PCMSO: what it is, its benefits and how to create it in your company

PCMSO stands for Occupational Health Medical Control Program. It was created by Regulatory Standard No. 7 (NR-7) of the Ministry of Labor and Employment. The program aims to create actions and procedures to promote and preserve the health of workers in a company.

In practice, the PCMSO exists to detect early any change in the worker’s health that may be caused by the work environment or working conditions. In addition, it also helps to create measures to minimize these risks and processes to deal with occurrences.

Learn more about how the Program can safeguard your team’s health and the benefits it brings — as well as ways to put it into practice. Check!

What is PCMSO?

The Occupational Health Medical Control Program is a reflection of an action by the Ministry of Labor and Employment to regulate and boost the control of people’s health in companies.

To this end, the Ministry created the PCMSO through Regulatory Standard No. 7 (NR 7). The Program, which is mandatory, must be prepared by an occupational physician (except for exceptions that you will see later) and follow the guidelines of their respective regulatory affairs.

After that, the HR sector must stipulate admission, periodic, return-to-work, change of function and dismissal medical examinations. In addition, the area needs to adopt other measures to prevent, monitor, and control possible damage to the health of employees.

The main activities created by the PCMSO are:

• Admission, periodic, dismissal, and return-to-work medical examinations: these examinations aim to monitor the worker’s health over time and identify possible work-related problems.

• Health promotion and disease prevention actions: educational programs and campaigns to improve the health of workers and prevent diseases related to their functions.

• Data recording and control: maintenance of records of exams and workers’ health data.

• Analysis and follow-up of cases of occupational diseases: identification and monitoring of diseases related to the work environment.

• Recommendations for the adequacy of working conditions: analyze the place of work to find health risks and make suggestions to improve it, minimizing these risks.

Remember that these are general items. Your PCMSO needs to take into account the specific needs of your company’s segment. In addition, the Program must be updated and reviewed periodically and whenever there are major changes in its operation.

Who needs to have a PCMSO?

All companies that have employees governed by the Consolidation of Labor Laws (CLT) must have a PCMSO, even if they are temporary or outsourced. This is true for companies of all sizes and sectors.

Annually, it is necessary to declare the PCMSO report. It contains data such as clinical evaluations, complementary exams, statistics of unusual results and the planning of the program for the following year.

When creating the PCMSO, your company must appoint a coordinating physician responsible for implementing the program. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. They are:

• Companies with risk level 1 and 2 that have up to 25 employees;

• Companies with risk level 3 and 4 that have a maximum of 10 employees;

• Companies with risk levels 1 and 2 that have 25 to 50 employees, provided that the release is granted through collective bargaining;

• Companies with risk level 3 and 4 that have 10 to 20 employees, provided that the release is granted through collective bargaining.

But remember: even in these cases, it is still mandatory to implement the PCMSO, it is just not necessary to appoint a doctor responsible for the process.

In addition, in the case of corporations, with activities that present health risks, the level of detail and specificities of the program must be greater.

How do I create a PCMSO template?

Creating a PCMSO template is critical to having an organized, scalable, and efficient process for this required document. This way, you ensure that the program meets legal requirements as well as the specific needs of your organization.

Below you can see a guide on how to create the Occupational Health Medical Control Program in six steps — but remember to adapt what is necessary to the reality of your sector.

1. Prior analysis

Assess the risks and hazards that are already present in the work environment. This can include chemical, physical, biological, ergonomic, and psychosocial agents, among others. Then, make a survey of the working conditions, considering the conditions and particularities of each area of the company.

2. Preparation of the PCMSO

Hire an occupational physician who will be responsible for the preparation and implementation of the PCMSO. If you have this type of professional in your company, he can take on this responsibility.

Then, define the objectives of the program using the risk assessment carried out in the previous step. Remember to focus on promoting and preserving the health of employees.

Among the most common procedures and actions in a PCMSO are:

• Procedures related to medical examinations.

• Preventive actions such as health and safety campaigns, as well as internal training.

• Monitoring the health of employees, monitoring the health conditions of employees and managing any cases of occupational diseases.

• Mechanisms for recording and storing test reports and other workers’ health data.

3. Implementation

Then, organize training to train workers and managers on the procedures and importance of PCMSO. Also, perform medical examinations as planned and ensure that all workers are evaluated at the appropriate periodicity.

4. Monitoring and evaluation

It is not enough to implement the PCMSO, it needs to be reviewed continuously. Evaluate its effectiveness periodically and make adjustments as needed. In addition, keep reports with the results of all actions related to the program.

5. Data access control

In addition to keeping detailed records of the exams and actions taken, it is also necessary to control access to documents, making them accessible only to authorized people. Also make sure that the information is confidential.

6. Update

Finally, update the PCMSO regularly and whenever there are changes in working conditions (both in the activities carried out and in the properties of the environments) and in legal requirements.

Full guide: Health, safety and environmental performance indicators

What is the difference between PGR and PCMSO?

Both the Risk Management Program (PGR) and the Occupational Health Medical Control Program (PCMSO) are important for safety and health in the workplace. But they are not the same thing; Each one has a different focus and goals.

The main differences between the two are:

• The PGR focuses on risk management related to the work environment itself and the activities carried out in it. Thus, its objective is to control and remedy hazards and avoid accidents.

• The PCMSO, on the other hand, is focused on the health of workers, covering medical examinations and the promotion of occupational health. In this way, it seeks to detect and prevent work-related diseases.

In other words: the PGR and the PCMSO complement each other to ensure the safety and health of employees. In addition, both are mandatory for all companies and institutions that have employees under the CLT regime.

What is the difference between PPRA and PCMSO?

The Environmental Risk Prevention Program (PPRA) is another acronym linked to occupational health. But, like the PGR, it also has different objectives from the PCMSO. It was created by NR 09 to anticipate risks, recognize existing hazards and controlling threats already recognized.

Below, you can learn about the main differences between PPRA and PCMSO:

• The PPRA has a broader approach to the work environment and physical, chemical, and biological risks. To create it, you can use the SESMT (Specialized Service in Safety Engineering and Occupational Medicine) or hire an occupational physician.

• As you have already seen, the PCMSO focuses on the health of workers via medical examinations and occupational health monitoring. It addresses individual employee health and disease prevention.

Learn more: 8 steps to Occupational Health and Safety risk management

Conclusion

Now you know what the PCMSO is and how to develop this program in your company. In this way, you ensure the health and well-being of the company’s employees, as well as follow the guidelines indicated in NR-7.

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