Scope of the regulation
NR-22 covers underground and surface mining, certain mineral-processing operations and mineral exploration within the scope defined in its text. A mine brings together different risks and responsible parties: extraction, transport, maintenance and processing cannot be analysed as one generic task. The regulation seeks to incorporate worker protection into mining planning and operational decisions.
Risk management and supervision
The organisation must implement occupational risk management and the PGR with mining-specific content. The text provides for technical supervision and recording of actions capable of affecting safety. Documenting an inspection is insufficient if its observations do not reach someone able to correct them. Linking the finding, technical decision, intervention and closure verification is useful.
Aspects requiring specific assessment
NR-22 addresses stability, underground ventilation, atmospheres, traffic, explosives, communications and emergency response, among other matters. It also includes exposure to agents such as dust and heat. Conditions in a surface mine cannot be extrapolated to an underground gallery without analysis. Selecting controls requires knowledge of geometry, processes, equipment and normal-operation, maintenance and emergency situations.
Coordination with contractors
Where enterprises work together, the text establishes information exchange and integration of measures. The contracting organisation must coordinate preventive activities when tasks are performed simultaneously in the cases covered. For example, a maintenance contractor needs to know which movements can occur in the area and how energy will be controlled. An internal permit disconnected from mining operations can leave interactions unresolved.
Operational review example
Before changing a haulage route, visibility, crossings, pedestrian access, gradients and communication should be examined. The review must include people using and maintaining the route. If unexpected manoeuvres subsequently appear, the team needs to review the design rather than simply repeat an instruction. This hypothetical situation illustrates why a measure’s performance must be checked during real activity.
Emergencies and updates
The emergency response plan and conditions for stopping and restarting must be integrated with available resources. The entry on occupational risks in mining and quarrying expands the preventive overview. NR-22 provides the Brazilian framework and its specific annexes. The official text consulted includes 2026 changes; designs and procedures must be checked against that source, without treating this summary as a technical operating instruction.
