Mexico Safety Regulations 2027: Calendar and Free Tools

What is due in 2027, month by month?

• January. The safety and hygiene committee sets its annual inspection program within the first 30 calendar days of the year (NOM-019-STPS-2011, 9.3). It is the moment to update the safety and health program, which NOM-030-STPS-2009 requires reviewing at least once a year (4.4). For a plant in the US, the closest equivalent is California's injury and illness prevention program (IIPP). INEGI publishes the 2027 UMA, the unit fines are set in, in the first ten days of January; it applies from February 1 (UMA Law, art. 5).
• February. The annual IMSS work-risk premium filing, based on the claims closed in 2026, runs all month (RACERF, art. 32). In 2026 IMSS accepted it from February 1 to 28; since February 28, 2027 is a Sunday, file by Friday the 26th.
• March. The new premium applies from March 1, 2027 through February 29, 2028. If your training plan runs January to December, the 2026 certificate notice is due in late March or early April: 60 business days (Agreement of June 14, 2013, art. 26).
• Every quarter. Committee walkthroughs, "at least quarterly" (NOM-019, 9.5).
• October to December. Training needs assessment and the 2028 plan. NOM-035-STPS-2018 requires that assessment at least every two years (8.2 i).

What repeats all year

• Every shift: a visual check and function test of each forklift before use (NOM-006-STPS-2023, 8.1 a), with records kept at least one year (12.5).
• Every month: an extinguisher inspection logging the date, who inspected and the result (NOM-002-STPS-2010, 7.2 and 7.3). Maintenance is at least yearly (7.18). For a plant in the US, the equivalent is our guide to the types of fire extinguishers under OSHA.
• Every year: one fire drill at ordinary-risk sites and two at high-risk sites (NOM-002, 5.7), the annual fire training program (5.8), training for committee members (NOM-019, 5.13) and the refresher for confined space entry (NOM-033-STPS-2015, 11.6).
• At least every two years: refreshers for forklifts (NOM-006, 10.4), personal protective equipment (NOM-017-STPS-2024, 5.9) and manual handling (NOM-036-1-STPS-2018, 10.3).

What training do Mexico safety regulations require?

The standards that govern hazardous work require theory and practice, and most require a record per person:

• NOM-002 (fire): fire basics for every worker (11.1); fire brigades are mandatory only at high-risk sites (5.6).
• NOM-006 (forklifts and cranes): induction, theory, practice and an evaluation, with name, date, topics and instructor in the record (10.1 to 10.5).
• NOM-009 (work above 1.80 m): trained and authorized personnel only (NOM-009-STPS-2011, 7.2). For a plant in the US, the counterpart is OSHA's 4-foot rule and fall protection training under 1910.30.
• NOM-017 (PPE): theory and practice before starting work (5.9).
• NOM-033 (confined spaces): supervisor, attendant and rescue team, refreshed every year (11.2 to 11.6).
• NOM-004 and NOM-029 (machinery and electrical): training to operate and maintain safely (NOM-004-STPS-1999, 5.4; NOM-029-STPS-2011, 5.5), with no fixed interval.

The NOM checker tells you which ones apply to your plant, and the guide to Mexico's training standards explains how to prove each one to an inspector.

The plan, the certificates and the SIRCE notice

Training plans are not registered with the government: you keep them on file and show them if the authority asks (Federal Labor Law, art. 153-F Bis), and a plan can run up to two years (153-H).

The DC-3 certificate goes to the worker within 20 business days after the course (2013 Agreement, art. 24). It is issued by the company through its internal instructors or by a registered external training provider.

The DC-4 form ended on April 4, 2025. The notice of issued certificates is now filed online in SIRCE (2025 simplification agreement). And since May 27, 2026 there is no filing to set up the joint training committee, though it is still mandatory at companies with more than 50 workers (Federal Labor Law, 153-E; 2026 agreement).

Failing to train carries a fine of 250 to 5,000 UMA per affected worker (Federal Labor Law, 994 fr. IV and 992): with the 2026 UMA, MXN 29,327.50 to MXN 586,550.00. Two templates keep it in order: the training needs assessment and the 2027 annual training plan.

Where does VR training fit?

The standards ask for practice, and practicing the hazardous step is what a plant can least repeat: nobody discharges an extinguisher every week or stops the line so a new operator can drive a forklift among pedestrians.

A simulator lets people practice that step as often as needed, with no risk and no downtime. Fyware Safe includes four ready-to-use modules on Meta Quest 3: fire extinguisher, PPE, forklift and pedestrian crossing; for lifting there is the overhead crane simulator. The forklift module exports each session's results; the other three show the result in the headset.

Written authorization, the DC-3 certificate and supervised practice on the equipment stay with the plant. If you have no registered training provider, Fyware offers one as an add-on: an STPS-registered instructor joins a session and issues the certificate.

Free tools to comply in 2027

• IMSS risk premium calculator 2027.
• Accident frequency rate calculator: your rate against your state's; the national 2024 rate was 1.91 work accidents per 100 workers.
• Forklift pre-use checklist and fire extinguisher inspection log.
• Risk assessment matrix, job safety analysis and work permit for heights and electrical work.
• Emergency response plan: brigades and drills.
• 5-minute safety talks, in Spanish, with a PDF for each shift start.

All of them live in Resources.

Frequently asked questions

When is the IMSS risk premium filed in 2027?

During February 2027, based on the work-related claims closed in 2026. If you already pay the minimum premium of 0.5% and had no work-related claims, you are not required to file.

Do training plans have to be registered with the STPS?

No. Since 2012, plans and programs are kept at the company and shown if the authority asks. What is filed online is the certificate notice in SIRCE.

How often are fire extinguishers inspected in Mexico?

Every month, logging the date, who inspected and the result. Maintenance is at least yearly, and recharging follows each use or when maintenance calls for it.

How often does forklift training have to be refreshed?

NOM-006-STPS-2023 requires a refresher at least every two years. No standard sets an expiration date for the DC-3 certificate.

How many fire drills does NOM-002 require each year?

One at ordinary-risk sites and two at high-risk sites, by area or for the whole site.