A great variety of substances are exposed to health workers every single day. Such substances have noxious actions on biological organs generating pictures of poisoning. Facing such a problem, this study aimed at identifying the Material Center workers perceptions at a general hospital in Ribeirão Preto, Sao Paulo having 12 nursing professionals/occupationals, both sexes, aging between 23 to 55 years-old, as a sample. The used method was interviews through questionnaires. The data have showed that the workers have no knowledge regarding to the relation between exposure to chemical agents and its consequent health damage. According to these data it has been concluded that: (1) professionals adopt security behavior inadequately; (2) they find themselves demotivated; (3) there is lack of interaction and authority for preventive control measures fiscalization; (4) there are some failures in continued education process. Therefore, its the nurse's major responsibility as for scientific development, so that it can avoid evasive processes that generate profession no survival.
Labor nursing; Chemical risk; Perception