Created in 1978, the main objective of NR12 – the Regulatory Standard for Work Safety in Machinery and Equipment – is to regulate and define safety and quality standards in production routines that make use of equipment. It also plays the role of guaranteeing the safety, health and physical integrity of workers.
It is one of the most extensive and important standards that has consolidated our Labor Laws, and it is constantly being revised to adapt to new technologies and work tools. In general terms, its proposals seek to ensure that workers are safe in their working environment, which must be healthy and suitable. This avoids occupational injuries or illnesses and accidents at work.
But what does NR 12 say?
Checking in detail, Regulatory Standard No. 12 states that its annexes: “define technical references, fundamental principles and protection measures to guarantee the health and physical integrity of workers and establish minimum requirements for the prevention of accidents and occupational diseases in the design and use phases of machinery and equipment of all types, as well as their manufacture, import, marketing, exhibition and assignment in any capacity, in all economic activities, without prejudice to compliance with the provisions of the other Regulatory Standards – NR approved by Ordinance No. 3. 214, of June 8, 1978, in the official technical standards and, in the absence or omission of these, in the applicable international standards”.
It determines that, in addition to the employer, employees also have their duties to fulfill in order to enforce the provisions of NR 12. In this context, it is essentially up to the worker to comply with the guidelines for safe operation; to report damaged machinery that poses a risk to those involved; not to alter safety devices, equipment or mechanical protections and to take part in training to comply with the safety rules.
In addition to general principles such as these, NR 12 has annexes for various topics such as: safety systems, physical arrangements and installations of machinery; installations of electrical devices; emergency stop, start, drive and stop devices, among other topics.
Main measures required by NR 12
In order to meet all its objectives, Regulatory Standard No. 12 proposes three types of measures: collective protection; administrative or work organization measures; and individual protection measures.
Collective protection:
These are measures that consist of implementing permanent physical protection in risk areas. As each type of machine or operating system has its own collective safety mechanism, implementation here will depend on more detailed analysis carried out beforehand.
Administrative:
Aimed at keeping the system and safety measures fully operational. Among the proposals is the need to train employees on a regular basis, covering general operational risks and internal procedures.
These measures also include the company’s responsibility to adopt a preventive maintenance policy for its equipment to mitigate the risk of technical failures.
Personal protection:
This refers to the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) which can be indicated in the PGR (Risk Management Program) in accordance with NR-1, PCMSO (Medical Control and Occupational Health Program) in accordance with NR-7 and LTCAT (Technical Report on Environmental Working Conditions) in accordance with NR-15.
What does my company need to do to comply with regulation 12?
There are some fundamental documents that must be provided and updated in good time to meet the requirements of NR 12 and avoid any kind of problem with the Ministry of Labor. This deadline is established by Decree 197 of December 17, 2010.
Check out the main documents:
- Diagnosis (includes standard items that act on the equipment, evidence and conclusions that comply with NR 12);
- Floor plan (a map showing the exact location of the machine on site);
- Machine inventory;
- Risk analysis of each machine;
- Action plan.
Other national and international standards are applicable for compliance with NR-12, such as NBR 12100 Safety of machinery – General principles for design, NBR 14153 Safety of machinery – Safety-related parts of control systems – Classification by safety category, among others, depending on the type of machine.
What happens if the company doesn’t comply with NR 12?
You certainly don’t want to be in this situation, but it’s important to be aware of the importance of compliance, isn’t it? In the event of an inspection, if the auditors find any irregularities or non-compliance with NR 12, the consequences for the company can be diverse.
In addition to the traditional fines and damage to the brand’s image and reputation, violations can also result in various penalties, such as suspension/interdiction of equipment or company facilities, and a ban on participating in public tenders. In more extreme cases, such as serious accidents, the company can be held criminally liable (especially in the event of death or permanent damage), with the risk of imprisonment for those responsible.
NR-12 is really broad and full compliance requires constant dedication in a job that involves the whole company. However, prioritizing the safety of the environment and of machinery and equipment is still the best way to build a solid reputation for the business, without accidents, fines and losses.
