OSHA New Mexico Online Training
To help you learn more about the different OSHA standards in New Mexico, we are going to review the state plan for health and safety, OSHA training recommendations, how you can get your OSHA New Mexico training, and why training is so important in every industry.
Occupational Safety and Health Jurisdiction in New Mexico
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) allows states to assume their own occupational safety and health responsibilities as long as they're "at least as effective" as the federal program.
New Mexico has an official state plan that covers all state and local government workers in New Mexico, as well as most private sector workers.
New Mexico adopted all OSHA standards by reference, plus a few state-specific standards.
The state plan is managed by the New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau (NM OSHA or OSHB) in the New Mexico Environment Department. That includes administration, enforcement, compliance assistance, consultation, and handling whistleblower discrimination.
A small number of New Mexicans remain under federal OSHA jurisdiction, instead. Specifically:
- Federal employment
- The U.S. Postal Service plus private contractor-operated facilities engaged by USPS
- Maritime operations (ie, shipyards, marine terminals, longshoring, shipbuilding, or shipbreaking)
- Contractors and subcontractors working on land under exclusive federal jurisdiction
- Private-sector employment on military bases and facilities
- Tribal or private-sector employment on any Indian reservation or lands under control of a tribal government (to the extent that enforcement of OSH standards are permitted by law)
- Private-sector employment at US Department of Energy's Western Area Power Administration site at Elephant Butte
- Working conditions aboard aircraft in operation
OSHA New Mexico Training Requirements
Since New Mexico adopted most federal standards identically, New Mexicans will follow similar training requirements regardless of jurisdiction.
OSHA requires training on specific safety standards that apply to your job functions. The only time jurisdiction might impact training are the standards where New Mexico adopted its own particular version. That includes:
General Industry:
- State and Local Government Firefighting
- Workplace Violence in Convenience Stores
- Hazard Communication
Construction
- Hazard Communication
Agriculture
- Field Sanitation
- Short-Handled Hoes
- First Aid
- Hazard Communication
Federal OSHA also has Outreach courses (sometimes referred to as "DOL cards") that cover common requirements for your industry. Even though OSHA doesn't require OSHA Outreach training, some employers might. In that case, you’ll either need an OSHA 10-Hour course for entry-level workers or an OSHA 30-Hour course for supervisors.
Learn More About OSHA 10-Hour and 30-Hour Courses for New Mexicans
We offer OSHA 10-Hour Construction, OSHA 30-Hour Construction, OSHA 10-Hour General Industry, and OSHA 30-Hour General Industry to meet your OSHA training needs.
Not sure where to start? Read our guide.
Read Now
Benefits of OSHA New Mexico Training for Workers
OSHA’s primary goal with safety training is to increase employee awareness and understanding of workplace hazards so they can avoid workplace accidents. However, employees aren’t the only ones that will benefit from OSHA training. When all employees complete safety training, employers can:
- Avoid penalties from OSHA inspections
- Lower workers’ compensation costs
- Increase productivity and financial performance
Although we’ve stated that training will keep workers safe, it’s another thing entirely to see the statistics from OSHA, the Department of Labor, and other New Mexico agencies. Take a look at the below workplace injury statistics to understand the important role of safety training in preventing accidents.
Fatal Occupational Injuries in New Mexico
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were a total of 44 fatal occupational injuries in New Mexico in 2017, while nationally there were 5,147 fatal occupational injuries.
Of the 44 fatalities:
- 28 were the result of transportation incidents
- 7 were the result of violence and other injuries by persons or animals
- 4 were the result of contact with objects and equipment
The industries with the greatest number of reported fatalities were:
- 14 in transportation and warehousing
- 10 in government (6 of them local government)
2019 Top OSHA Enforcement Cases in New Mexico
As you can see, workers in New Mexico are at risk for injury and accidents. But they are not alone. New Mexico businesses can also use OSHA training to help reduce their risk of enforcement penalties from an OSHA inspection.
Federal OSHA lists the top enforcement cases by state on its website. To give you an idea of the hefty fines you risk for violations, here are the top cases for 2019.
(Side scroll for additional content)
| State | Inspection Number | Employer | City | Issuance Date | Initial Penalty |
| NM | 1391330.015 | Santa Fe, City of | SANTA FE | 09/26/2019 | $183,375.00 |
Federal and State OSHA Offices in New Mexico
Since New Mexico employers and workers are divided up into federal and state jurisdiction, there are separate local area offices for state and federal OSHA.
You need to contact the local area office for federal OSHA in El Paso, TX, if you're in a federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service or its private contractors, a maritime employer, an Indian reservation, military base, or areas of exclusive federal jurisdiction.
All other private and public workplaces are under NM OSHA jurisdiction and are served by the NM OSHA office in Santa Fe.
You can find the most up-to-date contact information for either type of New Mexico OSHA office on OSHA's website.
Additional New Mexico Resources for Safety Information
In addition to the information we have provided, you can visit New Mexico state agency websites for more safety resources.
New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions: The department administers several programs to address the needs of job seekers, workers, businesses, and researchers.
New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration (WCA): The WCA’s mission is to deliver benefits to workers while also ensuring the cost to employers is fair.
Enroll Now in New Mexico OSHA Training Courses
While you now understand how OSHA New Mexico training will help reduce workplace injuries and accidents, you still need to determine which OSHA training course you need.
Luckily, you don’t have to look too far! We have over 20 years of experience as an OSHA-authorized training provider, and we offer OSHA 10-Hour Construction, OSHA 30-Hour Construction, OSHA 10-Hour General Industry, and OSHA 30-Hour General Industry to satisfy your OSHA training needs.
All you need to do is select the appropriate training course and start your online training today!
