Mental exhaustion increases workplace safety risks

Mental exhaustion is increasingly recognized as a critical factor in workplace safety, moving beyond traditional physical risks like machinery and protective equipment. Recent updates to regulatory standard NR-1 have formalized this shift by explicitly including psychosocial risk factors in Occupational Risk Management (GRO) and Risk Management Programs (PGR).

In Brazil, the scale of the issue is reflected in Social Security data from 2025, which recorded 546,254 benefits for temporary disability related to mental and behavioral disorders—a 15.66% increase compared to 2024.

Experts note that chronic fatigue and stress impair essential cognitive functions, including sustained attention, operational memory, and decision-making. This cognitive decline means that even workers who are technically trained may struggle to perceive imminent danger or react correctly under pressure, turning mental exhaustion into a collective safety concern.