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a risk of severe or irreversible environmental harm when they are asked to do so
by authorities possessing jurisdiction.
And as such it can submit the agent to sanctions of up to five years
of imprisonment. A company, in the criminal context, can be sentenced
to fines, dissolution, interdiction, interruption of activities, seizure, loss of
fiscal benefits, and its leaders can be sentenced to penalties that deprive or
restrict their freedom.
Management and minimization of the risks
Due to the complexity of the climate-controlled systems, it ismandatory
that the companies have maintenance, guidance and control plans
concerning the quality of the air in climate-controlled environments, with
assignment of the technical responsibility to a mechanical engineer and
registered at the CREA (Regional Council of Engineering and Agronomy).
This technical officer must provide, at any time, maintenance reports and
physical-technical reports, chemical and microbiological reports on the
quality of the available air.
In hospitals, the control of the risks related to the environment is even
more important. Patients with the immune system compromised (with
cancer, AIDS, transplants and other primary diseases), as well as those
with infectious and contagious diseases need a controlled environment,
with differentiated pressure and filtration of the air. When changing the
filtration systems, either in the community or in the public health care,
special needs are required, because the filter carries amultitude of pollutants
and microorganisms.
Air filters coming from health care services must be disposed of as
