Temporal evolution of work accidents in Santa Catarina construction industry

Civil construction, a department that employs many workers, occupies a third of the industrial department and contributes in 6.2% of the Brazilian gross domestic product GDP, is among the economic activities with the highest risk of work-related accidents. In this perspective, the Regulatory Norms of the Consolidation of Labor Laws define standards for the preservation of workers' health. This article aims to analyze the temporal evolution of work-related accidents in the construction industry in the state of Santa Catarina (2011-2020). This is an ecological observational study, with time series analysis. The studied population consisted of building construction workers (Classificação Nacional de Atividades Econômicas 41) linked to the General Social Security System, who suffered work accidents, in the state of Santa Catarina, in the years 2011 to 2020. The results obtained indicated the influence of the recurring economic crises that occurred in the period, which had a direct impact on the hiring of labor and the level of economic activity, and consequently, on accident rates. Regarding the consequences of work-related accidents in Classificação Nacional de Atividades Econômicas 41, there was a trend of growth in the rates of leaves due to disability of less than 15 days and a reduction in the rates of incapacity greater than 15 days. This result may be related to the creation, by Social Security, of economic mechanisms that induce more effective work safety actions by companies. There was a considerable reduction in the risk of accidents at work in the construction of buildings in the state of Santa Catarina in the analyzed period.