Operações florestais em tempos de COVID-19: tornando seguro o ambiente de trabalho

Abstract

Forestry work is classified as having a high risk of accidents and the development of occupational diseases for workers. Although under such a condition, biological risks were usually nonexistent or very low in all forestry activities, and it is not necessary to apply protocols to mitigate them. This reality changes dramatically with the emergence of the global pandemic of COVID-19, which leads to situations that increase the risk of contagion in the workplace. This in a scenario where forestry workers are transported over long distances to their workplaces, take turns in machines and operational vehicles, have their meals together, as well as training and qualifications, that is, situations in which social distance was not a routine and the specifics of the work were contrary to the pandemic coping protocols. Thus, this study aims to develop a biosafety protocol for safe work in forestry operations, not exposing workers to the risk of contamination by COVID-19, or minimizing this risk. Through the study and implementation of biosafety measures applicable to the reality of forestry work, actions are sought to prevent, control, mitigate or eliminate the risks inherent in activities that may interfere or compromise quality of life, human health and the environment. Thus, according to the specificity and availability of resources ofeach company or forest producer, measures are proposed such as: development and implementation of the Risk Management Program; use of carpets with sanitizing solution; measurement of the workers' body temperature before and at the end of the workday; 2.0 meters distance between workers during the development of their activities; transportation of workers on buses with half of the free seats; flexible meal times; ozone booths at the entrances to the service fronts; use of ultraviolet light for disinfesting machine cabins and personnel transport buses, or cleaning them with manual spraying of sanitizing solution; and, when necessary and possible, rapid testing of workers. It is concluded that such biosafety measures, implemented alone or together, are fundamental to contain a possible dissemination of COVID-19 in forest work environments, so that they do not present a high degree of biological risks to workers and guaranteeing the preservation of their health, as well as that of their families.