STPS seeks to include Covid-19 as an occupational disease

The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS) presented the draft update of the Tables of Occupational Diseases and the Valuation of Permanent Disabilities, which includes Covid-19 and increases 26 types of cancer. During her participation in the first extraordinary session 2022 of the National Advisory Commission on Safety and Health at Work (COCONASST), the head of the federal agency, Luisa María Alcalde, highlighted the importance of the document presented on Thursday. In this first event that aims to establish a renewed legal framework, based on the scientific developments generated in the field of occupational health, the main changes to the Tables of Occupational Diseases and Valuation of Permanent Disabilities were announced.Read more: Summer time Will it come to an end in the Chamber of Deputies? Among these are the addition of 88 occupational diseases, including SARS-CoV-2, while 52 occupational diseases are grouped, and 3 diseases of women are added, as well as the cancellation of three fractions of the Table of Article 513 of the Federal Labor Law.In this sense, Mayor Luján said that the modifications were carried out with the participation of 50 specialists in the field of the Mexican Insurance Institute Social (IMSS), expert judges of the Federal Board of Conciliation and Arbitration, and doctors who work in companies, which are associated in the medical groups of health at work in Mexico.Within the incorporation of the 88 diseases, he pointed out that the group of disease that had a greater increase was that of cancer of occupational origin, going from 4 to 30 diseases, followed by infectious and parasitic pathologies. Psychosocial illnesses derived from work stress were also added. Meanwhile, in relation to the Table of Valuation of Permanent Disabilities, it contains the part, apparatus or organ of the body that was affected, as well as the sequel of the accident or work illness. It concentrates new assessment mechanisms for diseases such as HIV, work-related cancer and mental disorders. Read more: The 6 keys to AMLO’s electoral reform initiativeIn this sense, the Secretary of Labor stressed that, with the document, a 52-year lag in adaptation to technological, scientific, labor and industrial development changes is updated. AMLO’s electricity reform wins a round in the SCJN

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