THE CULTURE OF TRADITIONAL PRACTICE OF PALM WOOD CARPENTRY OF THE INDIANS AND ITS INFLUENCE ON WORK SAFETY

In several Brazilian cities, wooden furniture is manufactured in carpentry shops, which are part of traditional and popular Brazilian culture. In this activity, the use of various machines and equipment is constant and poses various physical, chemical, biological and ergonomic risks, the main agents being: noise and vibration from machines, dust from medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and sawn wood, paints and resins, repetitive movements and direct injuries. In Brazil, accident statistics exceed 500,000 accidents per year, which often result in temporary or permanent disabilities, in addition to social and psychological consequences. In several studies, the results indicate a high accident rate in carpentry shops. Based on this understanding, the objective of this research was to verify the possible influence of culture on the current work method of carpenters in relation to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) issues, based on interviews with 14 carpenters from the municipality of Palmeira dos Ìndios - Alagoas, through the application of a semi-structured questionnaire with closed and open questions. It was found that approximately 71% of the carpenters learned the traditional practice of carpentry when they were under 18 years old, meaning they were still minors. 100% of them learned from more experienced carpenters, that is, they did not participate in professional training courses in the area of ​​activity and 90% learned from carpenters who did not regularly use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). It was found that 90% of the carpenters did not regularly use PPE, despite 100% being aware of the risks and having already suffered some type of accident, and 65% having participated in lectures or training sessions with the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (SEBRAE) during their professional lives. This resistance to the use of PPE tends to be caused by the culture of influence of the way they learned the profession, since 80% of the carpenters, in their statements, stated that the reason for not using personal protection on a regular basis was because they had learned from people who did not use PPE. Thus, it is understood that, despite participating in training during their profession, and being aware of the various risks inherent to OHS, the carpenters chose to disregard the risks and not protect themselves. These results reinforce the thesis that culture, specifically the way of learning, directly influenced the carpenters' decision-mak