Since the first initiatives related to health and safety at work there has been a lot of progress in this area. However, there is still a lot to be improved, especially in Brazil, since the country is among the countries with the highest number of accidents at work and in academic terms, represents a low participation in the scientific production in the area. Thus, given the context, this article aims to review the literature on regulatory norms and occupational safety, identifying gaps and research opportunities related to the area. The results indicate an increase in the relevance of the theme, however the majority of the studies present a fragmented and punctual approach. Regulatory norms 15 and 32 were the most frequent, and the industrial and health sectors were the predominant ones.