The document provides an overview of EHS expectations and regulations in Mexico. It discusses Mexico's demographics, geography, languages, holidays, and business sector breakdown. Key Mexican agencies that oversee environment, health and safety are SEMARNAT, STPS, and SSA. Federal, state and municipal regulations apply to EHS. Large companies must designate an EHS officer and form health and safety committees. Incidents must be reported within 3 days. Regulations address workplace studies, emergency response, hygiene, waste management, and psychosocial risks. Cultural nuances around women, parental leave, and sense of time are also covered. Local issues include increasing social risks like violence and decreasing natural risks due to emergency preparedness.

1. Fernanda Rivas Chavez
April 2017
EHS Expectations: Mexico

2. 1
Mexico Overview
EHSxTech Workshop – April 2017
• Demographics = 121,000,000 by 2015
• Homes with
computer (%)
• Homes with
Internet (%)

3. Mexico Overview
EHSxTech Workshop – April 2017
2
• Geography
• Most ecosystems
• Risks: volcanoes, hurricanes,
earthquakes, floods, drought,
forest fires
• Most people live in central
Mexico

4. • Languages
• Spanish is the official language
• English is the second most common language, probably spoken to some degree by
about 10-15% of the population (i.e. 10-20 million people)
• Federal and frequently taken holidays
• No siestas!
3
Mexico Overview
EHSxTech Workshop – April 2017
Official
• Jan 1
• 1st Monday in Feb
• 3rd Monday in Mar
• May 1
• Sep 16
• 3rd Monday in Nov
• Dec 25
Common
• Easter Thursday and Friday
• May 5
• May 10
• May 15 (schools)
• Nov 1/2
• Dec 12
• Last Friday of every month=
no K1-12 school

5. • Business
• Micro businesses (<10 people) comprise 95.4% of total; generate 9.8% of gross
production.
• Large businesses (>251 people) comprise 0.2% of total; generate 64.1% of gross
production.
4
Mexico Overview
EHSxTech Workshop – April 2017
Occupied
personnel per
sector

6. SEMARNAT
Environment
STPS
Health and Safety
SSA
Health
5
EHS Legal Structure in Mexico
EHSxTech Workshop – April 2017
Federal
State
Municipal

7. EHS Regulations in Mexico
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Regulatory Citation Summary
NOM-030-STPS-2009 (Art. 4.1)
NOM-019-STPS-2011(Art. 5.1, 7.1)
Municipal regulations
Dedicated EHS officer (>100 employees)
Health and safety committee
Emergency brigades
Agreement for the creation of the
workplace accident reporting system,
published on Dec 14, 2015.
Incidents and accidents must be reported to STPS within 3 days through the
electronic portal: www.siaat.stps.gob.mx
Includes travel to/from home-workplace and all activities during working time.
NOM-019-STPS-2011 (Art. 5.1, 7.1)
Municipal regulations
All STPS NOMs
Training to health and safety committee and emergency brigades.
Workers must be informed of their workplace/activities risks and trained if
required.
Ruling of Health and Safety
at the Workplace (Art. 32-43)
NOMs 011, 015, 025-STPS
Workplace health studies: lighting, noise, temperature, ergonomics,
psychosocial
NOM-002-STPS-2010 (Art. 5.3. 5.4, 5.5) All facilities should be adequately equipped with emergency response systems:
fire combat (detection, alarms, combat), evacuation routes, exits, first-aid,
response plans.

8. 7
EHS Regulations in Mexico
EHSxTech Workshop – April 2017
Regulatory Citation Summary
NOM-251-SSA1-2009 Hygiene in cafeterias/restaurants.
Applicable to all areas where food is prepared. Specifies easy-to-clean surfaces,
the prohibition of sick workers in the preparation of food and annual training in
food hygiene.
General Law for the
Prevention and Integral
Management of Waste
(LGPGIR).
Ruling of LGPGIR.
NOM-161-SEMARNAT-2011
Waste is classified in 3: hazardous, special handling, solid urban.
Electronic waste, large amounts of cardboard, packaging, paper, is classified as
special handling waste.
Federally generate > 10 tons SHW/year = special handling waste management
plan.
State generate (e.g. Mexico City)= special handling waste generator and/or
management plan.
PROY-NOM-035-STPS-2016 In review; not yet published.
Evaluation of psychosocial risk factors and workplace environment.
Examples of psychosocial risk factors= excessive workloads, lack of control over
work, workdays > 8 h/day, shift rotation without recovery time, work that
upsets family and personal time, negative or toxic work relations.

9. 8
EHS Regulations in Mexico
EHSxTech Workshop – April 2017
Generally little inspection for non-industrial
facilities; but you never know!
Sanctions for EHS violations are well
established.

10. Cultural Nuances in Mexico
EHSxTech Workshop – April 2017
9
Women at the
workplace
Parental leave
Military
requirements
Corruption
Sense of Time Accountability
Mothers: 12 weeks leave
6 months 1 h/day for
lactation
Fathers: 5 working days
Laid back- Ahorita
syndrome
Work many hours
Not efficient
Common in the workforce
Few in power positions
Do MOST of domestic work
(>75%)
Traditional working roles
Generally respected (at
least, face to face)

11. Local Issues
EHSxTech Workshop – April 2017
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Increasing SOCIAL risks:
General violence is high (kidnappings, theft, rape).
Some areas are ruled by gangs, not police.
Little trust in the police.
Recent looting (Jan 2017) to businesses.
Decreasing NATURAL risks:
Generally well organized emergency response
systems

12. Thank you!
EHSxTech Workshop – April 2017
11
Fernanda Rivas Chavez
Director General, Tero Hub
frc@tero-hub.com
Queretaro, Mexico
Peylina Chu, PE
Vice President, Antea Group
Peylina.chu@anteagroup.com
Boston, MA, USA