Hazards to worker’s health: a literature review

Abstract

Worker’s Health, a new field in Public Health, requires professionals capable of dealing with the hazards workers are exposed to in their environment. These professionals in the health area, mainly nurses, need to understand the meaning of the concept of hazard to the worker’s health. An interdisciplinary work with the workers may effectively change the work and health conditions of the Brazilian people. Therefore, this paper aims at providing better understanding of the concept of hazard to the worker’s health for professionals in health, mainly for nurses. This is done through a literature review based on all journals on health published in the Scientific Eletronic Library Online (SciELO Brazil) and some books whose authors approach the theme hazard. A hazard is something uncertain, a possibility, a socio-historical construct, thus, it is fundamental that professionals in health, including nurses, know what a hazard to workers’ health is and how it can be minimized.