Work covered
NR-18 regulates safety and health conditions in Brazilian construction and includes certain demolition, repair, painting, cleaning and building-maintenance activities within its scope. The first check is what activity is performed and where. An enterprise’s trading name alone is insufficient to decide whether an operation is included or which requirements apply.
The PGR must follow the construction work
The regulation requires a Programa de Gerenciamento de Riscos at construction sites, with content tied to their characteristics. It includes specific preventive documentation and designs and must be updated according to the execution phase. A PGR prepared for earthworks does not automatically describe the later structural, installation or finishing stages. Planning must progress with the actual work.
Coordination between enterprises
Contractors provide the risk inventory for their activities for integration into the site PGR. This contribution must help resolve interactions rather than merely store separate files. If two enterprises occupy the same area, sequences, access and shared measures should be defined. Their individual documentation does not demonstrate that risks created by their simultaneous presence have been addressed.
Physical controls and organisation
NR-18 develops areas including temporary installations, welfare facilities, construction stages, access, fall protection, equipment, materials transport and training. The official text contains specific conditions that must be reviewed with the technical professional responsible. A short list of concepts offers orientation but is insufficient to size collective protection or authorise an alternative solution.
Phase-change example
When construction moves from structural work to enclosures, exposed edges, platforms, material storage and pedestrian circulation may change. A useful review identifies which protections will be removed, which risks arise and who authorises the transition. It also checks that the incoming contractor receives current information. The example avoids treating removal of protection as an isolated decision by the team needing room to work.
Verifying follow-up
Applicable designs, PGR versions, responsible people and checks on active work fronts should be retained. Information must be accessible to those making execution decisions. Construction-site safety provides the general context, but NR-18 has its own Brazilian requirements. The text consulted incorporates 2026 updates; old templates should not be used without reviewing which provisions remain relevant.
