We aimed to study the meaning of impacts that a Brazilian law (Lei de Modernização dos Portos Brasileiros 8630/93) produced in port workers of Port of Santos/SP, in a way to acess their port worker identity, health-illness care process, gender and masculinities themes. The empirical research which ground the discussion, had a qualitative approach and was perform between 2009/2010. It used as instruments for obtaining data ethnography observations (at workers selection places and pier) and 39 in-depth port workers interviews. From this point, were produced field diaries and an interview database that were analysed by metodos triangulation tecnic, according to the conceptual framework of hermeneutical referencial and content analysis. We shared the discussion in 3 chapters that brought out the leading temathics of our investigation: subjects characterization, their symbolic universe, workers health, gender and masculinities representations. According to port workers, that law dramatically modified their work organization, with some winning points like EPIs requirement, accident control and periodic exams. Beside that, port workers related considerable losses in the way of their brotherhood identity, based on craft skills and masculinities concepts, like 'be a worker' and 'support a family'. Port workers showed a perception about health-illness care process based in the idea that Port of Santos was a hazardous work place. In the other side, they avoid to look for medical treatments or absence from work for health problems. Their health care interface was restricted to periodic exams required from OGMO.