Communicate hazards consistently
NOM-018-STPS-2015 has applied since 9 October 2018. It regulates harmonised identification and communication of substance and mixture hazards in Mexican workplaces. It expressly excludes certain finished products and waste; exclusion from this standard does not mean that no other safety duties apply.
Its purpose is to help people handling a product recognise its hazards and access useful information. Identification through hazard pictograms is not completed by attaching a pictogram: inventory, safety data sheet, signs and training need to agree with one another.
A system that changes with products
The list identifies substances or mixtures, relevant CAS numbers and physical and health hazard classifications. The system is updated when products are introduced or replaced and when new hazard information becomes available.
For example, two mixtures with similar trade names may have different components and classifications. Copying the label from one to the other without checking documentation can communicate unsuitable measures. Container identification should lead to the safety data sheet for the product actually present.
Accessible safety data sheets in Spanish
Safety data sheets must be in Spanish, contain the sixteen specified sections and retain preparation and revision dates. Their information must match the signs or labels. Environmental, disposal, transport and regulatory sections are coordinated with the competent authorities.
Sheets must remain available for consultation where products are handled. A file that only an absent employee can open does not adequately address that need. Contractors and people with emergency responsibilities also require information appropriate to their activities.
Training linked to changes
Training is provided at least annually and when a new product is introduced or sheets and signs are updated, within the regulatory scope. It should explain the information and its practical use, with evidence retained.
An attendance signature alone does not demonstrate understanding of incompatibilities or where to find required protection. The standard communicates hazards; exposure assessment and control design are additional preventive processes. They should not be assumed complete because containers have been labelled or the documentation folder contains the correct number of sheets.
