Work at heights in the construction industry is responsible for a large number of occupational accidents. In Brazil, despite the
relevant security-related legislation, it is possible to find situations of neglect and improvisation in various construction sites. The
aim is to promote the debate about labor safety at construction sites. This article discusses the similarities between the labor
safety laws of Brazil and Uruguay. After visits to construction sites in the cities of Recife (Brazil) and Montevideo (Uruguay) it
was possible to observe both ergonomic and labor safety problems. After analyzing the perception of risk, improvement
suggestions were generated.