Os agrotóxicos e a saúde mental dos trabalhadores rurais : aplicação dos princípios da precaução e da prevenção para a garantia de um meio ambiente do trabalho sadio

Abstract

The 1988 Federal Constitution broadly provides for the concept of the environment, encompassing four aspects, namely, natural, artificial, cultural and work environment. The latter is related to the conditions in which the work takes place, such as the location, tools, chemical, physical and biological agents, among other aspects. It is known that an individual spends a large part of his life inserted in this environment, due to his work, with the objective of guaranteeing better living conditions for himself and his family. Thus, it is necessary for such an environment to be harmonious, in its various points, and in no way to cause damage to the worker's health. Thereby, this research has as its object a field of the work environment, the rural, which is in constant imbalance due to the intense use of pesticides. Therefore, an analysis is made of the application of the principles of precaution and prevention, as a way of proportioning a healthy and balanced work environment, in the face of the problem of the growing number of mental illnesses contracted by rural workers and their relationship with handling of substances. Bibliographic research was used in terms of procedures, in its historical, conceptual and normative techniques; as well as the descriptive research. As for the organization of reasoning, the deductive method was used. This study aimed to analyze the main and most recurrent cases of mental illness developed in rural workers; demonstrate the connection between mental disorders and the direct handling of pesticides; address the right to the environment of healthy work as a fundamental right of the worker and examine how the principles of precaution and prevention can enable an improvement in the environment of rural work. It is concluded by this research that the handling of insecticides, fungicides and herbicides has a large relationship with the emergence of mental illnesses, since they can act directly in the functioning of neurotransmitters, and there are legal instruments that are based on the principles of precaution and prevetion capabe of alleviating the imbalances of this relationship. In this manner, the rural worker and the Public Ministry of Labor figure as important actors for the improvement of this environment, since the former is allowed to seek to cease his activities in situations of danger and the latter has institutional means and powers to enforce the protective legal framework of this right.