Occupational health and safety in Mexico: Adequate legislation and ineffective enforcement

In this period of economic globalization, workplace health and safety (H&S) issues are more important than ever; chemical and physical risks take their toll not only on worker's health, but on the entire society. Competition among companies increased ergonomic hazards psychological stress w...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:New solutions 1995-01, Vol.5 (4), p.64-71
Main Author: Lemus, B
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Industrial hygiene
Industrial safety
Labor conditions
Labor sector
Mexico
Occupational diseases
Trade unions
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Summary:In this period of economic globalization, workplace health and safety (H&S) issues are more important than ever; chemical and physical risks take their toll not only on worker's health, but on the entire society. Competition among companies increased ergonomic hazards psychological stress while eroding any satisfaction that work might have offered. Given this scenario, it is not surprising that H&S issues are a lower priority than ever for industrialists and government; furthermore, that we are continually hearing about workers' losses: denial of labor rights won after costly battles, declining health and safety standards, eroding salaries, and increasing numbers of job losses. Environmental and labor regulations are toothless and/or unenforced: industrial plants and new agricultural technologies are polluting the environment, workers are mistreated; the list seems endless. Mexico has its place in this litany of atrocities. In their effort to be included among the first-class countries, government and industry are more willing to accept the conditions imposed by international capital, than they are to support workers' rights. Lax environmental regulations, unenforced labor standards and regulations, and low wages oblige workers to take any job and to ignore the imposed burden of risks in the workplace. Unions have a priority of fighting for jobs and defending the purchasing power of their meager salaries, relegating health and safety conditions to the tail end of their bargaining, if it is included at all.
ISSN:1048-2911