Mexico Standards for Arc Flash and LOTO 1

[EECR7]

Does Mexico require an AF study? If yes, please provide the exact standard that legally states the requirement.

Does Mexico require LOTO? If yes, please provide the exact standard that legally states the requirement.

I'm not sure if Mexico follows NFPA 70E and NEC. I've come across NOM and Codigo de Red but I'm not sure if those will answer my questions above.

 

[Gr8blu]

Some version of the NEC is adopted by all US states and possessions (although not all have adopted the most current - a few are running one version behind). It is also adopted by several Latin America countries including: Mexico, Costa Rica, Venezuela, and Colombia. Most likely the Mexican version of the NEC is going to be either the 2015 or 2018 version (now that we're in 2022). They have NOT adopted the safety side of NFPA in all areas of the country, so be aware. Lastly - the local inspector is the code enforcer. Does not matter what the "official" standard says - it matters what the local guy says. And does. NOM is essentially the Spanish translation of whichever NEC version is nationally adopted at the time.

Converting energy to motion for more than half a century

 

[EECR7]

I translated the NOM-001-SEDE-2012 and found that section 110-16 matches the NEC and states equipment should be marked to alert qualified personnel of the potential arc flash hazard. However, based on your reply, you mentioned it doesn't matter what the "official" standard states, so my follow-up question would be, how do we know which areas have adopted the NFPA 70E and what the local guys enforce?

 

[FacEngrPE]

Just like here in the US, sometimes asking the AHJ is the best answer.[pre][/pre]

 

[Olaguna]

Late reply but: yes, ArcF study is required. NOM (Norma Oficial Mexicana) doesn't say you have to have one, but it says you need to use proper equipment. And there is only one way to know what the rating of such equipment should be, in order to be "proper".

 

[dpc]

For what it's worth, an arc flash study is not legally required in the United States. Nothing in the NEC requires an arc flash study. NFPA 70E covers arc flash safety but it is a consensus standard, not a legal requirement.

 

[FacEngrPE]

In the US Arc Flash legal requirements come from our Occupational Safety Law
1910.269 App E - Protection From Flames and Electric Arcs
The actual legal requirement is to protect the employees.
Arc flash studies are one way to meet the requirement.
You can also de-energize the equipment to remove the hazard.

You might want to research Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare - health and welfare regulations.
My Spanish is non existent, so I won't be of any help digging through Mexican government websites.

Still on the table is a requirement in the electric code to use equipment that has an appropriate Short Circuit Current Rating (SCCR) for the available fault current. See the attachment, and search SCCR.

https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/oshact/section5-duties[/URL]]Each employer --
29 USC 654 SEC.5.
(1)Duties
(a) shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees;
(2) shall comply with occupational safety and health standards promulgated under this Act.
(b) Each employee shall comply with occupational safety and health standards and all rules, regulations, and orders issued pursuant to this Act which are applicable to his own actions and conduct.