Challenges in attending to OHS regulations in rice mills in southern of Brazil

Abstract

This study aims to identify what are the biggest challenges that the rice mills encounter in respect to the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), especially to the attendance to legal aspects. To reach the proposed objective, surveys were carried out on a sample of four rice mills located in southern Brazil. The research instruments consisted of interviews and questionnaires, transcripts of voice recordings and content analysis. The study showed that standards NR06 (referring to Personal Protective Equipment) and NR33 (relating to confined spaces) are imposing major challenges in rice mills in southern Brazil. It is also important to note that the rice mills must develop actions to adjust its installations to risks involving electrical shocks, exposure to noise, high falls, dust, vibrations and inadequate temperatures.