Description
The regulatory norms establish requirements and guidelines with the objective of ensuring the prevention of the safety and health of workers. Despite the existence of a robust regulatory framework, many employers fail to comply with the guidelines, acting only upon inspection and notification by the Ministry of Labor. The eSocial program was implemented by the federal government with the aim of creating digital bookkeeping platforms for tax, social secunty and labor obligations. Based on the existing misinformation about the program, the objective was to demonstrate the application and importance of the eSocial program in the production chain of civil construction, with emphasis on the environmental risks existing in marble factories. Five marble factories in the Sertão Paraibano were selected. Noise, breathable dust and silica were evaluated in the cutting sector between the years 2018 and 2023. For noise, measurements were performed with the aid of audiodosimeters. In each marble factory, three workers were selected and the equipment was installed in them, close to the auditory zone, remaining there for at least 75% of the daily workday. The average sound level (Lagv, in dB), the percentage of permitted daily exposure to noise (DOSE, 1%) and the normalized exposure level (NEN, in dB) were calculated. Breathable dust and silica were obtained with the aid of a sampling pump coupled with a cassette and a cyclone, installed on the worker's waist and remaining during the daily working day. The volume of air (liters), respirable dust (mg/m²), crystalline silica (%) and tolerance limit (LT, in mg/m³) were obtained. In all companies, Lagy and NEN were higher than the allowed LT of 85 dB. The DOSE also exceeded the maximum allowed percentage of 100%, with values up to five times the allowed dose. In companies 1 and 2, the concentration of respirable dust was approximately twice the calculated LT, however, no silica was detected. In companies 3 and 4, it was observed that the respirable dust was slightly above the LT and the percentage of silica was detected, 60.03 and 9. 14%, respectively, indicating that workers are exposed to the chemical agent. In company 5, silica was not detected and the respirable dust concentration was 0.88 mg/m3, well below the LT of 3 mg/m². The results point to a situation of insecurity for workers, with senous health risks. It is urgently recommended to adopt collective, administrative measures and the use of personal protective equipment, which eliminate or mitigate the existing risks, Greater rigor is needed in controlling these risks, as well as greater oversight by the competent bodies. With regard to the social security repercussions of the eSocial program, the risks found guarantee special retirement for workers in the analyzed companies. Employers must proceed with the payment of a social security contribution to the federal government, at rates between 6 and 12%, which are levied on workers' remuneration.
