Contents
9.1 Objective
9.2 Scope of Application
9.3 Identification of Occupational Exposures to Physical, Chemical and Biological Agents
9.4 Assessment of Occupational Exposures to Physical, Chemical and Biological Agents
9.5 Prevention and Control Measures for Occupational Exposures to Physical, Chemical and Biological Agents
9.6 Transitional Provisions
9.1 Objective
9.1.1 This Regulatory Standard (NR) sets the requirements for the assessment of occupational exposures to physical, chemical and biological agents identified in the Risk Management Program – PGR, established under NR-1, and supports it with regard to prevention measures for occupational risks.
9.2 Scope of Application
9.2.1 The prevention measures established in this Standard apply to all locations with occupational exposures to physical, chemical and biological agents.
9.2.1.1 The scope and depth of prevention measures depend on the characteristics of exposures and control needs.
9.2.2 This NR and its annexes shall be used for the prevention and control of occupational risks caused by physical, chemical and biological agents.
9.2.2.1 For the characterization of unhealthy or dangerous activities and operations, the provisions set forth in NR-15 – Unhealthy Activities and Operations and NR-16 – Dangerous Activities and Operations shall apply.
9.3 Identification of Occupational Exposures to Physical, Chemical and Biological Agents
9.3.1 The identification of occupational exposures to physical, chemical and biological agents shall consider:
a) description of activities;
b) identification of the agent and forms of exposure;
c) possible injuries or health impairments related to the identified exposures;
d) determining factors of exposure;
e) existing prevention measures;
f) identification of exposed worker groups.
9.4 Assessment of Occupational Exposures to Physical, Chemical and Biological Agents
9.4.1 A preliminary analysis of work activities and existing available data on physical, chemical and biological agents shall be carried out to determine the need for immediate adoption of prevention measures, or the performance of qualitative assessments, and where applicable, quantitative assessments.
9.4.2 Quantitative assessment of occupational exposures to physical, chemical and biological agents, when required, shall be performed to:
a) prove the control of occupational exposure to identified agents;
b) gauge the occupational exposure level of worker groups;
c) support the definition and adjustment of prevention measures.
9.4.2.1 The quantitative assessment shall be representative of actual occupational exposure, covering organizational aspects and environmental conditions involved in the worker's performance of activities.
9.4.3 The results of occupational exposure assessments for physical, chemical and biological agents shall be incorporated into the risk inventory of the PGR.
9.4.4 Occupational exposure assessments shall be documented by the organization in accordance with the specific provisions set out in the Annexes of this NR.
9.5 Prevention and Control Measures for Occupational Exposures to Physical, Chemical and Biological Agents
9.5.1 The prevention and control measures for occupational exposures regarding each physical, chemical and biological agent are established in the Annexes of this NR.
9.5.2 Necessary measures shall be adopted to eliminate or control occupational exposures related to physical, chemical and biological agents, according to the criteria set forth in the Annexes of this NR and in compliance with the PGR.
9.5.3 Occupational exposure prevention and control measures are part of the PGR risk controls and shall be incorporated into the Action Plan.
9.6 Transitional Provisions
9.6.1 Until the Annexes to this Standard are established, the following shall be adopted for prevention measures:
a) the criteria and tolerance limits set forth in NR-15 and its annexes;
b) for chemical agents, the action level shall be half of the tolerance limit;
c) for the physical agent noise, the action level shall be half of the dose limit.
9.6.1.2 Action level is defined as the value above which systematic control actions must be implemented to minimize the likelihood that occupational exposures exceed the exposure limits.
Annex I of NR-09 Vibration
Contents
1. Objectives
2. Scope of Application
3. General Provisions
4. Preliminary Exposure Assessment
5. Quantitative Exposure Assessment
6. Prevention Measures
1. Objectives
1.1 Establish the requirements for the assessment of occupational exposure to Hand-Arm Vibration – HAV and Whole-Body Vibration – WBV, when identified in the Risk Management Program – PGR provided for in NR-01, and support it regarding prevention measures.
2. Scope of Application
2.1 The provisions set forth in this Annex apply to all workplaces with occupational exposure to Hand-Arm Vibration – HAV and Whole-Body Vibration – WBV.
3. General Provisions
3.1 Organizations shall adopt prevention and control measures for exposure to mechanical vibration that may affect workers' safety and health, eliminating the risk or, where proven technology is unavailable, reducing it to the lowest possible levels.
3.1.1 In the process of eliminating or reducing risks related to mechanical vibration exposure, physical workload and postural aspects, among other factors, shall be considered.
3.2 The organization shall prove, within the preventive and corrective maintenance actions for vehicles, machinery, equipment and tools, the adoption of measures aimed at controlling and reducing vibration exposure.
3.3 Hand-held vibrating tools that produce accelerations above 2.5 m/s² in the operator's hands must state the vibration emission in their technical specifications, indicating the test standards used for measurement.
4. Preliminary Exposure Assessment
4.1 A preliminary assessment of exposure to Hand-Arm Vibration (HAV) and Whole-Body Vibration (WBV) shall be carried out, considering the following aspects:
a) work environments, processes, operations and exposure conditions;
b) characteristics of work machinery, vehicles, tools or equipment;
c) information provided by manufacturers on the vibration levels generated by the tools, vehicles, machinery or equipment involved in the exposure, when available;
d) conditions of use and state of conservation of vehicles, machinery, equipment and tools, including isolation and damping components or devices that interfere with the exposure of operators or drivers;
e) characteristics of circulation surfaces, transported loads and operating speeds, in the case of WBV;
f) estimation of daily effective exposure time;
g) verification of specific work conditions that may aggravate the effects resulting from exposure;
h) physical workload and postural aspects;
i) existing occupational exposure data;
j) information or records related to complaints and medical history of exposed workers.
4.2 The results of the preliminary assessment shall support the adoption of preventive and corrective measures, without prejudice to other provisions set forth in other NR standards.
4.3 If the preliminary assessment is not sufficient for decision-making regarding the need to implement preventive and corrective measures, a quantitative exposure assessment shall be performed.
NR-9 - Assessment and Control of Occupational Exposures to Physical, Chemical and Biological Agents
