Section 50-9-22 - Preemption.

50-9-22. Preemption.

A.     Nothing in the Occupational Health and Safety Act [50-9-1 NMSA 1978] shall affect the jurisdiction of any state agency or any political subdivision performing like functions or exercising like responsibilities with regard to occupational health and safety matters except as provided in Subsection B or C of this section.   

B.     Whenever the board prescribes or adopts a regulation under the procedures provided in the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the regulation shall, when a copy thereof is filed with the clerk of the political subdivision to which it applies, establish a minimum requirement concerning the matters covered by the regulation and shall be construed in connection with any local requirement relative to the same matter. The regulation of the board amends or modifies any requirement of the local standard which does not meet the regulation.   

C.     The Occupational Health and Safety Act and regulations promulgated under it, and not the acts and regulations enforced by the state mine inspector, shall apply to places of employment subject to the jurisdiction of the United States department of labor acting under the provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (84 Stat. 1590), as amended.   

D.     Compliance with a regulation of the board does not relieve any person from the obligation to comply with a stricter state agency or political subdivision health or safety requirement, but the state agency or political subdivision shall be responsible for the enforcement of the health and safety requirements established by that state agency or local authority.