Compliance with Regulatory Standard 32 in the units of a general hospital

INTRODUCTION: In Brazil, the Ministry of Labor and Employment created Regulatory Standard number 32 (Norma Regulamentadora 32, NR-32), instituted by Ordinance 485, of November 11(th), 2005. It establishes measures to protect workers’ safety and health in any health service. OBJECTIVES: To quantify employees’ compliance with NR-32 in the several units of a general hospital in the inland of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, reducing accidents related to work activity and allowing for the establishment of its fulfillment. METHODS: This is an exploratory study with a qualitative and quantitative approach of data. Semi-structured questionnaires were applied to the volunteers. RESULTS: Thirty-eight volunteers participated, who were divided into a group of professionals with a higher education degree (53.5%), consisting of nurses, physicians, and resident students, and another group of professionals with technical and high school degree and nursing assistants. Among the volunteers, 96.4% reported that they knew NR-32 and 39.2% reported having experienced an occupational accident in the period before the study. The use of personal protective equipment was reported by 88% of volunteers, and needle recapping by 7.1% of them. CONCLUSIONS: Assimilation of NR-32 by health care professionals, regardless of schooling, as well as its application within the hospital, may be a way of protection against occupational accidents during the development of work activities. Allied to this, protection may be extended with constant training of these workers.