Earlier today, Mexico’s Ministry of Health published Technical Sanitary Safety Guidelines in the Workplace, following up on last week’s guidance on the re-opening of certain sectors of the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Below is a summary of the Technical Sanitary Safety Guidelines in the Workplace:

• These guidelines will be applied in the development of plans to restart activities, and are mandatory for the mining, construction, and transportation equipment manufacturing sectors. The guidelines shall also be referenced for all other essential activities.
• Companies are required to complete a “Self-evaluation of the Sanitary and Safety Protocols.” Companies will be required to provide general identification information and a letter of commitment. For companies with multiple facilities, each facility must be registered individually.
• The Mexican Institute for Social Security will provide an electronic proof of receipt and results via email within 72 hours. The response will be an approval, request for additional information or denial of authorization.
• IMSS can request additional information covering all or part of the submission (to be submitted by firms via email at nuevanormalidad@imss.gob.mx. If a company is denied authorization, it can restart the process by submitting its Health Safety Protocol.
• IMSS will work with and advise companies on the submission of the application.
• The web portal was live effective today, Monday May 18 at 9 a.m. ET.

Additional resources:

• Mexican Ministry of Health May 15 clarification that allows newly designated essential sectors – transportation manufacturing (including automotive and aerospace), mining and construction – to restart operations prior to June 1 if health security protocol processes have been established and approved before that date. Click here for an unofficial English translation of the clarifying guidance.
• May 14 guidelines that had delayed until June 1 the reopening of these newly designated essential sectors. Click here for an unofficial English translation of the May 14 guidance, and click here for a presentation on the May 14 guidance delivered yesterday by Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard.
• English-language summary of the May 15 clarification and May 14 guidelines.

Source: National Association of Manufacturers