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With reference to its observation and its previous comments, the Committee notes with interest the information provided by the Government.

The Committee notes the measures adopted by the Government for the implementation of preventive action programmes to reduce employment accidents and diseases. It notes in particular the programme "Self-management of safety and health in work centres". The Committee notes that technical assistance workshops have been held to facilitate preventive programmes and evaluation guides, that preventive measures and standards have been disseminated through the review Condiciones de trabajo and other media (radio and television), and that training activities have been undertaken by the Mexican Social Security Institute and other institutions, including academic institutions. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the activities undertaken in the context of some of these programmes are intended principally for enterprises which employ 100 workers or more. The Committee recalls that a high percentage of workers are employed in small and medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 100 workers. The Committee therefore considers that the necessary efforts should be made to ensure that activities for the implementation of an occupational safety and health policy are undertaken principally in small and medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 100 workers. The Committee therefore requests the Government to continue providing information on the results achieved by these programmes and, in particular, the measures taken to ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises and their workers benefit from such programmes.

The Committee notes the detailed information provided by the Government concerning the number of inspections carried out by the labour inspectorate in relation to occupational safety and health (68,080 for the period between 1997 and 1999), as well as the number of technical instructions concerning safety and health measures (15,542) and the number of penalties sought (31,609). The Committee also notes the number of insured workers covered by the Mexican Social Security Institute (10,243,201) and the data concerning the growth in the protected population by economic sector. In particular, the Committee notes that the number of workers employed in export processing enterprises was 1,090,049 in 1999. Taking into account this latter figure, and recalling that the Committee referred previously to the observations made by the Latin American Central of Workers (CLAT) in 1995, which referred to the inadequate conditions of work of workers in export processing enterprises in the north of the country, the Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the situation of these workers and, in particular, the measures taken to guarantee compliance in their case with minimum occupational safety and health standards and appropriate conditions of work in general.

Article 17 of the Convention.  In its previous comments, the Committee indicated the particular importance of collaboration in certain sectors between employers when two or more enterprises engage in activities simultaneously at one workplace. The Committee requested the Government to indicate the progress made towards guaranteeing such collaboration between employers, whereby each employer is obliged to observe the provisions established in respect of safety, health and the environment. Since it has not received any information on the matter in question, the Committee is once again bound to request the Government to indicate the measures which have been taken or are envisaged to require enterprises in the situation referred to in this Article to collaborate, in accordance with the measures set out in the Convention.