Recent updates to NR-1 (Regulatory Standard No. 1), published by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, have brought important changes to health and safety management within companies.

Among the main advances is the inclusion of psychosocial risk factors in Occupational Risk Management (GRO) and the Risk Management Programme (PGR).

In practice, this means that organisations now need to look not only at physical accidents and traditional operational risks, but also at emotional, organisational and relational aspects that can directly impact employees' mental health.

The update reinforces that prevention of emotional illness is also part of workplace safety.

What are psychosocial risks?

Psychosocial risks are related to how work is structured, conducted and experienced on a daily basis by professionals.

These factors can arise from both the organisation of work and the dynamics between teams, leadership and corporate demands.

Among the main examples are:

  • Excessive pressure;

  • Work overload;

  • Excessive targets;

  • Prolonged working hours;

  • Lack of adequate breaks;

  • Draining organisational environment;

  • Moral harassment;

  • Lack of leadership support;

  • Internal conflicts;

  • Continuous occupational stress;

  • Emotional exhaustion.

When persistent, these factors can generate important impacts on workers' physical and emotional health, favouring situations such as:

  • Anxiety;

  • Burnout Syndrome;

  • Insomnia;

  • Irritability;

  • Loss of productivity;

  • Chronic fatigue;

  • Absences from work;

  • Cardiovascular problems related to stress.

What changes in practice for companies?

With the update to NR-1, each company must assess its own organisational reality and identify factors that may contribute to workers' physical or emotional illness.

This means that there is no single model or mandatory standardised tool for all organisations.

The analysis should consider aspects such as:

  • How work is carried out;

  • Organisation of activities and demands;

  • Organisational conditions;

  • Internal communication;

  • Working hours and work pace;

  • Performance demands;

  • Exposure to occupational stress;

  • Relationship between leadership and teams;

  • Dynamics of the corporate environment.

The Ministry of Labour itself clarifies that the company has autonomy to define the most appropriate methodology for its reality, as long as there is technical coherence, prevention and continuous monitoring.

How do psychosocial risks appear in different sectors?

Offices and administrative companies

There may be factors related to pressure for targets, excessive meetings, cognitive overload, accumulation of demands and difficulty balancing personal and professional life.

Clinics, hospitals and healthcare

Healthcare professionals frequently deal with high emotional burden, continuous responsibility, human suffering, extended working hours and psychological stress associated with constant patient care.

Industries and operational sectors

Prolonged shifts, repetitiveness, pressure for productivity and physical strain can significantly contribute to occupational stress and emotional exhaustion.

Commerce and customer service

Continuous exposure to the public, sales targets, constant demands and daily emotional pressure can favour burnout.

How can I assist your company?

As a general practitioner, I work in an educational, preventive and humanised way to support companies that wish to better understand NR-1 updates and develop strategies aimed at promoting health and quality of life in the corporate environment.

The objective is to help organisations identify factors that may favour occupational illness, as well as contribute to the construction of healthier, more sustainable and preventive corporate environments.

I can assist with:

  • Education in corporate health;

  • Lectures and educational training;

  • Guidance on mental health at work;

  • Preventive strategies related to occupational stress;

  • Health and wellbeing promotion programmes;

  • Corporate quality of life;

  • Healthy habits in the professional environment;

  • Preventive guidance on Burnout;

  • Educational support for leaders and teams;

  • Practical understanding of concepts related to GRO (occupational risk management), PGR (risk management programme) and psychosocial factors provided for in NR-1.

What does the Ministry of Labour emphasise about NR-1?

According to official guidelines from the Ministry of Labour, companies must:

  • Identify occupational hazards;

  • Assess existing risks;

  • Implement preventive measures;

  • Continuously monitor processes related to occupational health.

The body also emphasises that:

  • There is no single mandatory tool;

  • Isolated questionnaires are not sufficient;

  • The assessment must consider the company's specific reality;

  • Worker participation is relevant;

  • Monitoring must be continuous and preventive.

Mental health is also part of workplace safety

The update to NR-1 reinforces an increasingly relevant point in the current corporate scenario: emotional health and physical health go hand in hand.

Companies that invest in prevention, quality of life and healthier organisational environments tend to present benefits such as:

  • Reduction of absences;

  • Greater productivity;

  • Better team engagement;

  • Reduction of professional burnout;

  • Strengthening of organisational climate;

  • Development of a more sustainable corporate culture.

More than a regulatory requirement, care for mental health represents an evolution in how organisations view people, performance and sustainability in the work environment.

Important

This content is exclusively educational and informative in purpose.

The information presented does not replace medical evaluation.

Dr. Rebeca Soares Andrade CRM-GO 39335