
37.13 Onboard Catering
37.14 Air Conditioning
37.15 Health and Safety Signs
37.16 Health and Safety Inspections Onboard
37.17 Inspections and Maintenance
37.18 Operational Procedures and Work Organization
37.19 Electrical Installations
37.20 Cargo Handling and Transport
37.21 Storage of Hazardous Substances
37.22 Boilers, Pressure Vessels, and Piping
37.23 Fire and Gas Detection and Alarm System
37.24 Prevention and Control of Leaks, Spills, Fires, and Explosions
37.25 Fire Protection and Firefighting
37.26 Protection Against Ionizing Radiation
37.27 Drainage, Treatment, and Waste Disposal Systems
37.28 Emergency Response Plan
37.29 Communication and Investigation of Incidents
37.30 Maritime Installation Declaration (DIM)
37.31 Documentation
Annex I – Basic Course for Food Handlers
Anexo II – Symbols to Sign Sources of Ionizing Radiation, Storage Locations of Radioactive Material, and Work Areas with Exposure to Industrial or Naturally Occurring Ionizing Radiation
Anexo III – Supplementary Course for Work on High Voltage Electrical Installations
Anexo IV – Basic Safety Course in Cargo Handling and Transportation of People
Anexo V – Supplementary Course for Crane Operators
Anexo VI – Incident Communication on Platform
Glossary
37.1 Objective
37.1.1 This Regulatory Standard (NR) aims to establish safety, health, and living conditions requirements for work on oil platforms operating in Brazilian Jurisdictional Waters (AJB).
37.2 Scope
37.2.1 This Standard applies to work on national and foreign platforms, as well as on Maintenance and Safety Units (UMS), duly authorized to operate in AJB.
37.2.1.1 For the purposes of this Standard, the following are considered:
a) Platform: Any fixed or floating drilling, production, intervention, storage, or transfer installation or structure intended for activities related to the research, exploration, production, or storage of oil and/or gas from the subsoil, inland waters, or the sea, including the continental shelf; and
b) Maintenance and Safety Units (UMS): Vessels dedicated to the maintenance, construction, and assembly for platforms, with a system for interconnection to the platform via a gangway.
37.2.1.2 Permanently interconnected platforms that allow worker circulation are considered a single offshore installation for the purposes of this Standard.
37.2.2 This NR does not apply to maritime support vessels, seismic survey vessels, and diving operation vessels.
37.2.3 Foreign platforms and UMS with a forecast of temporary operation of up to six months in AJB, which do not have their installations adapted to the requirements of this NR, must comply with the rules established in international conventions and be certified and maintained in class by a classification society recognized by the Brazilian Maritime Authority, with delegated competence for such.
37.2.3.1 The provision in item 37.2.3 does not apply when the intervals between two consecutive periods of the temporary operations of the platforms referred to therein are less than three months.
37.3. Responsibilities
37.3.1 It is the responsibility of the facility operator, in addition to the provisions in the general and special regulatory standards, other legal provisions on the subject, and those arising from conventions, agreements, and collective labor contracts:
a) To ensure, by usual means of transport and at no cost to labor inspection, access to the platform for Labor Inspectors on duty, where there is no public transport;
b) To ensure access to the platform for the representative of the workers of the facility operator category, the contract operator, or the predominant category, to accompany labor inspection, by usual means of transport and at no cost, where there is no public transport;
c) To ensure that the health and safety requirements and access, hygiene, and living conditions for workers of service providers on board are the same as those provided to its employees;
d) To control the access, stay, and disembarkation of workers from its own company, the concessionaire, or service providers on board, and keep this information, in physical or digital form, for at least 12 months;
e) To ensure that workers from the service provider company participate in the health and safety training provided for in item 37.9.6;
f) To provide health and safety information requested by the contractor related to the services performed by it; and
g) To approve work orders, permits to work (PTW), and entry permits for work in confined spaces related to services to be performed by employees of service providers in advance.
37.3.2 It is the responsibility of the contract operator, in addition to the provisions in the other NRs, to ensure that an audit is carried out, as provided for in the management system, on the facility operator regarding compliance with the obligations set out in this NR.
37.3.3 The service provider must comply with the health and safety requirements specified by the contractor, this NR, and the other NRs.
37.3.4 It is the responsibility of workers, in addition to the provisions in the other NRs:
a) To collaborate with the facility operator to comply with legal and regulatory provisions, including internal procedures on occupational health and safety and well-being on board; and
b) To carry an adequate amount of their continuous-use medications, accompanied by a medical prescription and within the validity period.
37.4 Workers’ Rights
37.4.1 Workers have the right to:
a) Interrupt their task, based on their training and experience, when they find evidence of serious and imminent risk to their health and safety or that of others, immediately informing their superior or, in their absence, the facility operator’s representative and the CIPLAT, so that appropriate measures are taken to correct the non-conformities;
b) Be informed by the organization about orders, instructions, recommendations, or notifications related to their activities or work environments, made by labor inspection related to the work environment; and
c) Inform the employer and labor inspection about any potential risk they consider capable of causing a major accident.
37.5. Risk Management Program (RMP) and Risk Analysis of Facilities and Processes
37.5.1 The facility operator and permanent service provider companies on board must develop and implement their respective RMPs for each platform, in compliance with the provisions of this Standard and NR-01 General Provisions and Occupational Risk Management.
37.5.2 When developing the RMP, organizations must consider:
a) The methodologies for assessing environmental risks recommended by Brazilian legislation, and in their absence, other internationally recognized or established methods in collective bargaining agreements, provided they are stricter than the established technical-legal criteria;
b) The risks generated by service providers on board the platform; and
c) The adequacy of criteria and tolerance and exposure limits, considering exposure time and different work regimes on board.
37.5.3 The facility operator must review the RMP or develop a specific program when there are modifications, expansions, scheduled platform shutdowns, and respective commissioning or decommissioning.
37.5.4 When requested, the facility operator must allow service provider companies to conduct on-site risk and occupational exposure assessments of the agents identified in the platform’s RMP.
37.5.4.1 Alternatively, the facility operator can conduct these assessments, providing the results in writing to the service provider companies and obtaining a receipt.
37.5.5 The risk inventory and action plan of the RMP must be available for consultation by workers and their representatives.
37.5.6 Organizations must indicate and record activities and services that require:
a) Preliminary task risk analysis;
b) Authorization by a safety professional;
c) Issuance of permit to work; and
d) Supervision of high-risk or simultaneous operations by a safety professional.
37.5.7 Based on risk analyses, the facility operator must define the placement and number of emergency showers and eyewash stations on the platform, which must be kept in perfect working condition and easily accessible.
37.5.8 The RMP must be coordinated with the risk analysis of facilities and processes, prepared according to the requirements established by the National Petroleum, Natural Gas, and Biofuels Agency (ANP).
37.5.8.1 The risk analyses of facilities and processes must have their scenarios, barriers, observations, and recommendations disclosed to workers according to their activities and be available for consultation by all workers on board.
37.5.8.2 The risk analysis of facilities and processes must be reviewed or revalidated every five years at most.
37.5.9 The facility operator must formally designate one or more legally qualified professionals responsible for developing and validating the risk analyses of facilities and processes, defining the methodology to be used, and justifying their technical choice in the risk analysis report.
37.5.10 The risk analysis reports must be prepared according to the requirements of the ANP’s operational safety regulations.
37.5.10.1 At least one safety professional from the facility operator’s SESMT on board the platform in question and a worker with experience on the installation under study must participate in the risk analyses.
37.5.10.1.1 Compliance with sub-item 37.5.10.1 is optional at the platform’s design stage.
37.5.10.1.2 For platforms not required to have a complementary SESMT on board, the facility operator must appoint another employee who is a safety professional to join the multidisciplinary team provided for in the ANP’s operational safety regulations.
37.5.11 The highest-ranking professional on board the platform must be formally aware of the risk analysis report.
37.5.12 The facility operator must develop a schedule, defining deadlines and responsible parties to implement the approved recommendations.
37.5.12.1 Non-compliance with the implementation of recommendations or deadlines defined in the schedule must be justified and documented, provided they do not represent, individually or collectively, serious and imminent risk to workers.
37.5.13 The risk analyses must be re-evaluated, under penalty of characterizing serious and imminent risk, in the following situations:
a) When there is a change in the platform’s location;
b) When there is a change in the facility operator;
c) When temporary installations are placed on board, including temporary accommodation modules;
d) Before expanding or modifying the installation, process, or processing, when indicated by change management;
e) Upon request by SESMT or CIPLAT, when technically approved by the platform’s legal responsible person; and
f) As recommended following an incident analysis.
37.6 Health Care on the Platform
37.6.1 The facility operator and each permanent service provider company on board must develop their respective Occupational Health Medical Control Program (PCMSO) for each platform, in compliance with the provisions of this chapter and, additionally, NR-07 Occupational Health Medical Control Program (PCMSO).
37.6.1.1 Unmanned platforms are exempt from developing a PCMSO.
37.6.1.2 The risks to which workers on unmanned platforms are exposed must be addressed in the PCMSO to which these workers are linked.
37.6.2 The facility operator and service providers must adopt measures aimed at promoting, protecting, recovering, and preventing health issues for all their workers on board, comprising actions on land and on board, and including:
a) Free health care services on board and on land provided by the facility operator or specialized companies, resulting from accidents or occupational diseases occurring at work, for both own and subcontracted employees;
b) Disembarkation and removal of the worker to a health unit on land if complementary medical care is needed, meeting the following requirements:
I. The type of aircraft used to transport the worker must be determined by the regulating physician, designated by the concessionaire or facility operator;
II. In case of emergency assistance, with the rescue carried out by an Aeromedical Evacuation (AME) type aircraft, the aircraft and crew must be ready to take off within 30 minutes of being activated by the regulating physician, with times exceeding 30 minutes justified by the facility operator, but not exceeding 45 minutes;
c) Health education programs, including topics on healthy eating;
d) Health promotion and prevention programs aimed at implementing measures to mitigate identified psychosocial risk factors and prevent harassment in the workplace, including moral and sexual harassment, among others; and
e) Follow-up by the PCMSO physicians of the facility operator and service provider companies in all cases of occupational accidents and illnesses occurring on board involving both own and subcontracted workers.
37.6.3 The employer must evaluate the health status of workers accessing the platform or vessel via transfer baskets, considering the following aspects:
a) Inclusion of the necessary examinations and systematic evaluation in the PCMSO;
b) Periodic risk assessments of the transfer operation, recording the fitness for this activity in the Occupational Health Certificate (ASO); and
c) Consideration of pathologies that may cause sudden illness and psychosocial risks.
37.6.3.1 Workers using the transfer basket only in emergencies are exempt from the evaluation and examinations provided for in item 37.6.3.
37.6.4 A copy of the first ASO, in physical or electronic form, must be available in the on-board infirmary, as provided for in item 37.29 of this NR.
37.6.5 Manned platforms must:
a) Have an on-board health professional registered with the respective professional council to provide health care and first aid, according to the Standards of the Maritime Authority for Vessels Engaged in Open Sea Operations, of the Brazilian Navy’s Directorate of Ports and Coasts (NORMAM-01/DPC), with the following staffing:
I. From 31 to 250 workers on board, the health professional must be a nursing technician under the supervision of a nurse, a nurse, or a doctor;
II. Between 251 and 400 workers, an additional health professional must be added, ensuring at least one is a higher-level professional; and
III. Above 401 workers, an additional health professional must be added.
b) Have an infirmary that meets the requirements described in Chapter 9 of NORMAM-01/DPC and NR-32 Health and Safety in Health Services, as applicable; and
c) Provide a telemedicine system between the on-board health professional and onshore specialists, available at any time, operated by a trained worker, following resolutions of the Federal Council of Medicine and other relevant legislation.
37.6.5.1 Higher-level health professionals must have advanced training in cardiology and pre-hospital trauma support, certified by specialized institutions, within their respective validity periods.
37.6.5.2 Medium-level health professionals must have training in basic life support and pre-hospital trauma support, certified by specialized institutions, within their respective validity periods and professional training.
37.6.5.3 On-board health professionals must implement the preventive, promotional, and health care measures provided for in this NR and others, as applicable, without deviation or misuse of these functions.
37.6.5.4 The equipment, materials, and medications to provide health care and first aid to workers on board must be defined and described by the PCMSO responsible physician for the platform, prepared by the facility operator.
37.6.5.4.1 The types of necessary equipment, materials, and medications must be available on board in sufficient quantities and within their respective validity periods.
37.6.6 If the worker does not have the necessary quantity of the medication mentioned in item 37.3.4(b) of this NR, the facility operator must immediately provide the appropriate medication or arrange for the worker’s disembarkation.
37.7 Specialized Services in Safety and Occupational Medicine (SESMT)
37.7.1 The facility operator and companies providing on-board services must establish SESMT both on land and on each platform, following the provisions of this NR and NR-04 Specialized Services in Occupational Health and Safety (SESMT), where not conflicting.
37.7.2 Onshore SESMT
37.7.2.1 The facility operator and companies providing on-board services must dimension their onshore SESMT according to NR-04.
37.7.2.1.1 The dimensioning of the onshore SESMT of the facility operator and companies providing on-board services must consider the risk level of the main activity of each organization and the total number of employees calculated according to sub-item 37.7.2.1.2 of this NR.
37.7.2.1.2 The total number of employees must be calculated by adding the own employees assigned to land units and platforms.
37.7.2.1.3 The onshore SESMT is responsible for assisting both land-based and on board employees.
37.7.3 Onboard SESMT
37.7.3.1 The facility operator must also establish an onboard SESMT, composed of occupational safety technicians, when the total number of its employees and service provider employees is 25 or more.
37.7.3.1.1 The onboard SESMT of the facility operator must consist of at least one occupational safety technician for every group of 50 workers or fraction.
37.7.3.1.1.1 When the onboard SESMT requires the employment of three or more occupational safety technicians, the facility operator may replace one of these professionals with an occupational safety engineer.
37.7.3.2 Service provider companies, whether permanently or intermittently on the platform, must have an onboard occupational safety technician when the total number of their on-board employees is 50 or more during the service period.
37.7.3.2.1 For every 100 employees, service provider companies must have an additional onboard occupational safety technician for every group of 50 employees or fraction.
37.7.3.2.2 The occupational safety technicians of service provider companies must work integratively with the SESMT of the facility operator.
37.7.3.3 The SESMT of the facility operator and the onboard service provider must be registered separately, including the information provided in NR-04.
37.7.3.4 The safety professionals of the onboard SESMT must work their full shifts on the platform where they are assigned and work exclusively in the occupational safety area.
37.7.3.4.1 For night activities involving 50 or more workers, at least one of the facility operator’s onboard safety professionals must work during this period.
37.7.3.4.1.1 When the number of workers in the night shift is less than 50, any activity during this period requiring the presence of an occupational safety professional must be planned at least 24 hours in advance, except in emergencies.
37.7.3.4.2 The facility operator may replace the onboard safety professional with another professional with the same qualifications without updating the SESMT composition with labor inspection in the following cases:
a) For vacations, leave, training, and other legal absences, for a maximum of 60 days; and
b) To carry out activities at the operator’s base, for a maximum of 180 days, in cycles longer than three years.
37.7.3.5 Permanently interconnected platforms that allow worker circulation are considered a single offshore installation for the purpose of onboard SESMT dimensioning.
37.7.4 The onboard SESMT dimensioning must consider the average number of on-board workers in the previous quarter, excluding temporary increases of fewer than three months involving 25 or more on-board workers.
37.7.4.1 The service demand resulting from the temporary increase in onboard workers mentioned in the previous item must be met by additional safety professionals, in the proportion established in sub-item 37.7.3.1 and its sub-items.
37.7.4.2 For new platforms, the onboard SESMT dimensioning must be based on the estimated workforce mentioned in item 37.18.5 of this NR.
37.8 Internal Committe for Prevention of Accidents and Harassment on Platforms (CIPLAT)
37.8.1 The facility operator and permanent service provider companies on board must establish their CIPLAT for each platform, with dimensioning per crew shift, according to the provisions of this NR and NR-05 Internal Committe for Prevention of Accidents and Harrasment (CIPA), where not conflicting.
37.8.2 The CIPLAT of the facility operator and permanent service providers on board will consist of employer-appointed representatives and elected employee representatives when their number is eight or more per crew shift.
37.8.2.1 Employees will elect one representative and one alternate in each crew shift, with employment ties in Brazil, and one of the elected representatives will be designated as vice-president by the elected representatives.
37.8.2.2 The facility operator and permanent service providers on board must formalize their representatives in parity with the number of elected members, appointing the highest-ranking employee on the platform as CIPLAT president, with employment ties in Brazil.
37.8.2.3 When the crew shift has fewer than eight workers, considering those assigned to the platform, the organization must appoint an employee responsible for fulfilling CIPLAT’s objectives for that shift.
37.8.3 The dimensioning of the service provider company’s Internal Committee for Prevention of Accidents and Harassment (CIPA) in platforms must consider its land unit as the establishment, complying with NR-05.
37.8.4 For service periods on board equal to or less than 12 months, the company must appoint a worker responsible for fulfilling CIPLAT’s objectives.
37.8.5 The registration and election periods of CIPLAT candidates must consider the entire crew cycle, allowing the participation of all on-board employees.
37.8.6 The election of employee representatives from each crew shift must be carried out on board, with the option of electronic voting.
37.8.7 Organizations operating on more than one platform in the same oil basin can establish a single electoral commission for CIPLAT elections.
37.8.8 Monthly CIPLAT ordinary meetings must be held on board, following a previously established schedule, with the option for remote participation.
37.8.8.1 The CIPLAT monthly meeting schedule must consider the participation of all crew shifts throughout the term.
37.8.8.2 Meetings must include the presence of each representative, with the alternate attending meetings in case of the titular member’s impediment.
37.8.8.3 The facility operator’s CIPLAT meetings must also:
a) Include the participation of the onboard safety professional;
b) Allow the participation of elected CIPLAT members or appointed service provider representatives when on board, with prior mandatory notification; and
c) Allow the presence of any onboard professional, including a designated union representative.
37.8.8.3.1 The professionals mentioned in sub-item 37.8.8.3 do not have voting rights in CIPLAT meetings.
37.8.8.3.2 If there is no consensus in CIPLAT deliberations, a voting process will be initiated, with only the employer and employee representatives of the facility operator remaining in the meeting, equally.
37.8.8.4 CIPLAT meeting deliberations and actions must be made available to all workers at the location where the briefing referred to in item 37.9.6 is held or electronically, following the General Data Protection Law (Law No. 13709, of August 14, 2018).
37.8.9 The organization must develop a corrective measures execution schedule, defining deadlines and responsibilities, to be discussed and approved at the next CIPLAT meeting, with the participation of SESMT.
37.8.9.1 The organization must meet the deadlines set in the schedule or justify and reschedule new deadlines, with analysis and approval by CIPLAT and SESMT.
37.8.10 Service provider companies must mandatorily attend the calls provided in item 37.8.8.3.
37.8.10.1 In the absence of service provider representatives, the decisions made at the facility operator’s CIPLAT meeting, which involve them, must be formally communicated to the service providers within three business days from the issuance of the minutes, which will occur at the end of the meeting.
37.8.11 At the service provider’s CIPLAT meetings, the topics and deliberations related to their activities on the platform that are listed in the last minutes of the facility operator’s CIPLAT must be addressed.
37.8.12 The CIPLAT deliberations of the service providers requiring actions by the facility operator must be forwarded to the facility operator’s CIPLAT for analysis at its next meeting.
37.8.13 The CIPLAT members of the service provider or the appointed worker responsible for fulfilling their duties must receive the results of the accident or occupational disease analyses involving their employees on board and follow up on the implementation of the recommendations with the facility operator.
37.8.14 It is forbidden to transfer an elected CIPLAT worker to another platform or onshore establishment during the term without their consent.
37.9 Qualification and Training in Occupational Health and Safety
37.9.1 All training provided for in this NR must comply with the provisions in NR-01 and be conducted during working hours, at the organization’s expense, as provided for in this NR.
37.9.1.1 The time spent during any training is considered working hours, and participation in courses during vacations, leave, or rest periods on board is prohibited.
37.9.1.2 Training can be delivered via distance learning or blended learning, provided the operational, administrative, technological, and pedagogical structure requirements in Annex II of NR-01 are met.
37.9.1.3 Practical content can be delivered using simulators approved by the equipment manufacturer or those used or recognized by public administration bodies or classification societies.
37.9.2 Training instructors must have:
a) Instructor training course;
b) Qualification or certification in the subject; and
c) Proven minimum experience of two years in the activity.
37.9.3 Before the start of the training, workers must receive the training materials to be used, in physical or electronic form.
37.9.3.1 The written or audiovisual training materials used and provided in any training or instruction must be produced in Portuguese, using language appropriate to the workers’ knowledge level.
37.9.3.1.1 Training materials provided to non-Portuguese-speaking foreign workers must be available in English.
37.9.4 For each in-person training session, an attendance list must be prepared, containing:
a) Course title;
b) Content covered, date, location, and duration;
c) Names and signatures of participants; and
d) Identification and qualification of the instructor.
37.9.5 The facility operator must only allow the performance of services by third-party workers who are properly trained for their roles.
37.9.6 The facility operator must implement an occupational health and safety training program on the platform, including the following modalities:
a) General instructions upon each boarding (platform safety briefing);
b) Basic training;
c) Advanced training;
d) Eventual training; and
e) Daily safety talks.
37.9.6.1 The trainings mentioned in items 37.9.6 (b), (c), and (d) must have a safety engineer as the technical responsible.
37.9.6.2 Certifications are not required for the trainings mentioned in items 37.9.6 (a) and (e).
37.9.6.2.1 The facility operator must provide general instructions (briefing) upon each boarding, recording attendance, with the following minimum content:
a) Brief description of the platform’s characteristics and its status (operational, shutdown, commissioning, critical and simultaneous operations, etc.);
b) Types of alarms on board, highlighting emergency alarms;
c) Procedures for gathering points and evacuation in case of emergency;
d) Escape routes;
e) Locations of life-saving resources (life jackets, buoys, lifeboats, rafts, rescue boats, among others);
f) Identification of onboard leaders;
g) Onboard coexistence rules, especially regarding silence in accommodation areas; and
h) Basic personal hygiene and health care.
37.9.6.2.2 The facility operator must update the briefing when there are changes in the Emergency Response Plan, described in chapter 37.28 of this NR.
37.9.6.3 The basic training, provided for in item 37.9.6 (b), must be conducted before the first boarding, with a minimum duration of six hours, covering the risk inventory and control measures established in the platform’s RMP, especially:
a) Means and procedures for accessing the platform;
b) Working conditions and environment;
c) Combustible and flammable substances on board: characteristics, properties, hazards, and risks;
d) Classified areas, sources of ignition, and their control;
e) Environmental risks in the platform area;
f) Safety measures available for controlling operational risks on board;
g) Other risks inherent to specific worker activities and their control and elimination measures;
h) Psychosocial risks arising from various stressors, such as extended shifts, shift work, and night work, addressing their effects on work activities and health;
i) Radiological risks of industrial or natural origin, when present;
j) Hazardous and explosive chemicals stored and handled on board;
k) Safety Data Sheet (SDS);
l) Collective Protection Equipment (CPE);
m) Personal Protective Equipment (PPE); and
n) Procedures to be followed in emergency situations.
37.9.6.3.1 Basic training is not mandatory for delegations, visitors, and exclusively administrative activities.
37.9.6.3.2 Basic training for non-platform-assigned workers must be conducted, supplemented, or validated by the facility operator.
37.9.6.4 Eventual training, provided for in item 37.9.6 (d), must be conducted in addition to the provisions in NR-01, in the following situations:
a) Major incident or serious or fatal accident, on the installation itself or other platforms, own or chartered, of the same operator;
b) Occupational disease causing serious injury to the worker(s);
c) Shutdown for maintenance, repair, or expansion campaigns conducted by the operator or service providers;
d) Commissioning, decommissioning, or dismantling of the platform; and
e) Return from work leave for more than 90 days.
37.9.6.4.1 The duration, program content, and workers to be trained in eventual training must be defined by the facility operator, based on complexity, considering the risk inventory and prevention measures established in the RMP for the activity in question.
37.9.6.4.2 For simultaneous risk operations, in accordance with the RMP and preliminary task risk analysis, an eventual training or safety talks must be conducted before the operation.
37.9.6.5 Workers entering the operational area for specific, occasional, or eventual activities related to operation, maintenance, or integrity, as well as in response to emergency situations, must undergo advanced training, provided for in item 37.9.6 (c), with a minimum duration of eight hours, covering the following program content:
a) Preliminary task risk analysis: concepts and exercises;
b) Permit to work, cold or hot, in the presence of combustibles and flammables;
c) Chemical additives and composition of fluids used in drilling, completion, restoration, and stimulation operations, when applicable;
d) Basic knowledge of the platform’s fire prevention and firefighting systems;
e) Accidents with flammables: causes and existing preventive measures in the operational area;
f) Emergency response with combustibles and flammables, according to the Emergency Response Plan described in chapter 37.28 of this NR;
g) Basic process safety for platforms;
h) Safety in operating electrical installations in explosive atmospheres; and
i) Practical activity on board, lasting at least one hour, indicating the systems and equipment available for firefighting in situ.
37.9.6.6 Basic and advanced training must be refreshed every five years, with a minimum duration of four hours, or when:
a) Indicated by the RMP for updating; or
b) Returning from work leave for more than 180 days.
37.9.6.6.1 The advanced training refresher must include a practical component.
37.9.6.7 Daily Safety Talk
37.9.6.7.1 The facility operator must conduct the daily safety talk before the start of operational activities, considering:
a) The tasks to be performed, whether simultaneous or not;
b) The work process, risks, and protective measures;
c) On-board evacuation alarms and respective safety measures to be adopted; and
d) Precautions to avoid inadvertent activation of safety systems leading to unplanned shutdowns.
37.9.6.7.1.1 To verify the daily safety talk, attendance information can be included in the permit to work itself, when applicable.
37.10 Commissioning, Expansion, Modification, Repair, Decommissioning, and Dismantling
37.10.1 For commissioning, expansion, modification, and ship repair, decommissioning, and dismantling activities on platforms, the requirements of NR-34 Work Conditions and Environment in the Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Industry apply, as appropriate, regardless of the location, type, and extent of the service to be performed on board.
37.10.1.1 During commissioning, expansion, modification, repair, decommissioning, or dismantling services conducted during simultaneous operations on the platform, the following measures must be adopted:
a) Preceded by a risk analysis of the tasks;
b) Started only after implementing the preventive measures recommended by the risk analysis of the tasks;
c) Preceded by the issuance of permit to work and entry permits for work in confined spaces, when applicable; and
d) Monitored by an occupational safety professional, under the conditions established by the risk and simultaneity analysis, which must define the limits of permits to work per safety professional.
37.10.1.1.1 The safety professional cannot perform another task while engaged in an activity requiring continuous monitoring.
37.10.2 The facility operator must file a prior communication, in an electronic system provided by labor inspection, at least 30 days in advance, for the following activities:
a) Scheduled shutdowns;
b) Activities involving the coupling of a maintenance and safety unit; and
c) Activities resulting in an increase in the platform population above the original capacity approved by the Maritime Authority.
37.10.2.1 The facility operator must keep on board, in physical or digital form, proof of formal notification of the activities referred to in item 37.10.2 to all workers assigned to the platform, through general instructions upon boarding (platform safety briefing), described in item 37.9.6, for up to one year after the end of the campaign.
37.10.2.2 The prior communication must contain the following information:
a) Identification of the platform where the activity will occur;
b) Schedule with a brief description and period of service performance;
c) Estimated number of workers for the services;
d) Name, address, and CNPJ of the on-board service provider companies responsible for the activities to be performed as planned; and
e) Platform capacity limit before and during these activities.
37.10.2.2.1 If there are changes to the initial schedule, the facility operator must keep the updated schedule on board, in accordance with chapter 37.31 of this NR.
37.10.2.3 For activities resulting in an increase in the platform population above the original capacity approved, the facility operator must provide on board a copy of the document proving authorization from the Maritime Authority for this increase, following chapter 37.31 of this NR.
37.10.3 The facility operator must file a decommissioning notification of the platform in an electronic system provided by labor inspection, up to 30 days before the end of its operations.
37.10.4 For on-board workers, both own and subcontracted, during commissioning, expansion, modification, repair, decommissioning, or dismantling phases, living conditions must be ensured, as established in this NR.
37.10.4.1 In an emergency situation, when living conditions are not fully met according to chapter 37.12 of this NR, the facility operator must ensure:
a) The right of refusal for workers involved in the response actions, without the need for justification;
b) The application of item 3.5.4 of NR-03 Embargo and Interdiction in the presence of serious and imminent risk conditions on board;
c) The disembarkation of workers involved in the response actions during their rest period; and
d) Compliance with sub-item 37.12.4.5 of this NR for living areas.
37.11 Access to the Platform
37.11.1 Worker transportation between the mainland and the platform or between non-interconnected platforms, and vice versa, must be conducted by helicopters.
37.11.1.1 Aircraft, heliports, and air transport procedures must comply with the safety requirements mandated by the competent authorities.
37.11.1.2 Worker transportation by vessels is permitted, provided:
a) They are regularized with the Maritime Authority;
b) The distance between the mainland and the platform is less than or equal to 35 nautical miles;
c) Appropriate comfort conditions for the worker during navigation are met;
d) The wave height is up to 2.70 meters and the wind speed up to 27 knots;
e) If the helideck is closed for more than 24 hours, non-essential personnel can be evacuated regardless of the distance between the mainland and the platform, but shift change is prohibited; and
f) In case of emergency evacuation, regardless of the distance between the mainland and the platform.
37.11.1.3 The use of the UMS helideck coupled by a stabilized gangway to the platform is permitted for the embarkation and disembarkation of workers by helicopter.
37.11.2 Workers are prohibited from accessing the platform without a copy, in physical or digital form, of their valid ASO or if it is expired or expiring within the boarding period.
37.11.2.1 For access to unmanned platforms, item 37.31.1.1 of this NR must be observed.
37.11.3 The contract operator must ensure that their terminals, whether shared or exclusive, terrestrial, or for air or sea embarkation and disembarkation:
a) Are air-conditioned;
b) Meet sanitary, hygiene, and comfort conditions according to NR-24 Sanitary and Comfort Conditions in the Workplace; and
c) Have enough seats to accommodate all workers in transit during peak passenger flow times, accounting for normal scheduling and excluding delays.
37.11.4 For maritime transport, the transfer of workers between vessels and the platform, and vice versa, must be done via stabilized gangway, personnel transfer basket, or, on a fixed platform, a special dock for the appropriate vessel for safe and comfortable worker transport, as described in this item.
37.11.4.1 Personnel transfer operations via baskets or docks must comply with the following requirements:
a) Conducted during daylight and with good visibility;
b) All workers must receive safety training and, before each transport and transfer, safety instructions (briefing);
c) Workers must wear life jackets, per NORMAM-01/DPC, during the transfer;
d) Workers should not carry materials, including backpacks, during the transfer to have their hands free;
e) A trained vessel crew member must provide practical guidance on the transfer process, and the worker must strictly follow their instructions;
f) The worker can refuse the transfer operation at any time with justification; and
g) If any person is physically or psychologically unfit for the transfer or refuses to follow the crew member’s instructions, the vessel’s commander must immediately stop the operation, request the worker’s removal from the embarkation area, and inform the facility operator of the occurrence.
37.11.4.2 Simultaneous operations or other activities in the personnel transfer area during the transfer are prohibited.
37.11.4.3 The use of ropes, chains, or any other type of cables for transferring workers between vessels and the platform, and vice versa, is prohibited.
37.11.4.3.1 The use of flexible or fixed ladders to the platform for transferring the crane operation team on unmanned platforms is allowed.
37.11.4.4 For floating platforms positioned in inland waters, worker access and disembarkation can also be performed via fixed platform ladders.
37.11.5 Personnel transfer via basket must be conducted only under the following meteorological and oceanographic conditions:
a) Wave height up to 2.70 meters and wind speed up to 27 knots;
b) Visibility over 3 km; and
c) Maximum roll angle of 3° for floating platforms.
37.11.5.1 The facility operator must ensure that the basket meets the following minimum requirements:
a) Certified by the Maritime Authority, per NORMAM-05/DPC and subsequent amendments; and
b) Intact and always available for use.
37.11.5.2 The departure and arrival areas of the basket must:
a) Have a trained crew member for transfer maneuvers;
b) Be unobstructed; and
c) Have a worker on standby to launch the life buoy in case of a man overboard.
37.11.5.3 Signalmen and their assistants must be visibly identified and, along with passengers, are the only persons allowed in the basket departure or arrival areas.
37.11.5.4 Before starting each continuous operation with the transfer basket, the facility operator must ensure the following procedures are adopted:
a) Inspect and test the crane according to sub-item 37.20.3.1 of this NR, provided it is the first operation in the crane operator’s shift;
b) Inspect the basket, accessories, and stabilizer assembly, when applicable;
c) Record and file, on manned platforms, the inspection results of the safety belts and accessories to be used, discarding those with defects, deformations, or that have suffered impact falls;
d) Record the environmental conditions during the transfer (wind speed, wave height, visibility conditions, and roll angle); and
e) Verify the effectiveness of visual and radio communication.
37.11.5.4.1 For unmanned platforms, the records mentioned in items 37.11.5.4 (c) and (d) must be filed on the manned platform where the facility operator’s workers performing occasional activities on the unmanned unit are assigned or at the company’s headquarters on land.
37.11.5.5 The use of the transfer basket is prohibited for:
a) Transporting materials or equipment, except for the workers’ luggage, which must be placed in the center of the basket;
b) Exceeding its maximum transport capacity;
c) As the first load of the crane operation day, using another load element similar to the basket, with at least twice its maximum transport capacity for proper verification; and
d) When there is no continuous visual and radio communication between the crane operator and the platform and vessel signalmen.
37.11.5.6 The crane operator must follow only the instructions given by the signalmen, except when a risk of accident is detected and an emergency stop is signaled by anyone in the embarkation or disembarkation area.
37.11.5.7 The transfer of people at night via the transfer basket is allowed only in:
a) Emergencies;
b) Execution of emergency services aimed at worker protection or operational safety;
c) Urgent medical assistance; and
d) Rescue of a shipwreck survivor.
37.11.6 The dock must have a design prepared by a legally qualified professional and be approved by the Maritime Authority.
37.11.6.1 The procedure for accessing the platform via a vessel suitable for safe and comfortable worker transport must meet the following requirements:
a) Transfer operations must be conducted in wave heights up to 2.70 meters, wind speeds up to 27 knots, and sea currents up to 1.5 knots; and
b) Sea, wind, and visibility conditions at the time of the maneuver must be evaluated and recorded in a specific document by the vessel’s commander, to be filed on the vessel or manned platform for at least one year, easily accessible for labor inspection.
37.11.6.1.1 For unmanned platforms, the document referred to in item 37.11.6.1(b) can be filed on the vessel, the manned platform where the transported workers are assigned, or at the facility operator’s headquarters on land.
37.11.7 When transferring workers between the platform, fixed or floating, and an adjacent vessel via a stabilized gangway, the following minimum requirements must be met:
a) Keep the passage unobstructed, equipped with handrails and non-slip flooring;
b) Ensure a safe inclination angle for worker movement according to the stabilized gangway design;
c) Use a stabilized gangway with lateral closure;
d) Install a fall protection net around the stabilized gangway base on platforms, when required by risk analyses;
e) Equip each end of the stabilized gangway with an automatic sound and light alarm system or a trained watchman identified with a reflective vest, to guide or stop the worker flow;
f) Provide the watchmen with communication means between the platform and the adjacent vessel;
g) Designate a safe, signposted, unobstructed, and sheltered waiting area for crossing, based on specific risk analyses;
h) Develop a procedure for worker movement, passage interruption, and evacuation of the gangway in adverse weather or operational emergencies;
i) Protect and signal mobile parts; and
j) Provide access via a staircase or ramp positioned at a maximum of 30 degrees from a horizontal plane, equipped with a rotating device to follow the vessel’s involuntary movement.
37.11.7.1 The facility operator where the stabilized gangway is installed must keep on board the documents with the parameters and calculations used as criteria for triggering the alarm and immediately stopping worker passage.
37.11.8 The use of alternative solutions for other types of access to platforms must be preceded by tripartite approval.
37.12 Living Conditions on Board
37.12.1 On-board living conditions are regulated by this chapter and the regulations of the Ministry of Health and the National Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA), not applicable to the provisions in NR-24.
37.12.1.1 The records and documents related to living conditions generated by the Ministry of Health and ANVISA regulations must be available on board for workers and their representatives.
37.12.2 The facility operator must ensure manned platforms’ living areas consist of:
a) Accommodation;
b) Sanitary facilities;
c) Dining room;
d) Kitchen;
e) Laundry;
f) Recreation room;
g) Reading room;
h) Room for using the worldwide information network (internet) and other services; and
i) Space for physical activity.
37.12.2.1 The reading room can be shared with the room provided in item 37.12.2(h) as long as they are separated to maintain conditions for concentration and study.
37.12.2.2 The living areas must be kept in safe, healthy, comfortable, hygienic, and sanitary conditions and in perfect working order and maintenance.
37.12.2.3 The measurement methods and minimum lighting levels to be observed in internal work areas are those established in the ABNT NBR IEC 61892-2 – Mobile and Fixed Offshore Units – Electrical Installations Part 2: Systems Design, ensuring a minimum lighting level on the visual task planes, in accordance with the Occupational Hygiene Standard No. 11 (NHO 11) of Fundacentro – Evaluation of Lighting Levels in Indoor Work Environments – 2018 version.
37.12.3 General Provisions
37.12.3.1 The living areas must be designed considering:
a) Compliance with worker health and safety requirements;
b) Adequate living conditions for the well-being of on-board workers;
c) Mitigating worker exposure to noise, vibrations, hazardous substances, and other environmental risk factors above tolerance limits on board; and
d) Easy evacuation from living areas in emergency situations.
37.12.3.2 The facility operator must ensure that the noise levels in the beds of the cabins and temporary accommodation modules do not exceed 60 dB (A), with preventive measures adopted from 55 dB (A).
37.12.3.3 The living areas must be equipped with water for human consumption, as established by the regulations of the Ministry of Health and ANVISA.
37.12.4 Sanitary Facilities
37.12.4.1 The sanitary facilities must:
a) Have a minimum area of 1.00 m² for each toilet;
b) Be supplied with piped water;
c) Provide treated water in showers and sinks for personal hygiene, with hot water available in showers;
d) Be separated by gender;
e) Have a main door that maintains privacy, allows ventilation, and is either ejectable or equipped with an escape panel with dimensions according to NORMAM-01/DPC;
f) Have doors with internal locks that do not prevent emergency opening from the outside using a master key or similar;
g) Have an impermeable, washable, non-slip floor with a slope to the trapped drain and without bumps and depressions;
h) Have a lidded trash can with a non-contact opening device;
i) Be equipped with an external lighting network protected by conduits or embedded in bulkheads, with general and diffused lighting;
j) Have an effective exhaust system directed outside the living area without contaminating other areas;
k) Have disposable seat covers or a disinfectant device for the toilet seat; and
l) Be equipped with at least one electrical outlet near the sinks.
37.12.4.2 In addition to item 37.12.4.1, collective-use sanitary facilities must:
a) Be located in easily accessible and safe places, close to work or dining areas;
b) Be located so as not to directly communicate with dining areas, kitchen, and dormitories;
c) Ensure user privacy from the external environment;
d) On platforms with the main deck dimension exceeding 200 meters, have a bathroom as close as possible to midship, in a non-classified area;
e) Have toilets with sinks;
f) Have private cabins for the toilets when there is more than one unit or they are accompanied by urinals; and
g) Be permanently separated by gender.
37.12.4.2.1 The dimensioning of collective-use sanitary facilities for each gender must consider the number of on-board workers and workstations.
37.12.4.3 The platform must have collective-use sanitary facilities distributed across different floors or decks, with a minimum ratio of one toilet and one sink for every 15 workers or fraction, considering the shift with the largest workforce.
37.12.4.3.1 In male collective-use sanitary facilities, 50% of the toilets can be replaced with urinals, provided at least two toilets are ensured.
37.12.4.4 The platform must also have collective-use sanitary facilities equipped with showers, with a minimum ratio of one for every 30 workers or fraction, considering the shift with the largest workforce.
37.12.4.5 The toilet must:
a) Be of the siphoned type or equipped with a mechanism that prevents odor return, with a flush command, seat, and lid, and a minimum free frontal space of 0.80 m in width and 0.60 m in depth;
b) Have a roll or interleaved toilet paper holder, with a regular and sufficient supply and in white color;
c) Have a hygiene shower supplied with cold water; and
d) Be installed in individual and separated cabins.
37.12.4.5.1 The cabin for the collective-use toilet must:
a) Have partitions with a minimum height of 1.90 m and a lower edge no more than 0.15 m above the floor;
b) Be equipped with an independent door with a locking system that prevents prying;
c) Have support handles, in floating platforms.
37.12.4.6 Urinals must be:
a) Installed in individual compartments, separated by partitions of sufficient dimensions to ensure privacy, with a spacing of 0.60 m;
b) Basin type, made of smooth and impermeable material, and easy to drain and clean;
c) Provided with manual or automatic flushing.
37.12.4.7 The sink must be equipped with:
a) Faucet;
b) Container for disposing of used paper;
c) Soap dish or another device that allows hand hygiene;
d) Towel holder or electric hand dryer;
e) Lighting; and
f) Mirror.
37.12.4.7.1 The use of communal towels is prohibited.
37.12.4.7.2 A place for removing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) with 2 (two) sinks for communal use must be provided near the housing area.
37.12.4.8 The compartments intended for showers must:
a) Be equipped with access doors that ensure privacy or be constructed to maintain the necessary privacy;
b) Have drains with a system that prevents wastewater from communicating between compartments;
c) Have a threshold or step with a minimum height difference of 0.05 m in relation to the floor of the sanitary installation;
d) Be equipped with a soap and shampoo holder;
e) Have supports or hooks for bath towels;
f) Have a non-slip floor with a slope that ensures water drainage to the sewage system;
g) Have partitions covered with resistant, smooth, impermeable, and washable material;
h) Be constructed without sharp edges that could cause accidents;
i) Have support handles, except on fixed platforms;
j) Have metal faucets located at mid-height of the bulkhead; and
k) Have a showerhead made of resistant material, with a minimum height of 2 m from the floor, which can be of the movable and adjustable height type.
37.12.4.8.1 Showers and electric heaters used to dry towels must have shielded resistance.
37.12.4.9 The facility operator must ensure a minimum of 60 (sixty) liters of treated water daily per worker for use in sanitary installations.
37.12.4.10 The use of chemical toilets, including in the temporary accommodation module, is prohibited except in cases provided for in this NR.
37.12.4.10.1 Upon verifying the inoperability of the sewage system of all sanitary installations, without proper re-establishment within 3 (three) hours, the following procedures must be adopted:
a) Initiate the procedures to stop platform production;
b) Immediately arrange logistics for disembarking all workers, with the crew returning only after the sewage system is normalized;
c) Keep only the minimum contingent on board to ensure the installation’s safety and the system’s repair; and
d) Provide chemical toilets for the workers who make up the minimum contingent until the sewage system is normalized.
37.12.4.11 The facility operator must develop, for each platform, control and surveillance procedures for transporting, maintaining, and controlling the quality of water distributed for human consumption on board, in compliance with the regulations of the Ministry of Health and ANVISA.
37.12.4.11.1 The sampling plan must be carried out for each platform, respecting the minimum sampling plans expressed in the regulations of the Ministry of Health and ANVISA.
37.12.4.12 The surveillance and control procedures for water quality adopted in the treatment, storage, and distribution for human consumption on board must consider the information contained in the installation’s risk analyses.
37.12.4.13 After performing maintenance, repair, expansion, and other interventions on the platform that may contaminate the water for human consumption, the facility operator must conduct the analyses required by ANVISA and the Ministry of Health and, if necessary, carry out the appropriate treatments before resuming the water supply.
37.12.4.14 The facility operator must establish mechanisms for receiving complaints and maintain updated records on the quality of the distributed water, organizing them comprehensively for consumers and making them readily accessible and available for consultation by labor inspection, workers, and their representatives.
37.12.5 Hygiene, Safety, and Comfort During Meals
37.12.5.1 On manned platforms, a dining room for workers is mandatory.
37.12.5.2 The dining room must meet the requirements of this NR and, where applicable, the items contained in the ANVISA resolutions, as described below:
a) Be installed in an appropriate location, not directly communicating with work areas, sanitary facilities, and unhealthy or dangerous areas;
b) Have a minimum area of 1.50 m² per user, with enough tables and seats to accommodate 1/3 of the total employees in the shift with the largest workforce;
c) Have a main corridor with a width of 0.75 m and ensure secondary corridors with access to all seats with a width of 0.55 m;
d) Be provided with a lighting network, externally protected by conduits or embedded in partitions or ceilings, with general and diffused illumination;
e) Have an impermeable, non-slip floor covered with material that allows cleaning and disinfection;
f) Have partitions covered with smooth, durable, impermeable material that allows cleaning and disinfection;
g) Provide potable water;
h) Have tables with smooth, impermeable tops;
i) Have tables and benches or chairs that are easy to clean and kept permanently clean;
j) Have a sneeze guard on counters where users have access to food; and
k) Provide hand sanitizer or another disinfectant in the area accessing self-service counters.
37.12.5.2.1 The tables in the dining rooms of floating platforms must have tops with rounded edges, accompanied by fixed benches or chairs with high-friction feet.
37.12.5.3 In addition to the number of sinks for communal use provided in sub-item 37.12.4.3, the dining room must also have at least one sink located near its entrance, on the same floor, or inside, at a ratio of 1 (one) for every 30 (thirty) seats.
37.12.5.4 The use of the dining room as a storage area is prohibited, even on a temporary basis.
37.12.5.5 Unmanned platforms must provide adequate sanitary, hygiene, and comfort conditions for workers’ meals and meet the following minimum requirements:
a) Provide an adequate location isolated from the work area;
b) Have floors and partitions suitable for cleaning and disinfection;
c) Have artificial or natural ventilation;
d) Have general and diffused lighting, with illumination levels as prescribed by technical standards;
e) Provide tables and seats in numbers compatible with the number of workers on board;
f) Have a sink nearby;
g) Provide potable water;
h) Have equipment for heating meals or a thermal device that keeps them warm in hygienic, preserved, and consumable conditions until the end of the meal period;
i) Provide meals that meet food preservation requirements in appropriate containers suitable for available heating equipment;
j) Provide individual sanitized plates, utensils, and cups, which may be disposable; and
k) Have a compartment for storing and protecting utensils.
37.12.5.5.1 On unmanned platforms that do not provide an environment suitable for meals, the workers’ on-board stay must be limited to a maximum of 4 (four) hours.
37.12.5.6 The main meals are prohibited from being taken outside the locations mentioned in sub-items 37.12.5.2 and 37.12.5.5.
37.12.5.6.1 The consumption of any food in environments with exposure to chemical, physical, or biological agents is prohibited, and adequate comfort and hygiene conditions, as described in item 37.12.5 and its sub-items, must be ensured.
37.12.5.7 Monitoring the temperatures and exposure times of food is mandatory and must be recorded in specific reports.
37.12.5.8 The use of work clothing contaminated with chemical or biological agents from work activities is prohibited in dining rooms or specific eating areas.
37.12.6 Kitchen
37.12.6.1 On a platform equipped with a kitchen, the facility operator must follow all measures to ensure the hygiene and quality of the produced food, in accordance with ANVISA regulations.
37.12.6.2 The kitchen must be equipped with:
a) waterproof partitions, suitable for cleaning and disinfection;
b) non-slip flooring, made of material suitable for cleaning and disinfection, with slopes and drains or devices that facilitate water drainage;
c) doors covered with smooth, easy-to-clean, and disinfect materials;
d) lighting network, protected by conduits or embedded in partitions or ceilings, with general and diffuse lighting, as provided for in technical standards;
e) a collective washbasin exclusively for food service workers, with automatic water activation and devices for bactericidal liquid soap or neutral soap along with an antiseptic, hand-drying system, and, when applicable, a paper collector activated without manual contact;
f) an exhaust system for capturing smoke, vapors, and odors, equipped with a stainless steel hood;
g) stainless steel workbenches and sinks for washing utensils;
h) separate areas for the installation of food refrigeration equipment, utensil washing, and meal preparation;
i) independent areas for food hygiene, dough handling, and cooking;
j) separate or physically separated areas for preparing meats, fish, poultry, and salads;
k) trash bins made of easily cleanable material, equipped with lids that can be opened without manual contact; and
l) a fire suppression device, such as a blanket, made of flame-resistant, non-contaminating, and non-allergenic material.
37.12.6.2.1 The use of collective towels in the washbasins used by kitchen professionals is prohibited.
37.12.6.3 The kitchen must be connected to the dining room through pass-through windows or distinct doors, one for serving meals and the other for returning utensils.
37.12.6.4 The areas designated for the kitchen, dry food storage, and food refrigeration devices must be compatible with the daily number of meals served and the quantity of provisions that must be stored, also considering an emergency reserve.
37.12.6.5 Platforms must have additional sanitary facilities exclusively for collective use by kitchen workers, in accordance with subitem 37.12.4.2, with a ratio of 1 (one) toilet and 1 (one) washbasin for every 10 (ten) workers or fraction thereof, considering the gender and work shift of the kitchen staff with the highest number of employees.
37.12.6.6 Cooking equipment and accessories used in floating platform kitchens must have a fastening device that allows for their removal for use and cleaning.
37.12.6.7 The kitchen, its equipment and accessories, exhaust fans, and exhaust ducts must undergo a cleaning process in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturer or supplier, documented in a specific maintenance plan and reported in a report signed by the responsible professional.
37.12.6.8 The refrigeration chamber must have an emergency button inside and a device that allows it to be opened from the inside.
37.12.7 Cabins
37.12.7.1 Cabins, temporary cabins, and temporary accommodation modules must meet the following general requirements:
a) have partitions, linings, ceilings, floors, and joints constructed with materials specific for maritime use and fire-resistant, in accordance with the requirements defined by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Code for Construction and Equipment of Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODU Code), SOLAS, and subsequent amendments;
b) be constructed with thermal-acoustic, waterproof, non-toxic materials, suitable for their use, ensuring a healthy environment and perfect hygiene;
c) be equipped with sufficient devices for water drainage;
d) ensure the privacy of users;
e) be separated by gender throughout their occupancy, with no day/night alternation between males and females during this period;
f) accommodate a maximum of four people;
g) have a ceiling height of at least 2.40 meters when using bunk beds, or 2.20 meters when using only single beds;
h) have a dormitory with a minimum area of 3.60 m² per person, except in the case of temporary accommodation modules, which have a minimum area of 3.00 m² per person, and individual or double dormitories, which must have a total minimum area of 7.50 m²;
i) have adequate dimensions to provide comfort and facilitate cleaning and order;
j) have a private sanitary installation adjacent to the dormitory, with a door for direct communication or to the antechamber, equipped with a toilet, shower compartment, and washbasin, with cabinet, individual drawers, towel dryer, and support handle;
k) have doors with a minimum height of 2.10 meters and a minimum width of 0.80 meters, equipped with devices to keep them open and provided with escape panels measuring 0.60 meters x 0.80 meters;
l) be equipped with furniture and accessories made of easily cleanable materials, without sharp corners, kept in good condition and that do not produce toxic gases or particles when exposed to fire;
m) have maximum whole-body vibration values below the action level for daily occupational exposure to whole-body vibration mentioned in Annex I – Vibration of NR-09 Assessment and Control of Occupational Exposures to Physical, Chemical, and Biological Agents;
n) have electrical outlets with a voltage of 127 or 220 volts, properly identified;
o) have a lighting system to maintain a minimum level of general and diffuse lighting, as well as emergency lighting; and
p) have a non-allergenic, fire-resistant blanket, with a minimum ratio of one per occupant.
37.12.7.1.1 On platforms in operation or under construction until the effective date of this NR, doors with a width less than 0.80 meters may be ejectable, instead of the escape panel provided in item 37.12.7.1(k).
37.12.7.1.2 The cabin must be adequately isolated, with no direct openings to the engine room, cargo compartment, kitchen, storeroom, laundries, elevator shaft, or collective sanitary installations.
37.12.7.1.3 Steam pipes, gas discharge pipes, and similar should not pass through the interior of accommodations or their corridors, except in cases of technical infeasibility, where they must be isolated and protected.
37.12.7.1.4 The circulation area for access to accommodations must have a minimum width of 1.20 meters.
37.12.7.2 Dormitory furniture must meet the following minimum requirements:
a) have a maximum of four beds, with a minimum horizontal distance of 0.60 meters between them to allow free circulation and access;
b) have individual lockers with locks and keys, a minimum volume of 0.5 m³, provided with a drawer, shelf, and hangers, and with at least three compartments for separately storing:
I. personal hygiene items;
II. clothes and personal belongings; and
III. PPE and travel bag;
c) have individual hooks, in sufficient quantity and condition to hang work clothes and PPE;
d) have a table or desk, which may have a fixed, folding, or sliding top, accompanied by a chair, provided with auxiliary lighting and a power outlet;
e) have a telephone and a television with a screen larger than 26 inches;
f) have a mirror, which can be installed inside the lockers;
g) have a shelf or bookcase for books;
h) have a trash container;
i) contain individual devices, such as hooks or bars, for storing and drying bath and face towels, outside the locker, ensuring hygiene conditions; and
j) have compartments for storing life jackets and fire-resistant blankets.
37.12.7.3 The bed must meet the following requirements:
a) have internal dimensions to accommodate a single mattress of at least 1.88 m x 0.78 m;
b) have a minimum height of 0.40 m, measured from the top face of the mattress to the cabin floor;
c) have a hypoallergenic mattress with a minimum density of 33, kept intact, in sanitary-hygienic conditions, and within the validity period established by the manufacturer, or 5 (five) years if no other period is established, from the date of manufacture;
d) be provided with two sheets, one pillowcase, one pillow made of viscoelastic material or similar, replaced every 2 (two) years, with minimum dimensions of 55 cm x 35 cm x 10 cm, and one blanket, all for individual use, with compatible dimensions, in intact and adequate hygiene and conservation conditions, manufactured from hypoallergenic materials;
e) have a blackout curtain or similar element, made of hypoallergenic material, that prevents light from entering and promotes privacy without compromising air circulation; and
f) be equipped with complementary lighting and a power outlet.
37.12.7.3.1 When using vertically stacked beds (bunk beds), they must also meet the following conditions:
a) be limited to two beds, with a minimum free distance of 0.90 meters, measured from the top level of the mattress of the lower bed to the bottom level of the upper bed base;
b) have the upper bed with a minimum free distance of 0.90 meters, measured from the dormitory ceiling to the top level of its mattress;
c) have the upper bed with lateral fall protection up to half its length;
d) provide access to the upper bed by means of a suitable rigid ladder with non-slip steps, fixed to the bunk bed, and a handrail next to the ladder; and
e) have waterproof bed bases.
37.12.7.3.1.1 On floating platforms, the lower bed must also be provided with lateral fall protection up to half its length.
37.12.7.4 Temporary Accommodation Modules
37.12.7.4.1 The temporary accommodation module can only be installed to increase the accommodation capacity of the platform during maintenance, repair, assembly, commissioning, decommissioning, dismantling, or rig interventions on fixed platforms.
37.12.7.4.2 The installation and permanence of the temporary accommodation module on manned platforms must be requested from the regional labor inspection body corresponding to the platform’s location, and, in the case of unmanned platforms, only through tripartite negotiation.
37.12.7.4.2.1 The request must be made by presenting risk analyses and floor and section plans.
37.12.7.4.3 In addition to the provisions of subitems 37.12.7.1 to 37.12.7.3, the temporary accommodation module must meet the following requirements:
a) not have been used for other purposes, such as the storage or handling of substances hazardous to health;
b) have partitions, floor, and ceiling constructed with A-60 class material, as described in the MODU Code;
c) be supported on resilient support structures to absorb noise and vibrations, except for a conclusive technical report that dispenses with such supports, prepared by a legally qualified professional;
d) have an electrical panel installed inside, in an easily accessible location, equipped with an internal busbar with circuit breakers, doors with rubber seals, a latch, and electrostatic powder coating;
e) have glass or alternative materials used in partitions, windows, and door viewers that do not produce splinters or toxic smoke;
f) have an antechamber for isolating external noise, weather, and prying eyes, which can be provided by the corridor connecting the modules;
g) if it has a corridor, it must meet the requirements of subitem 37.25.8.2;
h) have external doors that meet the requirements of watertightness and partition classification, according to their location on the vessel, equipped with an automatic closing system; and
i) have an alternative emergency exit.
37.12.7.5 The facility operator must provide television channels with a diverse programming package (news, sports, movies, documentaries, and others), in proper working conditions, around the clock.
37.12.7.6 Accommodation telephony must allow calls between different extensions on the platform.
37.12.7.7 The facility operator must ensure compliance with the following cabin usage rules:
a) daily cleaning and maintenance of sanitary-hygienic conditions;
b) daily trash removal and disposal in an appropriate location;
c) replacement of bed linen every 5 (five) days and bath linen every 3 (three) days for washing and drying, and whenever the bed occupant changes;
d) in case of suspicion or diagnosis of infectious diseases that may compromise the health of the embarked population, immediate isolation and measures for the worker’s disembarkation must be provided; and
e) in addition to the provisions of item (d), disinfection of any cabins used by the patient must be arranged.
37.12.7.8 The temporary cabin must have its design, usage period, and extension, if necessary, approved by the regional labor inspection body after hearing the parties in a tripartite negotiation procedure.
37.12.7.9 The total number of workers accommodated in temporary cabins and temporary accommodation modules must not exceed 25% (twenty-five percent) of the maximum number of workers installed in permanent cabins, in compliance with NORMAM-01/DPC regulations for lifesaving equipment.
37.12.7.10 It is forbidden to transfer workers registered in the People On Board (POB) of one platform to overnight accommodations on another platform to make up for the lack of accommodations.
37.12.8 Laundry
37.12.8.1 A manned platform must have a laundry for washing and drying work clothes, bed linen, bath towels, and personal clothing.
37.12.8.1.1 The platform’s laundry must:
a) be sized according to the number of shifts and the total number of workers on board;
b) have the washing and drying area acoustically designed and isolated to keep noise levels within acceptable limits in other compartments;
c) have circulation floors without protrusions or depressions;
d) have an exhaust and ventilation system;
e) be supplied with treated water; and
f) have facilities for ironing clothes.
37.12.8.2 Work clothes must be washed and dried separately from other items (bed linen, bath towels, and personal clothing), according to specific procedures for each unit, to prevent cross-contamination between clothes.
37.12.9 Onboard Welfare Services
37.12.9.1 A manned platform must have the following means and facilities to provide welfare conditions for all workers on board:
a) a gym or exercise equipment installed in designated areas;
b) recreation room(s) with music, radio, television, video display with varied and regularly updated content, as well as table games with accessories;
c) a reading room with a library, containing periodicals and books of varied content, in sufficient quantity and regularly updated;
d) viable access to the World Wide Web (internet), of the wireless type (wi-fi), at least in the living areas and cabins, for recreational use and interpersonal communication, with access reserved for email, social networks, and other private systems, sized to meet the number of workers during off-duty periods, around the clock; and
e) an internet room for recreation and interpersonal communication, equipped with individual-use computers, connected to the network, at a minimum ratio of 1 (one) for every 50 (fifty) workers or fraction thereof, considering workers during off-duty periods.
37.12.9.1.1 In case of technical infeasibility of installing wireless internet (wi-fi), the facility operator must provide individual-use computers, connected to the aforementioned network, at a minimum ratio of 1 (one) for every 15 (fifteen) workers or fraction thereof, considering workers during off-duty periods.
37.12.9.1.2 The facility operator must keep the communication means of the internet room with individual-use computers or similar (hardware) and operating systems (software) updated to ensure their perfect operation.
37.12.9.2 The onboard living area must have individual telephone booths or private locations, at a ratio of 1 (one) telephone for every 50 (fifty) workers or fraction thereof on board, allowing private communication between the platform and land, ensuring that:
a) the facility operator must grant the worker, whether own or outsourced, a minimum period of 15 (fifteen) minutes per day of free external calls; and
b) if the free call time is exceeded and if the worker bears the cost, the maximum call cost must be equivalent to its cost price, charged by the national telephone operator.
37.12.9.2.1 If the facility operator does not provide wireless internet (wi-fi), the ratio established in subitem 37.12.9.2 must be at least 1 (one) for every 15 (fifteen) workers or fraction thereof.
37.12.9.3 The room for physical activities must:
a) be sized for the workers on board the platform during off-duty hours;
b) have an appropriate floor, free of cracks, imperfections, sharp and piercing elements;
c) have exclusive supports or compartments for storing support materials (plates, bars, ropes, etc.);
d) be clean;
e) be air-conditioned; and
f) have free and safe circulation areas.
37.12.9.3.1 The ergometric equipment, devices, and fixed equipment for physical exercises in the gym must:
a) be in perfect condition for conservation, maintenance, hygiene, and safety;
b) be upright, fixed, and spaced apart according to the manufacturer’s instructions; and
c) be certified by the National Institute of Metrology, Quality, and Technology (INMETRO), where applicable.
37.12.9.3.2 To perform physical activity on board, the worker must be previously guided by a legally qualified professional, presenting proof to the platform’s health professional.
37.12.10 Occasional changes that provide conditions different but equivalent to those provided in item 37.12.9 and its subitems must be considered tripartite and authorized by the regional labor inspection body.
37.12.11 On a platform equipped with a movie projection room, sports court, pool, or sauna, these facilities must be kept operational and can only be discontinued if preceded and approved in tripartite negotiation.
37.13 Onboard Catering
37.13.1 The facility operator must ensure that workers on board have free access to good quality food, prepared or finished on board, provided under hygienic and conservation conditions, as required by current legislation.
37.13.1.1 The menu must be:
a) varied and balanced;
b) prepared by a legally qualified nutritionist;
c) composed of content that meets the nutritional requirements necessary for the workers’ health conditions; and
d) appropriate to the type of work activity and ensure well-being on board.
37.13.1.2 On unmanned platforms, the food must have the same characteristics mentioned in item 37.13.1, with the preparation on board being unnecessary.
37.13.1.3 The facility operator must provide specific diets for the worker’s pathology, according to medical prescription.
37.13.1.4 The facility operator must ensure that the company contracted to provide hospitality and catering services meets the requirements for the food safety management system established by ANVISA regulations and the technical standard ABNT NBR ISO 22000 – Food safety management systems – Requirements for any organization in the food chain and subsequent amendments.
37.13.2 The facility operator must require that food handlers are trained for each function, with practical and theoretical knowledge about good practices in handling and hygiene, personal hygiene habits, safety, and foodborne diseases, through a basic food handlers course with a minimum syllabus described in Annex I of this NR.
37.13.2.1 In addition, cooks responsible for preparing meals on board must have the required training and qualifications for this function, with theoretical and practical knowledge about cooking, food storage, and supply management.
37.13.3 Providing potable and fresh water in the living quarters and operational areas of the platform is mandatory, in sufficient quantity to meet the individual needs of the workers, with a minimum of ¼ liter (250 ml) per hour per worker.
37.13.3.1 Potable water must comply with the potability standards established by ANVISA and the Ministry of Health.
37.13.3.2 The facility operator must provide potable and fresh water in workplaces and work fronts through drinking fountains, similar equipment, or clean, hermetically sealed portable containers made of appropriate material that ensures the same conditions.
37.13.3.3 The technical report proving the potability of the water consumed on board must be prepared by a legally qualified professional and posted on a notice board near the dining room.
37.13.3.4 Technical responsibility for the physical, chemical, and biological analyses of the potable water provided must be separate from the technical responsibility for the services of its treatment, storage, and distribution.
37.13.4 The use of shared cups, plates, cutlery, and other utensils without prior hygiene or improvisation for consuming water or food is prohibited.
37.13.4.1 The facility operator may use disposable materials to serve water and food, and providing food in plastic containers that will be heated for consumption is prohibited.
37.13.5 The places for storing and transporting potable water and its sources must be:
a) protected against any contamination;
b) sheltered from weather conditions;
c) subjected to a hygiene process;
d) free from plastic materials containing toxic chemicals and other contaminants that may harm the worker’s health; and
e) located separately from non-potable water.
37.13.6 The provision of provisions and potable water on board must be sufficient, taking into account the number of workers and possible emergency situations.
37.13.6.1 Food must be stored in a clean and organized place, protected against contamination, identified, and kept on pallets, platforms, or shelves, made of resistant and easily cleanable material, away from the floor, respecting the minimum spacing necessary to ensure adequate ventilation, cleaning, and disinfection of the area.
37.13.6.1.1 Food storage areas must be free from foreign materials, spoiled, toxic, or other items that may contaminate them.
37.13.6.1.2 Storing food in cardboard boxes, other than their own packaging, and other containers that are difficult to clean is prohibited.
37.13.6.1.3 Placing potable water in gallons directly on the floor is prohibited.
37.13.7 The platform manager or their representative must conduct weekly inspections to verify:
a) the quantity, quality, and validity of the provision of provisions and potable water;
b) the condition of the facilities and equipment used for storing and handling provisions and potable water;
c) the hygiene and functioning conditions of the kitchen and dining room, their equipment and accessories, including the exhaust fan; and
d) the absence of synanthropic animals.
37.13.7.1 The inspection results must be:
a) recorded in a report, dated and signed by the commissioner or person responsible for hospitality and the platform manager or their representative; and
b) communicated to the workforce by posting on a notice board near the dining room entrance.
37.13.8 The facility operator must carry out disinsectization and deratization at least semi-annually, according to procedures established by ANVISA.
37.14 Air Conditioning
37.14.1 A manned platform must be equipped with an adequate air conditioning system for living areas and workspaces that require constant intellectual effort and attention, ensuring health, safety, well-being, and thermal comfort.
37.14.1.1 The air conditioning system must be kept in continuous operation, providing a climatized environment with good quality indoor air whenever there are workers on board.
37.14.1.1.1 The indoor air quality must meet the criteria established by ANVISA and the Ministry of Health.
37.14.1.1.2 In case of deficiency in indoor air quality that exposes workers to serious and imminent risk, the facility operator must immediately relocate the workforce to a safe location and activate the Emergency Response Plan in accordance with chapter 37.28 of this NR, with return only after the system is normalized.
37.14.1.1.2.1 In case of deficiency in indoor air quality that exposes workers to serious and imminent risk, the facility operator must immediately relocate the workforce to a safe location and activate the Emergency Response Plan in accordance with chapter 37.28 of this NR, with return only after the system is normalized.
37.14.2 The evaluation of indoor air must also consider and quantify pollutants from physical, chemical, and biological agents identified in the Risk Management Program (RMP) that may affect the air intake of the air conditioning system.
37.14.2.1 The analytical method and reference standard for indoor air quality must comply with current legislation, national, and international technical standards, in that order.
37.14.2.2 The results of evaluations, maintenance, and corrections performed must be available to workers and their representatives.
37.14.3 The central or individual air conditioning of cabins, temporary cabins, and temporary accommodation modules must additionally meet the following requirements:
a) have individual air conditioning temperature control;
b) allow air direction through adjustable louvers installed on the supply grilles; and
c) produce low levels of noise and vibration.
37.14.4 Individual air conditioning units must undergo annual cleaning and maintenance procedures carried out by a qualified professional to ensure proper operating conditions and control.
37.15 Health and Safety Signs
37.15.1 For the purposes of meeting occupational health and safety sign requirements, platforms must comply with NR-26 Safety Signs, with the modifications provided in this chapter.
37.15.1.1 The color code used must be available on platform notice boards.
37.15.1.2 A platform with foreign workers on board must have health and safety signs also written in English.
37.15.2 Fire and panic safety signs must comply with the technical standard ABNT NBR 16820 – Safety Sign Systems – Design, requirements, and test methods, and subsequent amendments.
37.15.3 The use of colors in occupational safety to identify and warn against hazards must comply with the technical standard ABNT NBR 7195 – Safety Color and subsequent amendments.
37.15.4 The use of colors to identify pipelines for fluid and fragmented material channels or electrical conductors must comply with the technical standard ABNT NBR 6493 – Use of Colors to Identify Industrial Pipes and subsequent amendments, observing the subitems of this item.
37.15.4.1 Pipelines must be identified by painting along their entire length or by means of bands.
37.15.4.1.1 Identification bands must:
a) be made by painting or adhesive tapes in the colors and width described in ABNT NBR 6493 and subsequent amendments;
b) encircle the entire circumference of the pipeline;
c) be spaced at a maximum of 15 (fifteen) meters;
d) be such that it is possible to identify the pipeline without the observer needing to travel along it; and
e) exist at disconnection and inspection points, near valves, and close to obstacles crossed by the pipeline, such as partitions and decks.
37.15.4.2 The flow direction of the fluid must be indicated by directional arrows in a color contrasting with the background, near valves, when the pipeline is painted along its entire length.
37.15.4.2.1 In the case of identification of pipelines by bands, arrows must be placed near them.
37.15.4.3 Pipelines intended for water or foam to fight fires must be identified by painting along their entire length.
37.15.4.4 The maximum operating pressure of the pipeline must be indicated at sampling or open drainage points, in the unit of the international system.
37.15.5 Sources of ionizing radiation, storage locations for radioactive material, and work areas with exposure to ionizing radiation, whether industrial or naturally occurring, must be signaled with the international symbol (trefoil) and the supplementary notice recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), according to Annex II of this NR.
37.15.6 In the dining room, kitchen, and places for storing and handling provisions and water, posters with instructions on proper hand washing and antisepsis, as well as other hygiene habits, must be posted in easily visible locations, including sanitary facilities and washbasins used exclusively by food handlers.
37.16 Health and Safety Inspections Onboard
37.16.1 Platforms must be inspected monthly by the facility operator with a focus on occupational health and safety, considering the risks of activities and operations conducted onboard, according to the annual schedule prepared by the SESMT and previously informed to the CIPLAT.
37.16.2 Monthly health and safety inspections planned with the participation of the elected member, either primary or alternate, of CIPLAT must be coordinated, conducted, and recorded in a report by SESMT professionals stationed on the platform.
37.16.2.1 When an elected member, either primary or alternate, of CIPLAT participates in the inspection, it will serve to meet the verification of work environments and conditions by CIPLAT, as provided in NR-05.
37.16.3 Inspections must be documented through reports containing at least the following information:
a) Platform name, date, and inspected location;
b) Participants and their respective signatures;
c) Previous issues and current status;
d) Records of non-conformities that pose risks to workers’ health and safety;
e) Recommendations; and
f) Schedule with proposed deadlines and responsible parties for implementing the recommendations.
37.16.3.1 The legal representative of the platform must be made aware of the contents of the health and safety inspection report onboard by signing at the end of the document, approving the schedule with deadlines and responsible parties for addressing the recommendations.
37.16.3.2 Health and safety inspection reports must be presented to CIPLAT during the ordinary meeting following their completion, with a copy attached to the minutes.
37.17 Inspections and Maintenance
37.17.1 The facility operator must define and implement inspection and maintenance plans for the platform’s equipment, instruments, machines, systems, and accessories, in accordance with NR-12 Machinery and Equipment Safety and the RMP, where applicable, taking into account national technical standards, manufacturers’ or suppliers’ recommendations, and applicable engineering best practices.
37.17.1.1 The facility operator must prioritize preventive and predictive maintenance of critical safety elements or those that compromise workers’ health and safety, to eliminate the effects of basic causes of possible non-conformities, failures, or undesirable situations.
37.17.2 Commissioning and decommissioning associated with the maintenance or inspection of the platform’s equipment, instruments, machines, systems, and accessories must be preceded by procedures in accordance with safety guidelines based on risk analysis, following the systematic work release process of the facility operator.
37.17.3 Inspection and maintenance plans must include, at a minimum, the following items:
a) List of platform elements subject to inspections and maintenance;
b) Types of interventions to be carried out;
c) Schedule with established deadlines;
d) Safety measures to be adopted for each element and the respective collective and individual protection equipment required, which may be included in the permit to work;
e) Description of activities to be carried out and inspection and maintenance procedures; and
f) Signatures of the responsible technicians.
37.17.3.1 The facility operator must justify and document the non-compliance with deadlines defined in the inspection and maintenance plans.
37.17.4 The frequency of inspections and maintenance, as well as the re-evaluation of respective plans, must consider:
a) The provisions of NR, national technical standards, or, in their absence, international standards;
b) Manufacturers’ or suppliers’ recommendations, especially regarding items critical to workers’ healht and safety;
c) Effectiveness measured by performance indicators;
d) Proposed measures in health and safety inspection reports;
e) Recommendations and opinions contained in inspection and maintenance reports;
f) Suggestions arising from incident investigations conducted by SESMT and CIPLAT;
g) Recommendations from the action plan resulting from RMP risk assessments;
h) Onboard environmental and climatic conditions; and
i) Relevant suggestions from employee representatives.
37.17.5 Inspections, maintenance, and other interventions must be carried out by appropriately trained workers, under the supervision of a qualified professional onboard, and coordinated by a legally qualified professional who may be stationed onshore.
37.17.6 The use and operation of equipment, instruments, machines, accessories, or any other system on the platform subject to inspection and maintenance is prohibited before correcting any non-conformities that prevent their use, with formal acknowledgment from the platform’s legal representative.
37.17.7 In the case of inspections, maintenance, repairs, and other activities using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs – drones), the facility operator must ensure that services are conducted in compliance with the Special Brazilian Civil Aviation Regulation (RBAC-E), from the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), the operational norms established by the Department of Airspace Control (DECEA), and the requirements of the National Telecommunications Agency (ANATEL).
37.17.7.1 In addition to the provisions in item 37.17.7 of this NR, the facility operator must:
a) Ensure that the drone operator participates in the risk analysis and signs the permit to work for flight activities onboard;
b) Ensure that drones used in classified areas comply with the conditions established in INMETRO standards for such locations;
c) Assess simultaneous operations on the platform before using the drone; and
d) Prepare a map limiting the area permitted for drone flights, especially over areas with potential worker presence.
37.17.8 Permit to Work (PTW)
37.17.8.1 Inspection and maintenance work to be carried out in operational areas must be executed through the issuance of a PTW.
37.17.8.1.1 The issuance of a PTW is waived for maintenance and inspection activities, provided the following requirements are cumulatively met:
a) The issuance of a PTW for this activity is not required by other applicable regulatory standards;
b) The activity performed is routine;
c) The activity is preceded by a risk analysis and operational procedure that waives the issuance of a PTW; and
d) The activity is authorized or executed by the person responsible for the equipment or system and does not cause additional risks, and its simultaneity with other activities in progress on the platform must be analyzed.
37.17.8.1.1.1 The facility operator may define, through risk analysis, areas where hot or cold work, provided there are specific procedures, can be performed without the need for a PTW issuance.
37.17.8.2 The PTW consists of a document containing the set of necessary control measures for the work to be carried out safely, in addition to emergency and rescue measures, and must:
a) Be issued by the person responsible for the area, equipment, or system where the activity will be performed;
b) When equipment or a system is in an area under the responsibility of another team, both the equipment and area responsible parties must sign the PTW and its revalidations;
c) Be preceded by a risk analysis, considering the simultaneity with other activities in progress in the unit;
d) Be made available at the location where the activities are performed, either physically or digitally;
e) Contain the minimum requirements in accordance with the recommendations established in the risk analysis;
f) Be acknowledged and signed by all members of the work team, including new workers who join the team during the activity;
g) Be valid only for the duration of the activity; and
h) Be closed at the end of the service or stage by the parties responsible for its issuance and request and archived in a way that allows its traceability.
37.17.8.2.1 If the activity for which the PTW was issued lasts more than one work shift, it can be revalidated, provided that:
a) There are no changes in the conditions established in the PTW;
b) It is approved by the new responsible person for the permit in each shift and by the occupational safety professional; and
c) It complies with the simultaneity analysis for the new period.
37.17.9 The assembly, disassembly, and maintenance of scaffolding must comply with the requirements established in NR-34.
37.18 Operational Procedures and Work Organization
37.18.1 The facility operator must develop, document, implement, disseminate, keep updated, and make available the operational procedures carried out on the platform to all involved workers.
37.18.1.1 Operational procedures must comply with:
a) The technical specifications of the platform’s system design; and
b) The instructions in the operation and maintenance manuals prepared by the manufacturers/suppliers.
37.18.2 Operational procedures must contain clear and specific instructions for performing activities safely in each of the following phases:
a) Commissioning;
b) Pre-operation and startup;
c) Operation;
d) Shutdown, including emergency shutdown;
e) Return to operation, including after an emergency; and
f) Decommissioning.
37.18.3 Operational procedures must be reassessed at least biennially and revised when one of the following situations occurs:
a) Recommendations arising from safety inspections, RMP risk assessments, facility risk analyses, or incidents that occurred in the facility;
b) Modifications, expansions, or renovations in systems and equipment related to the procedures;
c) Changes in the platform’s operational conditions, as indicated by the management of change; or
d) Requests from SESMT.
37.18.4 When there is a revision of an operational procedure, the involved workers, both own and outsourced, must undergo occasional training as provided in item 37.9.6(d) of this NR.
37.18.5 The facility operator must ensure a sufficient number of workers to perform all operational tasks safely, analyzing at least the following aspects:
a) Different levels of technical training;
b) Work positions;
c) Work organization;
e) Boarding teams;
f) Work schedules and shifts;
g) Necessary training; and
h) Definition of responsibilities for supervision and execution of work activities.
37.18.5.1 The parameters adopted by the employer in determining the minimum onboard staffing must be documented and archived on the platform and signed by the professional responsible, designated by the company.
37.18.5.2 Work organization must consider, at a minimum, the requirements set forth in NR-17 Ergonomics.
37.18.5.3 Workers must be trained in the work processes in which they are involved.
37.18.5.3.1 Training must include health and safety procedures for the work process.
37.19 Electrical installations
37.19.1 The provisions of this chapter and NR-10 Safety in Electrical Installations and Services apply to the platform’s electrical installations
37.19.1.1 In the absence of NR-10, the following apply, in this order: national technical standards, international technical standards, or the MODU Code, when applicable.
37.19.2 Foreign workers authorized to work must also be adequately trained, qualified, or legally certified to perform their duties in accordance with NR-10.
37.19.2.1 A foreign worker is considered qualified after their training and education abroad have been formally recognized by a legally certified professional authorized by the facility operator.
37.19.3 A platform with metallic continuity is exempt from proving inspections and measurements of lightning protection systems, provided this condition is certified by a technical report prepared by a legally certified professional.
37.19.4 Workers performing services on high-voltage energized electrical installations must be qualified according to Annex III of this NR.
37.20 Cargo Handling and Transport
37.20.1 The machines and equipment used for various cargo handling and transport services on board must comply with the provisions of this NR, NR-12, and applicable national and international technical standards, in that order.
37.20.2 Design, Maintenance, and Certification of Motorized Equipment
37.20.2.1 Motorized cargo handling and transport equipment must be designed by a legally certified professional.
37.20.2.1.1 When manufactured abroad, the equipment must meet the technical requirements of international standards and be duly certified.
37.20.2.2 The maintenance of motorized equipment must be performed by qualified professionals, under the responsibility of a legally certified professional, and formally authorized by the facility operator.
37.20.2.2.1 Companies providing technical maintenance services for motorized equipment must be registered with the Regional Council of Engineering and Agronomy (CREA).
37.20.2.3 The facility operator must prepare the motorized equipment dossier, containing at least the following information:
a) Technical specifications;
b) Inspection and maintenance programs and records;
c) Certifications;
d) Timeframe for correcting non-conformities found during inspections and maintenance;
e) Identification and signature of the technical responsible person designated by the facility operator to implement this procedure; and
f) A copy of the operation manual provided by the manufacturer or supplier, in Portuguese.
37.20.2.3.1 If the equipment’s operation manual is unavailable, it must be reconstituted by a legally certified professional.
37.20.2.4 The certification of cargo handling equipment and its accessories must meet the following criteria:
a) Be conducted by a legally certified professional, registered with CREA;
b) Include a record of the inspection report; and
c) Adhere to the periodicity specified by the legally certified professional, which should not exceed the manufacturer’s or supplier’s recommendation.
37.20.2.5 The inspection report for equipment certification must be prepared by a legally certified professional and contain:
a) Criteria and technical standards used;
b) Items inspected;
c) Non-conformities found, describing those impeding and not impeding the equipment’s operation;
d) Corrective measures adopted for impeding non-conformities;
e) Correction timeframe for non-impeding irregularities that do not pose a safety or health hazard to workers;
f) Date for the next inspection; and
g) Conclusive opinion on the equipment’s operation.
37.20.2.6 Certification and operation of the equipment are prohibited without correcting impeding non-conformities.
37.20.2.7 Inoperable or failed equipment must have this status recorded in its dossier and must be re-certified before returning to operation.
37.20.2.8 Using cargo handling equipment with overdue recommendations is prohibited without validation by a legally certified professional.
37.20.3 Pre-Operational Inspection and Operation of Motorized Equipment
37.20.3.1 Before starting any operation, the equipment must be inspected by its operator, following the guidance of the responsible technician (legally certified professional) and the manufacturer’s or supplier’s recommendations.
37.20.3.1.1 The results obtained during the inspection must be recorded by the operator on a checklist.
37.20.3.2 Cargo handling accessories can only be used if they are in perfect operational condition.
37.20.3.3 Electromechanical cargo handling and transport must be performed by a qualified and authorized worker.
37.20.3.4 Loading or unloading areas must be isolated and signposted during handling operations, allowing access only to personnel involved in the operation.
37.20.3.5 Operational procedures for the equipment must comply with the manufacturer’s or supplier’s recommendations.
37.20.3.6 The facility operator must prepare specific procedures for handling hazardous substances, such as acids, flammable and toxic gases, explosives, solvents, and others.
37.20.3.7 At the end of their shift, the equipment operator must record any abnormalities observed in the equipment’s operation in a designated book or electronic medium.
37.20.3.7.1 The legally certified professional must evaluate and sign the recorded abnormalities, adopting necessary measures and assessing them together with the correction timeframe for non-impeding irregularities listed in the last inspection report (item 37.20.2.5) that certified the equipment.
37.20.4 Crane Operations
37.20.4.1 Electromechanical crane operations must be supervised by the cargo handling manager or deck supervisor.
37.20.4.2 All crane movement operations must be directed by a signalman and handled by an operator trained in this equipment.
37.20.4.2.1 The signalman must have a basic safety course, with a syllabus described in Annex IV of this NR.
37.20.4.2.2 The crane operator must complete the basic course (Annex IV) and the supplementary course, as outlined in Annex V of this NR.
37.20.4.2.3 The signalman or crane operator, as applicable, must undergo an 8-hour refresher training according to the syllabus established by the facility operator when one of the following occurs:
a) Absence from this activity for 180 days or more;
b) Need to use equipment different from that usually operated by the operator; or
c) A serious or fatal accident related to cargo handling or personnel transport on board.
37.20.4.3 Before each shift, the cargo handling manager or deck supervisor must inspect if the accessories to be used are within the certification validity period and in operational condition.
37.20.4.3.1 The inspection results must be recorded on a checklist, covering at least the following items:
a) Blocks;
b) Clamps;
c) Hooks with safety latches;
d) Shackles;
e) Swivels;
f) Slings, straps, and chains;
g) Wire ropes;
h) Clips or slings (wire ropes, sockets, and terminations);
i) Connection pins, bolts, latches, and other devices;
j) Pulleys at the boom tip and block;
k) Lifting eyes;
l) Lifting clamps; and
m) Scales.
37.20.4.3.2 A new inspection must be conducted whenever any accessory is added or replaced.
37.20.4.4 Before each shift, the crane operator must inspect and record on a checklist the operational and safety conditions, such as:
a) Brakes;
b) Clutches;
c) Controls;
d) Boom mechanisms;
e) Anemometer;
f) Movement mechanism;
g) Weight and travel safety devices;
h) Lubricant, fuel, and coolant levels;
i) Control instruments on the panel;
j) Sound and light signals;
k) Electromagnet;
l) Windshield wiper;
m) Fluid and fuel leaks; and
n) Abnormal noises and vibrations.
37.20.4.5 Aerial cargo movement must be directed by a signalman, always within the operator’s line of sight.
37.20.4.5.1 If the signalman is not visible to the crane operator, radio communication, an intermediary signalman, or both must be used.
37.20.4.5.1.1 On unmanned platforms, a signalman must be present during occasional cargo movement operations, with a risk analysis of the operation.
37.20.4.6 The signalman must use easily visible identification, both day and night, to distinguish them from other workers in the crane operation area.
37.20.4.7 The crane operator must follow the signalman’s instructions.
37.20.4.7.1 Exceptionally, the operator must follow emergency stop signals given by other workers.
37.20.4.8 Using natural fiber ropes for cargo handling is prohibited, except when used as guide ropes.
37.20.4.9 The crane must have an automatic device with an audible alarm to warn about wind speed.
37.20.4.10 Cargo handling with cranes is prohibited in the following cases:
a) Poor lighting;
b) Adverse or unfavorable weather conditions that expose workers to risks; and
c) Non-compliance with equipment limitations as per the manufacturer’s or supplier’s manual.
37.20.4.10.1 In addition to the limitations established in item 37.20.4.10, the facility operator must comply with Table 1 to carry out cargo handling.
Table 1 – Conditions for Crane Operation Based on Wind Speed
| Wind Speed | Conditions for Equipment Operation |
| 0 to 38 km/h | All cargo handling operations are permitted. |
| 39 to 49 km/h | – Sound alarm activated from 39 km/h; – Ordinary cargo handling operations must be suspended; – Only assisted operations are permitted, including between the platform and vessels, with continuous monitoring of weather conditions. |
| 50 to 61 km/h | Only assisted operations are permitted, carried out solely within the platform, with continuous monitoring of weather conditions. |
| Above 61 km/h | All operations must be suspended. |
37.20.4.11 To move loads with lifting equipment, the following must be ensured:
a) Prohibit tools or any loose objects on the load;
b) Ensure the load is evenly distributed among the sling legs, stabilized, and tied;
c) Ensure the weight is compatible with the equipment’s capacity;
d) Ensure the lifting equipment hook is perpendicular to the load to be lifted, checking the load’s center of gravity position;
e) Use a guide rope or rigid rod, when applicable, made of non-conductive material, to position the load;
f) Ensure load handling devices and accessories have maximum load identification, indelible and easily visible;
g) Use only hooks with safety latches;
h) Ensure gas cylinders are transported in an upright position and within appropriate devices;
i) Ensure drums and barrels, when moved together, are contained in suitable transport devices;
j) Prohibit throwing and dragging load handling accessories;
k) Prevent slings and wire ropes from direct contact with load edges during transport;
l) Prohibit simultaneous load handling with the same equipment;
m) Prohibit interruption of movement that keeps the load suspended, except in emergencies;
n) Keep controls in the neutral position, brakes applied, locks engaged, and de-energized when interrupting or completing the operation; and
o) Ensure the cargo handling area is signposted and isolated.
37.20.4.12 The crane operator’s cabin must have:
a) A workstation and environmental conditions according to NR-17;
b) Protection against excessive sun and weather;
c) A clean, non-slip floor free of materials;
d) A maximum load chart for all conditions of use, written in Portuguese and English, posted inside the cabin and easily understood and visible by the operator;
e) A control panel in adequate working condition and ready to operate;
f) A ladder in safe condition for access and escape; and
g) A copy of Table 1 of this NR.
37.21 Storage of Hazardous Substances
37.21.1 The location of the compartment and the places used for the internal storage of hazardous substances on the platform must prioritize the health and safety of workers on board and comply with the provisions mentioned in this NR, the standards of the Maritime Authority, and the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code).
37.21.1.1 It is prohibited to store hazardous substances in places that do not meet the requirements of item 37.21.1 of this NR, even temporarily.
37.21.2 Compartments for storing hazardous substances must:
a) have direct access to the open area of the platform;
b) be used exclusively for their intended purpose; and
c) be located at a safe distance from living areas (including temporary accommodation modules), control rooms, laboratories, escape routes, flames, sparks, and heat.
37.21.3 Stored chemicals must be distributed and separated according to their nature, with incompatible substances properly segregated.
37.21.4 The internal storage compartment for fuels and flammables must have:
a) partitions, ceilings, and floors made of fire-resistant material, and the floors must not cause sparks from shoe or tool friction;
b) a device to prevent the formation of static electricity;
c) appropriate electrical equipment and materials for the area classification, as described in NR-10;
d) effective ventilation and exhaust systems, when required;
e) a system for the safe treatment or disposal of toxic or flammable gases;
f) a fire-fighting system with appropriate extinguishers near the access door;
g) automatic fire detection installed inside the compartment, with an alarm in the control room;
h) doors with automatic closing mechanisms, when necessary;
i) a dry environment free from corrosive substances;
j) emergency lighting;
k) access routes and doors visibly and legibly marked with “FLAMMABLE” and “NO SMOKING”; and
l) an adequate spill containment system.
37.21.4.1 The compartment must be easy to clean and have an adequate containment area for spill collection or a drainage system that allows the flow and storage in a safe location in case of flammable or combustible liquid leaks.
37.21.4.2 Cabinets, shelves, or racks used to store flammables and combustibles must be made of metal.
37.21.5 The area used to store flammable gas in the open area of the platform must:
a) only communicate with the open deck;
b) be safe, ventilated, segregated, and marked;
c) allow cylinder fixation;
d) provide protection for cylinders against impacts and weather conditions; and
e) be away from ignition sources and corrosive agents.
37.21.6 Gas cylinders must be:
a) stored with closed valves and protected by a screwed cap;
b) fixed in a vertical position;
c) segregated by product type;
d) separated between full and empty or partially used containers; and
e) marked.
37.21.6.1 Gas cylinders and containers of hazardous substances considered nominally empty must be stored according to the requirements of item 37.21.6 until they are offloaded.
37.21.7 Valves, pipelines, hoses, and accessories used in gas cylinders must be made of material resistant to pressure, impact, and corrosion and compatible with the fluid.
37.21.8 Cylinders, valves, pipelines, hoses, and their accessories must be periodically inspected, and the results must be recorded in reports and filed on board.
37.21.9 It is prohibited to keep cylinders containing flammable gases in the kitchen, dining room, or adjacent interior areas.
37.21.10 The facility operator must keep an updated list of hazardous substances present on board and their respective Safety Data Sheets (SDS) available to workers and their representatives.
37.21.11 The SDSs must also be kept in the compartment where the hazardous substances are stored, organized, and easily accessible.
37.22 Boilers, Pressure Vessels, and Piping
37.22.1 The provisions of this chapter and those of NR-13 (Boilers, Pressure Vessels, Piping, and Metallic Storage Tanks) apply to the boilers, pressure vessels, and piping on platforms.
37.22.1.1 Transportable vessels that are permanently attached to the platform installations and do not undergo any type of movement during operation must comply with the provisions of NR-13.
37.22.1.2 Pressure vessels intended exclusively for naval systems and propulsion systems of vessels converted into platforms are not subject to NR-13, provided that:
a) these vessels have an up-to-date class certificate issued by classification societies recognized by the Maritime Authority; and
b) the pressure vessels referred to in the main clause are not integrated or interconnected with the platform’s process plant.
37.22.2 For boilers installed in enclosed environments, the following requirements of subitem 13.4.2.4 of NR-13 do not apply:
a) a separate building for the boiler house or engine room;
b) permanent ventilation that cannot be blocked; and
c) prohibition of using the boiler house or engine room for other purposes.
37.22.3 For pressure vessels installed in enclosed environments, the requirement for permanent ventilation with unblocked air inlets does not apply.
37.22.4 A foreign worker is considered qualified as a boiler or process unit operator if they have training and an internship or training and experience of more than 2 (two) years, conducted abroad or in Brazil.
37.22.4.1 The qualification must be formally recognized by a legally qualified professional designated by the facility operator as the technical responsible for the boiler(s) or process unit(s).
37.22.4.2 The legally qualified professional must provide the reasons for recognizing the qualification of the foreign boiler or process unit operator, issuing the respective certificate.
37.22.5 The facility operator must keep documents on board proving the training, internship, and retraining of boiler operators and professionals with safety training in the operation of process units.
37.22.6 The initial safety inspection of the pressure vessel must be carried out with it definitively connected to the process unit on the platform, as established in the design.
37.22.6.1 The initial safety inspection must be carried out under the responsibility of a legally qualified professional designated as the technical responsible.
37.22.6.2 In the case of a platform whose process unit is built in interconnectable modules, the initial inspection may be carried out with the pressure vessel connected to the module before this set is hoisted and definitively interconnected with the other modules.
37.22.6.2.1 In this situation, the maximum period for the definitive interconnection of the modules containing the pressure vessels is one year.
37.22.6.2.2 If the initial safety inspections referred to in subitem 37.22.6.2 are formally accompanied by a legally qualified professional employed by the facility operator, the maximum period for the definitive interconnection of the modules containing the pressure vessels may be up to 2 (two) years.
37.22.6.2.3 If the deadlines in subitems 37.22.6.2.1 and 37.22.6.2.2 are exceeded, the initial safety inspections of the pressure vessels must be redone.
37.22.6.2.3.1 If the reinspection is carried out at the definitive location, as per item 37.22.6, compliance with subitems 37.22.6.2.4 and 37.22.6.2.5 is waived.
37.22.6.2.4 The hoisting of the modules referred to in subitem 37.22.6.2 must be accompanied by a legally qualified professional formally designated by the facility operator as the technical responsible, with the purpose of certifying the physical integrity of the pressure vessels and their accessories, as they are installed definitively in the platform’s process unit.
37.22.6.2.4.1 After hoisting, the facility operator must carry out an external inspection of the pressure vessels and piping contained in the respective module.
37.22.6.2.5 After the interconnection of the modules, tightness tests must be carried out on their pressure vessels and piping, according to the criteria established in the applicable technical standards.
37.23 Fire and Gas Detection and Alarm System
37.23.1 The platform must have detection and alarm systems to continuously monitor the possibility of loss of containment of toxic, flammable materials, and fire, using specific methodology for these systems, with a design that meets the items of this standard and national and international technical standards.
37.23.1.1 On production platforms, fixed detection and alarm systems must interface with other safety systems, such as fire-fighting, emergency shutdown (ESD), and unit depressurization (blow down), as well as other risk situations, allowing actions as provided for in their respective logic.
37.23.1.2 On drilling platforms, fixed detection and alarm systems must interface with other safety systems, such as fire-fighting, kick detection, emergency disconnection system, emergency shutdown (ESD), and depressurization (blow down), as well as other risk situations, also allowing actions as provided for in their logic.
37.23.1.3 On platforms capable of production, drilling, and well interventions, the facility operator must comply with subitems 37.23.1.1 and 37.23.1.2.
37.23.2 Fixed detectors and alarms must be installed according to the design dimensions and updates, including in temporary installations.
37.23.3 Fire alarm activation buttons must be of the “Break glass and press button” type or a similar system, both marked in red.
37.23.3.1 Buttons located in corridors must be easily accessible and positioned so that the distance a worker must travel to activate them is no more than 30 (thirty) meters, with signs every 15 (fifteen) meters or at deviations.
37.23.4 The design must consider the dispersion study of toxic or flammable gases and vapors in the work environment for the selection of the type, quantity, distribution, and sensitivity of the detectors.
37.23.4.1 In the absence of a gas dispersion study, the facility operator must adopt the quantity and positioning of detectors and alarms as provided in national or international technical standards.
37.23.5 Fixed detectors must be individually identified and interconnected to the platform’s control room alarm system.
37.23.6 Alarm and communication systems with onboard personnel must be capable of emitting perceptible and unmistakable sound and visual signals, as well as broadcasting audible messages in all areas of the platform intended for human occupation.
37.23.6.1 In areas where the continuous or intermittent noise level is above 90 dB (A), light signals must also be installed.
37.23.7 Alarm settings (set point) must consider, when applicable, the following aspects:
a) the toxicity of present materials;
b) the lower and upper explosivity limits of flammable materials;
c) the maximum response time required for the detector;
d) the actions to be taken after the alarm sounds; and
e) the time needed to evacuate workers from the contaminated or burning environment.
37.23.7.1 For fixed detectors dedicated to points of continuous or intermittent emission of toxic gases, the first alarm level must be set to the exposure limits established by Brazilian or international standards.
37.23.8 After installation and commissioning, detectors and alarms must be periodically tested by a qualified professional, according to the manufacturer’s or supplier’s instructions, and the results must be recorded in a report.
37.23.8.1 Fixed detectors must be kept in perfect condition and functioning according to the manufacturer’s determinations and national and international technical standards.
37.23.9 Fixed detectors and alarms must be powered by the platform’s emergency electrical system, according to NORMAM-01/DPC.
37.23.10 Deactivating, bypassing, changing the action level (set point), or using any means that prevents the proper functioning of detectors or alarms is only allowed with:
a) authorization from a manager designated by the employer;
b) a specific procedure or plan; and
c) implementation of recommendations included in risk analyses.
37.23.11 At least two portable instruments must be available on board for the detection of CH4, H2S, O2, CO, and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC).
37.23.12 Portable detectors must be calibrated, approved, and certified by a laboratory accredited by INMETRO.
37.23.12.1 Auto zero (or clean air adjustment), response test (bump test or function check), and adjustment of fixed and portable detectors can be performed by a qualified or certified worker for this purpose.
37.23.13 Detectors must be installed redundantly in the air intake of the air conditioning system, as indicated in a risk study.
37.23.13.1 Gas detectors must be associated with interlocking devices to control fans, exhausters, and dampers, ensuring that the maximum response time maintains internal environmental conditions suitable for human health. The air exhaust system from the living quarters, control rooms, and laboratories must be equipped with automatic closing dampers when the air is destined for classified areas.
37.23.14 In places where drilling, completion, stimulation, and restoration fluids for oil wells with flammable or combustible characteristics are prepared, stored, or treated, detectors must be installed to alert for the formation of explosive or toxic atmospheres.
37.23.15 The battery room must have a hydrogen (H2) detection and alarm system, considering the influence of the air exhaust and supply system in the compartment.
37.23.15.1 The proper functioning of the battery room exhaust system must be signaled in the platform’s control room.
37.24 Prevention and Control of Leaks, Spills, Fires, and Explosions
37.24.1 The facility operator must continuously implement measures, starting from the design phase, to prevent and control leaks, spills, fires, and explosions.
37.24.1.1 The measures must include the necessary means to minimize the occurrence and mitigate the consequences in case of failures in the prevention and control systems.
37.24.1.2 For fugitive emissions, the original platform design and its changes, modifications in process conditions, maintenance, and repair must include procedures to minimize risks according to technical feasibility, after identifying their sources.
37.24.2 An elected representative of CIPLAT, or in their absence, a designated representative from each organization involved in the process to be analyzed, must be consulted by the facility operator during the development and review of specific measures to prevent and control leaks, spills, fires, and explosions.
37.24.3 The measures for preventing and controlling leaks, spills, fires, and explosions must be reviewed after critical analyses of the measures adopted as a result of these events or when:
a) recommendations arise from safety inspections, risk assessments of the RMP, or risk analyses of the installations;
b) recommendations result from the analyses of incidents that occurred on the installation, or even outside it, that may have affected the normal operating conditions of the platform;
c) there are implications from incidents that occurred on their own platforms or reported by the ANP, whose evaluation must be carried out by the facility operator;
d) requested by the SESMT;
e) requested by CIPLAT, following a technical assessment by SESMT; and
f) notified by labor inspection.
37.24.4 Tanks, vessels, equipment, and other platform components that store combustible and flammable liquids must have containment systems for leaks or spills, such as dikes, trays, or similar structures, designed and constructed according to national technical standards or, in their absence, international standards.
37.24.4.1 In the case of containment basins, the storage of materials, containers, and similar items inside them is prohibited, except during maintenance, repair, expansion, inspection, decommissioning, and dismantling of the equipment protected by these basins.
37.24.4.2 Cargo tanks or those incorporated into the platform structure are exempt from meeting item 37.24.4 of this NR.
37.24.5 The systems used to prepare, store, or treat drilling, completion, stimulation, and restoration fluids for oil wells, with combustible or flammable characteristics, must be equipped with measurement and control instruments to prevent the formation of explosive atmospheres, following this hierarchy:
a) prevent the release or spread of these agents into the work environment;
b) reduce the concentration of these agents in the work environment; and
c) eliminate the risk of fire and explosion.
37.24.6 In areas subject to the existence or formation of explosive atmospheres or flammable mixtures, the facility operator is responsible for implementing specific measures to control ignition sources.
37.24.7 Electrical, instrumentation, automation, and telecommunications equipment installed in classified areas must meet the current legal certification requirements, and the respective design, selection, installation, inspection, maintenance, and recovery services must comply with NR-10 and applicable parts of the technical standard ABNT NBR IEC 60079 – Explosive atmospheres and subsequent amendments.
37.24.8 Mechanical equipment installed in classified areas must be evaluated according to the requirements specified in the technical standard ABNT NBR ISO 80079-36 – Explosive atmospheres – Part 36: Non-electrical equipment for explosive atmospheres – Basic methods and requirements, or ABNT NBR ISO 80079-37 – Explosive atmospheres – Part 37: Non-electrical equipment for explosive atmospheres – Types of protection for non-electrical equipment: constructional safety “c”, control of ignition sources “b” and liquid immersion “k” and subsequent amendments.
37.24.9 The facility operator must mark and classify on the platform plans the areas, both external and internal, subject to the existence or formation of atmospheres containing flammable or explosive mixtures, according to the ABNT NBR IEC 60079 standard and subsequent amendments.
37.24.9.1 Classified areas must have visible and legible safety sign indicating the prohibition of ignition sources.
37.24.10 Services involving the use of equipment, instruments, tools, and other services that may generate flames, sparks, heat, or sparks in areas subject to the existence or formation of explosive atmospheres or flammable mixtures must comply with the requirements of NR-34, except for the permit to work provided for in chapter 37.17 of this NR.
37.24.11 In semi-submersible platforms of the column-stabilized type, tanks or vessels directly or indirectly connected to the oil or gas processing unit must not be installed inside the columns or pontoons.
37.24.12 The facility operator must ensure that the oxygen concentration in the gas mixture generated by burning is equal to or less than 5% (v/v) and, inside the cargo tanks, equal to or less than 8% (v/v).
37.25 Fire Protection and Firefighting
37.25.1 The provisions of this chapter, Chapter 9 of NORMAM-01/DPC, and the technical standard ISO 13702 – Petroleum and natural gas industries — Control and mitigation of fires and explosions on offshore production installations — Requirements and guidelines, and subsequent amendments, apply to platforms in that order.
37.25.2 Fire protection on platforms must be developed through a structured approach, considering the existing risks to workers, with the following objectives:
a) reduce the possibility of fire occurrence;
b) detect and alarm the occurrence of fire in the origin zone;
c) limit the possibility of fire spreading;
d) protect the actions of workers involved in emergency response activities;
e) control and, when safe, extinguish fire outbreaks; and
f) safeguard the health and safety of workers during platform abandonment.
37.25.3 The fire protection system must comprise at least the following requirements:
a) instruments for detecting and alarming the presence of gases, smoke, and flames;
b) control and shutdown of the production or drilling process;
c) autonomous emergency power source;
d) sufficient equipment to fight fires in their early stages, as prescribed by NORMAM-01/DPC;
e) workers trained in the correct use of the aforementioned equipment, as established in NORMAM-01/DPC;
f) appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for fighting fire with Approval Certificates (CA); and
g) escape routes, emergency exits, and emergency lighting for the quick evacuation of personnel on board in case of fire or explosion.
37.25.4 Emergency Control and Shutdown Devices
37.25.4.1 The platform must have automatic systems that stop the process, isolate part of it, depressurize the unit, or limit the escalation of abnormal situations.
37.25.4.2 Based on the risk analyses of the installations and risk assessments of the RMP, the facility operator must develop operational procedures for the platform shutdown system, depending on the location and type of emergency.
37.25.4.3 The platform must have a remote activation system on board to command the emergency shutdown of equipment and systems that could propagate or fuel the fire with combustible or flammable material.
37.25.4.4 The platform must have control over the admissions and discharges of air and the operation of ventilation in control stations, living areas, service compartments, cargo, and machinery compartments.
37.25.4.4.1 The means of closing ducts and controlling fans must:
a) be protected from fire;
b) be easily accessible;
c) be located outside the compartments being ventilated;
d) be visibly and legibly identified;
e) indicate whether the ducts are open or closed; and
f) show whether the fans are on or off.
37.25.5 The facility operator must conduct fire drills and specific training for the fire brigade within the periodicity and with content determined by the Maritime Authority (NORMAM-01/DPC).
37.25.6 Fixed Firefighting Systems
37.25.6.1 Platforms must be equipped with firefighting systems with pressurized water to ensure emergency response in sufficient time to preserve worker safety.
37.25.6.1.1 The specifications for pumps, networks, fire hydrants, hoses, and other accessories must comply with NORMAM-01/DPC.
37.25.6.1.2 Hydrants must be easily visible and accessible.
37.25.6.1.3 The shelters for hoses and other accessories must not be locked.
37.25.6.1.4 Hydrants and supply networks must be inspected monthly, and the results recorded in a report.
37.25.6.1.5 The water supply for the firefighting network must be provided by at least two motor pump sets capable of being activated independently of the platform’s main electrical system, either by combustion engine or emergency electrical system.
37.25.6.1.5.1 The platform must have a firefighting motor pump set ready to operate with full capacity for the highest demand scenario.
37.25.6.1.5.2 If there are expansions or modifications that change the highest demand scenario, the facility operator must reassess and resize the firefighting system when applicable.
37.25.6.1.5.3 During the maintenance period of the standby motor pump set, the facility operator must adopt contingency measures based on the risk analyses of the installations and the risk assessments of the RMP, ensuring the level of reliability of the firefighting system required by national or international technical standards, in that sequence.
37.25.6.1.6 Firefighting pumps must be tested annually for performance by developing their characteristic curves (total head vs. flow), using instruments to measure flow, pressure, and rotation.
37.25.6.1.6.1 The instruments mentioned in subitem 37.25.6.1.6 must have valid calibration certificates according to INMETRO procedures.
37.25.6.1.6.2 The efficiency of the tested pump must correspond to that required by the design, meeting the fire scenarios established by the risk studies, in accordance with Chapter 4 of NORMAM-01/DPC and the requirements established by NFPA 20 – Standard for the Installation of Stationary Pumps for Fire Protection and NFPA 25 – Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems.
37.25.6.2 The platform must be equipped with effective fixed fire extinguishing systems, according to the possible fire classes and the fire potential in the area to be protected.
37.25.6.2.1 The pipes and accessories used in the pressurized water spray system must be intact, meeting the fire protection design.
37.25.6.3 An unmanned platform operator may use an alternative fire protection system to ensure worker safety, based on risk analyses of the installation, risk assessment of the RMP, and national or international technical standards.
37.25.7 Portable Fire Extinguishers
37.25.7.1 The platform must be equipped with extinguishers to fight fires in their initial phase.
37.25.7.2 The number, distribution, type, and load of extinguishers must be related to their extinguishing capacity, the possible fire classes on board, and the fire potential in the area to be protected, according to NORMAM-01/DPC, or in its absence, national technical standards.
37.25.7.2.1 A wheeled fire extinguisher is only counted in the extinguishing capacity if its agent can reach the area to be protected.
37.25.7.3 Fire extinguishers must be certified by INMETRO, with the respective conformity mark seal.
37.25.7.4 Location and Signs
37.25.7.4.1 Extinguishers must be installed in easily visible and accessible locations.
37.25.7.4.2 It is forbidden to place extinguishers on stairs, stair landings, or behind doors.
37.25.7.4.3 The location for extinguisher placement must be marked as provided in the technical standard ABNT NBR 16820 and subsequent amendments.
37.25.7.4.4 The top part of the fire extinguisher must not be situated more than 1.60 m above floor level.
37.25.7.4.5 When installed, the extinguisher must have its instructions for use facing forward, visibly.
37.25.7.5 Inspection and Maintenance of Portable Fire Extinguishers
37.25.7.5.1 Inspection and maintenance services for first, second, and third levels of fire extinguishers must be performed according to INMETRO requirements.
37.25.7.5.2 A fire extinguisher that is removed for maintenance must be replaced, at the time of its removal, by another extinguisher with identical or superior characteristics.
37.25.8 Escape Routes, Exits, Doors, and Emergency Lighting
37.25.8.1 Workplaces and living areas must have escape routes and exits to external areas, in sufficient numbers, arranged to lead workers to a safe place or the platform abandonment station quickly and safely.
37.25.8.2 In addition to the provisions in NORMAM-01/DPC, escape routes must:
a) have vertical sign through phosphorescent plates or light signals, according to the technical standard ABNT NBR 16820, or floor-level or baseboard-level sign indicating the direction to the exit;
b) be equipped with emergency lighting;
c) be permanently unobstructed and intact;
d) have a minimum width of 1.20 m for main routes and 0.70 m for secondary routes; and
e) be continuous and safe for access to external areas.
37.25.8.3 The platform must have an emergency lighting design according to the technical standard ABNT NBR IEC 61892-2, prepared by a legally qualified professional with the objectives of:
a) facilitating exit from hazardous areas (classified areas, boiler areas, pressure vessel areas, etc.);
b) providing appropriate visibility for secondary escape routes so workers can reach the main escape route;
c) allowing visibility and orientation along the main escape route;
d) enabling the visualization of electrical panels to be turned on/off in case of an onboard incident;
e) allowing the identification of safety and firefighting equipment; and
f) ensuring emergency lighting for the infirmary.
37.25.8.3.1 Emergency lighting points must be in perfect working order and installed primarily in places where there are floor level changes, direction changes in escape routes, stairs, abandonment areas, emergency equipment, and fire alarm activation points, among other strategic locations.
37.25.8.4 Doors for main escape routes must:
a) be arranged to be always visible;
b) be permanently unobstructed;
c) open in the direction of escape, except for sliding doors; and
d) be situated so that when opened, they do not obstruct passageways or cause personal injury.
37.25.8.4.1 The opening direction of other doors must not obstruct secondary escape routes.
37.25.8.4.2 The use of rolling doors on platforms is prohibited.
37.25.8.4.3 Doors opening inward must have an emergency passage that can be opened outward and used as an escape route in case of panic or failure of the regular opening system, with minimum dimensions according to NORMAM-01/DPC.
37.25.8.4.3.1 For compartments less than 16 m² (sixteen square meters), alternatively, doors can be ejectable.
37.25.8.4.4 The clear width of doors giving access to stairs must be at least the same width as the escape route served by them.
37.25.8.4.5 It is forbidden to lock, latch, or secure fire doors or doors on escape routes internally or externally.
37.25.9 Autonomous Emergency Power Source
37.25.9.1 The platform must have accumulator batteries and, if necessary, an emergency generator capable of simultaneously supplying the essential power for the operation of the following safety systems for workers:
a) emergency and escape lighting;
b) fire and gas detection and alarm;
c) emergency communication;
d) firefighting;
e) emergency shutdown and emergency disconnection; and
f) control, interlock, and supervision.
37.25.9.2 The emergency power source on board must have sufficient autonomy to supply essential safety services for the periods specified by current legislation.
37.25.9.3 Accumulator batteries must be in a ready-to-operate state and housed in a compartment built and used solely for this purpose, kept ventilated, and equipped with specific detectors for the gases that may be generated.
37.25.9.3.1 The installation of electrical panels in the same compartment as accumulator batteries is prohibited, except for the emergency electrical panel powered by them.
37.25.10 Maintenance, Tests, and Inspections
37.25.10.1 Maintenance, tests, and inspections must be performed to ensure the reliability of systems, firefighting equipment, and the emergency power source, according to the manufacturer’s manual and applicable technical standards, in that order.
37.25.10.2 The maintenance plan for the system and equipment used in fire protection must be kept updated and available on board the platform.
37.26 Protection Against Ionizing Radiation
37.26.1 Throughout the entire lifecycle of the platform, to protect workers from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation from industrial operations with radioactive sources and naturally occurring radioactive materials generated during the exploration, production, storage, and handling of oil and waste, the facility operator must adopt the measures prescribed in this NR and, for activities related to chapter 37.10, the measures provided in NR-34.
37.26.1.1 The facility operator must prioritize alternative methods that do not use radioactive sources on board.
37.26.1.1.1 When substitution is not adopted, the facility operator must justify and document the decision in a report prepared by a legally qualified professional, recording it in the RMP.
37.26.2 Compliance with the requirements of this NR and NR-34 does not exempt compliance with other provisions established by the standards of the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN) or, in their absence, the provisions in national and international technical standards and regulations, in that order.
37.26.3 The facility operator must ensure that companies contracted to handle or use equipment with radioactive sources are licensed by CNEN.
37.26.4 General Measures
37.26.4.1 The facility operator must ensure the provision of a Radiation Protection Service, including for naturally occurring radioactive material, in accordance with CNEN standards.
37.26.4.1.1 The radiation protection service must establish and provide adequate and sufficient personnel, facilities, procedures, and equipment to perform all tasks safely, as well as to respond to accidents or emergencies.
37.26.4.1.2 The facility operator must designate a Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS) responsible for supervising work involving exposure to ionizing radiation.
37.26.4.1.3 The RPS must have valid certification for qualification in the area of operation, according to their activity and in accordance with CNEN standards.
37.26.4.2 The physician responsible for the PCMSO must keep updated records of each worker exposed to ionizing radiation, in accordance with CNEN standard NN 3.01 and other CNEN standards.
37.26.4.3 Workers exposed to radiation above the limits established by CNEN standards must be removed from activities involving radiation exposure and evaluated in accordance with the PCMSO.
37.26.4.3.1 The return of a removed worker to work involving ionizing radiation will depend on authorization from a medical examiner specializing in this area, with an entry in the employee’s ASO.
37.26.4.4 Before starting work involving radioactive sources or materials, the facility operator must require copies of the ASOs concerning the workers from the contracted company.
37.26.4.5 Before accessing supervised and controlled areas, workers must be formally authorized by the radiation protection service.
37.26.4.6 The facility operator must ensure that workers exposed to ionizing radiation are trained according to CNEN standards and under the responsibility of the SR.
37.26.4.7 To meet the requirements of subitem 37.9.6.3(g) of this NR, the facility operator must provide training on the specific radiological risks of the platform, with a program established by the company itself.
37.26.4.8 In the cases provided for in subitem 37.9.6.4, workers exposed to ionizing radiation must undergo periodic training before being authorized to perform activities involving ionizing radiation exposure.
37.26.4.9 The facility operator must provide specialized medical services for the type and proportions of the radioactive sources and materials present, to ensure medical supervision of workers exposed to ionizing radiation and appropriate treatment for those involved in accidents.
37.26.4.9.1 Specialized medical services can be provided by a legally qualified professional with expertise in the subject or by a contracted specialized company, as long as they are under the coordination of the physician responsible for the PCMSO.
37.26.4.10 The facility operator must ensure the preparation and implementation of a Radiation Protection Plan approved by CNEN, under the technical responsibility of the duly certified RPS by CNEN.
37.26.4.10.1 The radiation protection plan must also:
a) be exclusive to each platform;
b) be articulated with the RMP of the facility operator and service providercompanies whose outsourced workers are exposed to radiation;
c) be considered in the preparation and implementation of the PCMSO;
d) be presented to the CIPLAT of the facility operator and service provider companies, if any, with a copy attached to the minutes of this committee;
e) be considered in the Emergency Response Plan of the platform, described in chapter 37.28 of this NR; and
f) be kept updated.
37.26.4.10.2 After occurrences of exposures resulting from emergencies or accidents, or suspected accidents, the facility operator must ensure that measures are taken for the immediate evaluation of workers, according to CNEN standards.
37.26.4.10.3 To verify its adequacy and effectiveness in controlling exposure to ionizing radiation, aiming to make necessary adjustments and establish new goals and priorities, the radiation protection plan must be evaluated:
a) annually;
b) when reviewing the RMP; and
c) whenever an accident, emergency situation, or illness caused by exposure to ionizing radiation occurs.
37.26.4.11 Workers must be immediately removed from work involving ionizing radiation exposure when they have wounds or cuts.
37.26.4.12 It is prohibited to smoke, rest, eat, drink, apply cosmetics, or store food, drinks, and personal belongings in places where radioactive materials are handled, transported, stored, or where there is a risk of contamination.
37.26.4.13 The facility operator must ensure the cleaning and maintenance of clothing and other PPE used in activities with radioactive materials, as well as decontamination or immediate replacement when damaged or lost.
37.26.4.13.1 Immediately after completing the work or during meal breaks, the facility operator must ensure an appropriate place for changing work clothes to clean ones, according to CNEN standards.
37.26.5 Services and Operations with Industrial Radioactive Sources
37.26.5.1 Before starting services and operations involving ionizing radiation, the facility operator must prepare a specific radiation protection plan, which, in addition to the provisions of subitem 37.26.4.10, must contain at least:
a) the characteristics of the radioactive source;
b) the characteristics of the equipment;
c) the list of workers involved;
d) the calculations for physical isolation distances in open installations;
e) the handling and storage method of the radioactive source on board; and
f) the procedures, equipment, and accessories to be used in accident or emergency situations.
37.26.5.1.1 In the case of industrial operations with radioactive sources, the specific radiation protection plan can be prepared by the service provider according to CNEN standards, with the facility operator ensuring its compliance.
37.26.5.2 The facility operator and the company responsible for services and operations involving ionizing radiation must adopt the following measures:
a) evaluate the safety and reliability of structures and equipment associated with the radiation source;
b) evaluate the location, classification, and sign of supervised, controlled, and physical isolation areas;
c) install appropriate physical means to delineate supervised and controlled areas, preventing unauthorized worker access;
d) define alarms in the Emergency Response Plan;
e) identify and sign circulation routes, entry and exit points, and escape routes within supervised and controlled areas;
f) provide adequate and emergency lighting in supervised areas, controlled areas, and circulation routes where services and operations with ionizing radiation are being performed; and
g) mark and physically isolate locations intended for radioactive sources and waste.
37.26.5.3 In addition to the measures prescribed in the radiation protection plan, during exposure to radioactive sources, the following measures must be adopted:
a) expose the minimum number of workers necessary to perform the activity;
b) perform the work according to the instructions of the permit to work;
c) carry out tasks only by authorized Occupationally Exposed Persons;
d) immediately stop the work in case of changes in conditions that make it potentially dangerous, observing subitem 37.4.1(a) of this NR;
e) immediately stop the activity and retrieve the source for exposures above the limit established by Annex 5 (Ionizing Radiation) of NR-15 (Unhealthy Activities and Operations); and
f) decontaminate, reevaluate, and resize the area and exposure time before resuming the activity if the situation mentioned in subitem (e) occurs.
37.26.5.4 After completing the work, the RPS must:
a) collect, package, and store the source safely in a segregated, locked, demarcated, signposted, low-traffic, and radiation-monitored location;
b) evaluate the radiation level in the area where the work was performed, according to the radiation protection plan; and
c) release the supervised and controlled areas, removing isolations and signs.
37.26.6 Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials
37.26.6.1 The contract operator must ensure that the facility operator evaluates the presence of naturally occurring radioactive materials in the work environment that may pose risks to worker health, according to CNEN standards.
37.26.6.1.1 The facility operator must identify the operations and locations where exposures to radiation or incorporations may occur, the pathways of radioactive material, and their means of propagation, and adopt the preventive measures prescribed in CNEN standards.
37.26.6.1.1.1 Preventive measures must be articulated with the RMP.
37.26.6.1.2 A monitoring plan defined by the RPS must be developed, with a frequency that meets, at a minimum, the RMP review.
37.26.6.1.2.1 Monitoring must be carried out in locations where there is the presence of naturally occurring radioactive materials, especially in:
a) pipes and their accessories, including stored ones already used;
b) tanks containing water from the productive formation, recovered drilling, completion, restoration, and stimulation fluids;
c) vents and drains;
d) separators and treaters;
e) well arrival locations during drilling or production; and
f) other places where the presence of radioactive materials is presumed.
37.26.6.2 During the opening of equipment, piping, accessories, and other elements of the unit, preventive measures guided by the RPS must be adopted, considering the possibility of the presence of naturally occurring radioactive materials.
37.26.6.2.1 The removed waste must be characterized according to CNEN standards. 37.26.6.2.2 Based on the analysis of radioactive material, the facility operator must identify the types of radiation and their harmful potential to humans, as well as the measures to ensure the health and safety of workers exposed to ionizing radiation.
37.26.6.2.3 If collective protection measures and operational and administrative controls do not reduce exposure and incorporation levels to the dose values provided in CNEN standards, the facility operator must reevaluate the platform design and implement engineering solutions to ensure compliance.
37.26.6.2.4 The facility operator must ensure that service provider companies performing cleaning activities in locations with the possibility of naturally occurring radioactive materials are in compliance with CNEN standards.
37.26.6.3 Radiation protection reports are an integral part of the platform’s RMP and must be discussed at CIPLAT meetings of the facility operator and service provider companies, with copies attached to their minutes.
37.26.6.4 The facility operator must implement procedures to prevent passive exposure and contamination of workers not involved in activities with naturally occurring radioactive materials.
37.26.6.4.1 Additional measures to those mentioned above must be implemented to control the risk of contamination of water, food, and air conditioning by naturally occurring radioactive materials, as recognized in the RMP, observing NR-09.
37.26.6.5 Specific areas for the decontamination of workers must be established by the SR, according to specific CNEN legislation, national or international technical standards, in that order.
37.26.6.6 Workers are prohibited from entering the living quarters with contaminated clothing, PPE, and work equipment.
37.26.6.7 If internal contamination by naturally occurring radioactive material is detected, the platform’s PCMSO must include blood and excreta analyses and, if necessary, a whole-body counter exam to be conducted by institutions authorized by CNEN.
37.27 Drainage, Treatment, and Waste Disposal Systems
37.27.1 Industrial waste must be disposed of appropriately, and the release or discharge of any contaminants that could compromise the health and safety of workers into the work environment is prohibited, as stipulated in NR-25 Industrial Waste.
37.27.1.1 For liquid and solid waste, the concessionaire and the facility operator must:
a) develop control actions to avoid risks to worker health and safety at each stage;
b) collect, package, store, and transport for appropriate final disposal;
c) dispose of and disembark hazardous waste; and
d) dispose of and disembark naturally occurring radioactive materials, in accordance with environmental legislation and, when applicable, the provisions of CNEN standards.
37.27.2 Drains, safety valve discharges, vents, and other mechanisms of equipment, instruments, and accessories that release substances into the environment must be designed and installed according to national technical standards or, in their absence, international standards, in a way that does not contaminate the platform.
37.27.3 Platform drainage systems must be effective and physically separated to channel and discard substances and rainwater.
37.27.3.1 On floating platforms, the drains must be designed to operate independently of sea conditions.
37.27.4 Combustible and flammable liquids that can be retained in containment basins must be drained, stored, and treated according to the standards of the competent authorities.
37.27.5 The platform must have equipment specifically designed to dispose of flammable and toxic gases through appropriate burning or dispersion during various oil production processes, shutdowns, and other operational and safety procedures.
37.27.5.1 The type of burner (flare) and high-speed vent discharges and their respective locations must ensure acceptable levels of exposure to vibration, noise, and heat in all areas of the platform, as established in NR-09, except during depressurization operations.
37.27.5.2 The burner (flare) must have remote ignition and a pilot flame detection system to perform controlled shutdowns of the industrial plant that uses it.
37.27.5.2.1 The pilot flame must be kept permanently lit with gas from the process or from a source defined in the design.
37.27.5.2.1.1 In a closed flare, the pilot flame can be kept off while the gas recovery system is operating, according to the design specification.
37.27.5.2.2 The buttons on the remote ignition control panel must be properly identified.
37.27.5.2.3 The platform must have an operational procedure covering pilot flame ignition and test frequency, considering the manufacturer’s or supplier’s guidelines.
37.27.5.2.4 Operators must be trained in the operational procedure described in subitem 37.27.5.2.3.
37.27.5.2.4.1 The training hours and program content must be defined by the facility operator, considering the operational procedure and the risks involved in burner operation from the risk analyses.
37.27.5.2.5 Gas cylinders used to ignite the pilot flame must be:
a) stored in open areas of the platform;
b) stored in a safe and ventilated place;
c) segregated and fixed;
d) labeled with the words “FLAMMABLE” and “NO SMOKING”;
e) protected against impact and weather; and
f) kept away from ignition sources and corrosive materials.
37.27.5.2.6 Inspections of the remote ignition system must be carried out in accordance with chapter 37.17 of this NR.
37.27.5.2.7 Non-conventional remote ignition systems for the burner can be used as long as they are approved by a legally qualified professional through the issuance of a technical report and the respective Technical Responsibility Annotation (ART).
37.27.5.2.8 It is forbidden to use lifting equipment or any other type of improvisation for burner ignition.
37.27.6 The platform must have a procedure and system for treating oily water to monitor biogenic H2S (hydrogen sulfide) generated by the action of sulfate-reducing bacteria.
37.27.6.1 The procedure for treating oily water must be prepared by a legally qualified professional and include the monitoring frequency of H2S concentration, the adoption of control measures, and possible process interruptions.
37.27.6.2 The results of H2S concentration monitoring and control measures must be supervised by a legally qualified professional and recorded in reports.
37.27.6.3 The use of biocide in the treatment of oily water must comply with the provisions of the competent environmental authority.
37.27.7 The platform kitchen must be equipped with a system for grinding organic waste and disposing of garbage, in accordance with the provisions of the competent authorities.
37.27.8 Direct communication between sewage and waste disposal systems with workplaces and dining areas is prohibited.
37.27.9 The facility operator must manage naturally occurring radioactive waste according to CNEN standards.
37.27.9.1 Radioactive waste management must include procedures to identify, handle, segregate, package, monitor, and temporarily store waste on board until it is disembarked from the platform.
37.27.9.2 Containers must have ensured integrity conditions, proper sealing, and identified contents, according to CNEN standards.
37.27.9.3 The storage of waste from naturally occurring radioactive materials must comply with the prescribed requirements of the competent authorities and be:
a) defined by the Radiation Protection Supervisor;
b) conducted in a location that securely contains such waste;
c) placed in an area with impermeable and easy-to-decontaminate floors and partitions;
d) allocated to a specific use area while the waste is on board;
e) situated in environments with ventilation, exhaust, and filtration systems when stored in closed locations or compartments;
f) equipped with drains to collect liquids from leaks;
g) located in delimited, signposted, physically isolated areas with restricted access to authorized personnel;
h) kept away from workstations and corrosive, flammable, and explosive materials; and
i) provided with spaces for monitoring and decontaminating workers exposed to radioactive materials.
37.27.9.4 The facility operator must make available the procedures related to radioactive waste management to all workers on board, and such management must be presented and recorded in the minutes of the CIPLAT meeting.
37.27.9.5 The facility operator must maintain an updated inventory of the waste present at the storage location.
37.27.9.5.1 The RMP action plan must establish collective and individual protection measures and procedures for incidents and emergencies based on the information contained in the Waste Safety Data Sheets (WSDS) and labels, according to the technical standard ABNT NBR 16725 – Hazardous waste — Information about safety, health, and environment and subsequent amendments.
37.27.9.5.2 The WSDS must be available at the storage locations and the platform infirmary.
37.27.9.6 The risks present at the storage locations of naturally occurring radioactive materials must be included in the RMP risk inventory, even if the material is kept temporarily on board.
37.27.10 Biological risk waste must be disposed of according to the provisions of NR-32 and applicable health and environmental legislation.
37.28 Emergency Response Plan
37.28.1 Based on the risk scenario analyses and the information contained in the RMP, the facility operator must prepare, implement, and make available on board the Emergency Response Plan, which includes specific actions to be taken in the event of incidents that pose serious and imminent risks to the health and safety of workers.
37.28.1.1 The facility operator must train workers whose duties are altered by the revision of the Emergency Response Plan, in accordance with chapter 37.9 of this NR.
37.28.2 The Emergency Response Plan must be prepared considering the characteristics and complexity of the platform and must include at least the following topics:
a) identification of the platform and the legal representative designated by the facility operator;
b) role of the legally qualified technical person(s) responsible for its preparation and review;
c) role of the person responsible for management, coordination, and implementation;
d) functions with their respective quantities;
e) establishment of emergency scenarios, defined based on risk analyses and current legislation, capable of leading the platform to an emergency state;
f) emergency response procedures for each scenario considered, including medical emergencies and other helicopter accidental scenarios as provided in NORMAM-27/DPC;
g) description of equipment and materials needed for response to each scenario considered;
h) description of communication means;
i) fire and gas detection systems;
j) emergency shutdown systems;
k) firefighting equipment and systems;
l) procedures for orienting non-residents about existing risks and how to proceed in emergency situations;
m) procedures for activating complementary response resources and structures and public authorities;
n) accident communication procedures;
o) schedule, methodology, records, and criteria for evaluating the results of simulated exercises; and
p) PPE for fighting fires, entering total fire zones, and other situations, according to the risks described in subitem (e) above.
37.28.2.1 The facility operator must keep an updated emergency post table in a visible location, listing the workers who are part of the emergency response teams on board by name.
37.28.3 The facility operator must provide emergency rescue means during the entire period of aircraft landing and takeoff on the platform, as prescribed in NORMAM/DPC.
37.28.3.1 Simulated exercises must involve designated workers and cover the scenarios and frequency defined in the PRE.
37.28.3.1.1 After conducting simulated exercises or in the event of onboard incidents, the PRE’s effectiveness must be evaluated to verify its effectiveness, detect possible deviations, and make necessary adjustments.
37.28.4 Emergency response teams must:
a) be composed of at least 20% of the People On Board (POB), considering all work shifts;
b) undergo specific medical exams for the role they will perform, including psychosocial risk factors, recording their fitness in the respective ASO;
c) have knowledge of the installations; and
d) be trained according to the role each member will perform, observing the provisions in chapter 37.9 of this NR.
37.29 Communication and Investigation of Incidents
37.29.1 The facility operator must report to the labor inspection of the platform’s jurisdiction the occurrence of occupational diseases, serious accidents, fatalities, and other incidents, according to the criteria established in the Incident Communication Manual for Oil and Gas Exploration and Production, issued by ANP, for damage to human health.
37.29.1.1 The communication must be submitted electronically to the labor inspection by the second business day after the incident on board the platform, using the form in Annex VI of this NR.
37.29.1.2 For the purposes of this NR, an incident is considered any occurrence involving risk of harm or harm to the physical integrity or health of workers, according to the criteria established in the Incident Communication Manual for Oil and Gas Exploration and Production, issued by ANP, for damage to human health.
37.29.2 The facility operator must report the occurrence of occupational diseases or accidents, serious or fatal, to the predominant union representative of the embarked category within 72 hours.
37.29.2.1 The union is entitled to participate in the investigation of occupational diseases or accidents, serious or fatal, by appointing a representative to join the commission within 72 hours of receiving the communication mentioned in item 37.29.2.
37.29.3 The facility operator must submit the incident investigation and analysis report to the labor inspection of the platform’s jurisdiction within 60 days after the incident.
37.29.3.1 The incident investigation and analysis report must include, in addition to the provisions in Annex VI of this NR, the following information:
a) investigation methodology;
b) event description;
c) documentary and testimonial information, when applicable;
d) history of incidents at the installation involving the system under analysis;
e) description of the basic, underlying, and immediate causes that enabled the incident to occur;
f) recommended corrective and preventive measures; and
g) implementation schedule.
37.29.3.2 The regional labor authority may grant extensions to the deadline prescribed in item 37.29.3, upon presentation of technical justification by the facility operator, within 60 days after the incident.
37.29.3.3 In the case of an incident on board involving an employee of a service provider company, the contractor must also prepare its own investigation report.
37.29.4 The facility operator must provide a copy of the occupational disease or accident investigation report, serious or fatal, to all commission participants and the union representative, when they participate in the commission and agree with the report’s conclusions, under a confidentiality agreement.
37.29.4.1 The facility operator must present the report’s conclusions to the union upon request when the union does not participate in the occupational disease or accident investigation and analysis commission, serious or fatal.
37.29.5 Incident causes and recommendations must be disclosed at CIPLAT meetings, with a copy attached to the minutes.
37.29.6 In the event of a fatal accident, the following measures are mandatory:
a) immediately communicate in writing to the labor inspection of the platform’s jurisdiction and the professional category union; and
b) isolate the area and do not alter the accident scene, unless it poses a risk to the safety and physical integrity of people and the installation.
37.29.6.1 The labor inspection will respond within a maximum of 72 hours from receipt of the communication protocol mentioned in subitem 37.29.6(a) regarding the inspection action and site release.
37.29.6.1.1 After this period, if there is no response from the labor inspection, the measures referred to in item 37.29.6 (b) may be suspended, except if otherwise determined by other authorities equally competent for this.
37.30 Maritime Installation Declaration (DIM)
37.30.1 The facility operator must submit the Maritime Installation Declaration (DIM) of the platform through the electronic system indicated by the labor inspection.
37.30.2 The DIM must contain the following information:
a) corporate name and CNPJ of the facility operator;
b) location (basin, block, or field and its geographical coordinates);
c) brief description of the platform;
d) type of operation;
e) expected start and end of operation; and
f) maximum number of embarked workers.
37.30.3 The DIM must be submitted at least 90 (ninety) days before:
a) the start of the first drilling operation, in the case of a drilling platform;
b) the end of anchoring at the operation site, in the case of a floating production platform; and
c) the end of assembly at the operation site, in the case of a fixed platform.
37.30.3.1 The facility operator must update the DIM within 30 (thirty) days after changes to the information established in item 37.30.2.
37.30.3.2 If there is a change in the platform location, the facility operator must update the DIM before the start of the relocation.
37.30.3.2.1 In the event of a location change due to emergency situations, the communication referred to in subitem 37.30.3.2 must be made within seven calendar days after the incident, attaching a copy of the incident communication as provided in subitem 37.29.1.1 of this NR.
37.31 Documentation
37.31.1 The operator must maintain the documentation required by this NR on the platform, in accordance with the provisions of NR-01, and make it available to labor inspection, meeting the following requirements:
a) be stored for a period of five years, unless otherwise provided for a specific document, as stipulated in this or other NRs;
b) be immediately accessible or allow for remote consultation;
c) be organized to allow recognition of previous versions;
d) be easily readable in Portuguese; and
e) allow for printing on-site or copying and signing electronically.
37.31.1.1 For unmanned platforms, the documents may be archived at the operator’s headquarters or on another manned platform.
37.31.1.2 For activities involving embarked foreign workers, the documents must also be available in English.
37.31.1.3 For platforms with planned temporary operations of up to 6 (six) months in Brazilian jurisdictional waters, the documentation may be available in English.
37.31.2 The representative union of the category may, with justification, request the facility operator for the documentation referred to in item 37.31.1 of this NR.
37.31.2.1 The facility operator must provide the documents, justifying any refusal.
37.31.3 In the event of a change of the facility operator, acquisition of the operator by another organization, or the formation of an economic group, all documents required by this NR must be evaluated, revalidated, and, if necessary, redrafted by the substitute operator before starting the platform operation.
Annex I Basic Course for Food Handlers
Anexo III – Supplementary Course for Work on High Voltage Electrical Installations
Annex IV – Basic Safety Course in Cargo Handling and Transportation of People
Annex V – Supplementary Course for Crane Operators