Abstract In the typical activities of quarries, it is common for the employees to be exposed to diverse risk factors, pertaining to their health or physical integrity. This kind of exposition, in Brazil, entitles these employees to additional payments, defined in law from different technical parameters. The controversies concerning the payment of these premiums between the employers and the employees, like the other conflicts between capital and labor, are solved in Brazil by the Labor Courts, and the forensic expert survey is one of the main tools used by the judges. This study aimed to characterize the unhealthy or hazardous situations in quarries using the forensic expert survey, focusing on the concepts and the legal definitions of the unhealthy or hazardous situations in labor activities, as well as the main aspects of the expert evidence technique and the judicial proceeding. This analysis revealed that most of the functions in quarries mean exposure to hazards, requiring appropriate management

Esse trabalho emprega o método para avaliar a abrasividade proposto por Golovanevskiy e Bearman (2008). Esse método, ensaio de abrasão por impacto deslizante (Gouging Abrasion Test), é realizado em condições de alta tensão/alto impacto de desgaste. O método consiste de uma ponteira cilíndrica com uma ponta cônica de 90º, que, em trajetória pendular, atinge uma amostra de rocha com energia de impacto de 300 J e velocidade da ordem de 5,2 m/s. O Gouging Abrasion Index (Gi) é calculado como sendo a média do diâmetro da ponta cônica, após desgaste, em milímetros e o resultado é multiplicado por 10. Esse trabalho verificou a adequabilidade do Gouging Abrasion Test, para um pequeno número de amostras de rocha, que representam, qualitativamente, os principais tipos de rocha encontrados em trabalhos de corte, perfuração e britagem no Brasil, e a sua correlação com outros ensaios consagrados como a resistência à compressão, o desgaste Amsler e a dureza Knoop. Essa análise mostrou alta correlação entre Gi e a dureza Knoop (R² = 0,94), baixa correlação com o desgaste Amsler (R² = 0,41) e nenhuma correlação com resistência à compressão uniaxial.

This paper employs the method for evaluating abrasion proposed by Golovanevskiy e Bearman (2008). This method, Gouging Abrasion Test, employs high-stress load gouging/sliding impact wear. The method consists of a steel wear tool with a 90º sharp conical tip. This tip attacks a rock sample in a swinging trajectory with an impact energy of 300 J and a speed of around 5.2 m/s. The Gouging Abrasion Index (Gi) is determined as 10 times the average diameter in millimeters of the conical tip (now flat) after one event of wear. This paper evaluates the Gouging Abrasion Test suitability in a small group of rocks that represents some of the main types to be found in Brazil´s rock cutting, drilling and crushing works. Its relationship to other usual tests like uniaxial compressive strength, Amsler abrasive wear and Knoop hardness were also verified. The results show high correlation between Gi and Knoop hardness (R² = 0,94), low correlation with Amlser wear (R² = 0,41) and no relation to uniaxial compressive strength.