What Is NR 19? Explosives Safety

Manufacturing, handling and storing explosives requires rigorous technical control. Because these materials are highly unstable, any failure in operations or infrastructure in mining, heavy construction or the defence industry can lead to accidental detonations with serious consequences.

To regulate this activity and set clear prevention guidelines, Brazil's Ministry of Labour and Employment relies on NR 19. In this article, we explain the parameters of this standard and the legal obligations of companies that handle explosives in their operations.

What does NR 19 establish, and what is the Brazilian Army's role?

Regulatory Standard 19 (NR-19) sets out the requirements and preventive measures to ensure workers' safety and health at every stage of the manufacture, handling, storage and transport of explosives.

Because of the immense destructive potential and national security concerns, NR 19 is clear in its official text: activities involving explosives are only permitted for companies holding a Registration Title (TR, from the Portuguese Título de Registro) or Registration Certificate (CR, Certificado de Registro) issued by the Brazilian Army Command. The labour standard works together with military legislation to protect the operation from end to end.

In addition to industrial explosives (such as dynamite and emulsions), the standard has an Annex I entirely dedicated to safety in the manufacture and sale of fireworks and other pyrotechnic articles, setting parameters as strict as those applied to heavy industry.

Strict rules for manufacture, storage and handling

The Ministry of Labour's focus when inspecting compliance with NR 19 is to ensure that the physical structure eliminates any source of accidental ignition. The main technical requirements include:

Insulation and Static Control: Manufacturing areas (buildings) must have smooth, crack-free floors made of antistatic material (which neither generates nor accumulates static electricity). Doors must open outwards and have fastenings made of materials that do not produce sparks through friction.
Storage (Magazines): Storage must comply with strict tables of safety distances from highways, railways and inhabited areas. The magazine's maximum capacity must not be exceeded, and the site must have adequate lightning protection (SPDA, from the Portuguese Sistema de Proteção contra Descargas Atmosféricas).
Handling Prohibitions: NR 19 strictly prohibits the use of tools that can generate heat through friction. Workers may not smoke or carry any object that produces fire in the risk area.

Clothing and the Emergency Plan

Safety with explosives extends even to habits and uniforms. The standard requires workers to wear footwear without external metal parts (nails or studs), so that they do not create sparks when walking.

In addition, the company must prepare a robust Emergency, Fire-Fighting and Explosion Plan, which everyone must know — including the patrol and security team — and which must be rehearsed annually with the active participation of the CIPA (the Internal Commission for Accident Prevention).

The importance of operational control in transport

In terms of logistics, NR 19 requires explosives to be transported in accordance with the legislation of the Army Command and the competent traffic authority.

To ensure these strict regulations are met before a vehicle leaves for the highway or the work front, carriers use checklists and inspections as a management tool. This routine certifies that the vehicle's electrical system is protected, that the load is properly isolated and marked, and that emergency response equipment (such as extinguishers) is operational and validated.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about NR 19

To clear up practical questions about OHS management in areas with explosives, we have compiled the critical points of the standard:

1. Can I wear ordinary safety boots when handling explosives?

No. NR 19 expressly prohibits footwear studded with nails or any external metal part. Friction between metal footwear and the floor can create a spark strong enough to cause a catastrophic explosion. Footwear must be suitable and free of components that generate sparks.

2. What should be done during thunderstorms with lightning?

NR 19 requires explosives manufacturing activities to be halted immediately during thunderstorms with lightning. Workers must be removed from their workplaces and sheltered in safe locations to avoid the risk of accidental detonations.

3. Are people who work with explosives entitled to the hazardous work allowance?

Yes. Under Annex 1 of NR 16 (Hazardous Activities and Operations), workers directly involved in the manufacture, storage and transport of explosives, or who regularly remain in the delimited risk area, are entitled to the hazardous work allowance (adicional de periculosidade) of 30% on their base salary.