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BULLETIN JUNE 2017
NEW -
MEXICAN HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS
Important message from Mexican attorney and auditor Lic. Glenn
Louis McBride
There have been several important new health and safety
standards in Mexico in the last few months, most of the
companies that have contacted us are not in compliance to the
new standards that have been recently published, have taken
effect or will soon take effect. Companies in Mexico should give
special attention to the following new standards.
(Subscribers may download the translations of these new
standards).
The Mexican Standard, "NOM-018-STPS-2015, Harmonized System
for the identification of hazards and risks from hazardous
chemical substances in the workplace"
is now available translated to English at:
(It was published October 9, 2015 and takes effect October 9,
2018 - at that time companies in Mexico must be fully compliant)
This new hazard communication standard is the standard for the
implementation of GHS in Mexico and contains the instructions
for preparing Mexican compliant SDS.
One of the most important changes in the SDS requirements is
that the chemical exposure limits that were recently published
in NOM-010-STPS-2014 must be included on each SDS.
_______________________________
NOM-010-STPS-2014,
Contaminating chemical agents in the work environment –
Inspection, evaluation and control.
Published in the DOF April 28, 2014 – took effect April 28,
2016.
This standard cancels and replaces the NOM-010-STPS-2014,
Contaminating chemical agents in the work environment –
Inspection, evaluation and control. The new standard
requires a new study to be done in the workplace for exposure to
chemical substances by personnel that complies with the criteria
in the new standard. This standard was published in 2014 and it
took effect 2 years after the publication in order to allow
companies time to make the required new study and the adaptation
necessary in the workplace to lower the exposure of workers.
The limits of exposure have been reduced dramatically and more
than 300 new substances have been added to the list of chemical
agents. The
companies that are not compliant are liable for fines of 50 -100
times the daily minimum wage per employee. The daily minimum
wage is $73.04 pesos. That means a liability of fines of up to
$400 USD per employee.
I have made a comparison of the old standard NOM-010-STPS-1999
and the new standard NOM-010-STPS-2014 to point out the changes
that are now required.
NOM-022-STPS-2015, Static electricity in workplaces – Safety
Conditions.
(NOM-022-STPS-2015,
Electricidad estática en los centros de trabajo-Condiciones de
seguridad.)
This standard was published in the DOF on April 1, 2016 and
takes effect October 1, 2016 - This new standard requires a new
study for static electricity in the workplace with different
criteria - This study should be made before the new standard
takes effect in order to make any adaptations and be in
compliance when the new standard takes effect.
NOM-033-STPS-2015,
Safety conditions for performing tasks in confined spaces.
This standard was published in the DOF on Aug. 31, 2015 –and was
effective November 30, 2015.
This is the new standard for confined spaces. If you have not
updated your documentation, it is unlikely that your company is
compliant. The new standard requires a List of Confined Spaces.
This was a requirement before, but the current standard requires
you make a risk study for each confined space, classify it as I,
II, or III based on the risk criteria in the standard. You must
have a permission to work procedure in place and document all
work performed in confined spaces. You must also retain
documentation for the work performed by third parties to assure
that they are following the standard.
Regards
Lic Glenn Louis McBride
Licensed Mexican Attorney
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