A 53-year-old construction worker identified only as Gil fell roughly 2.5 meters (about 8 feet) from a scaffold at a residential construction site in Los Barriles on Wednesday afternoon. Civil Protection paramedics treated him at the scene before transferring him to the East Cape Clinic with cervical pain and bleeding from one ear.
Doctors at the clinic stabilized Gil but referred him to a hospital in San José del Cabo for specialized imaging. The transfer covers approximately 80 kilometers (50 miles) south along Highway 1, a common reality for serious injuries in the East Cape region, which lacks advanced trauma and diagnostic facilities.
Worker Had No IMSS Registration
Authorities confirmed that Gil was not enrolled in IMSS (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social), Mexico’s mandatory social security system. Under Mexican federal labor law, employers in the construction sector must register every worker with IMSS, which provides workplace injury coverage, medical care, and disability payments. Failure to register workers exposes employers to fines and legal liability.
The case has been referred to the Public Ministry (Ministerio Público) office in Los Barriles for investigation. Prosecutors will determine whether the employer faces charges related to the missing IMSS enrollment and any safety violations at the job site.
What This Means for East Cape Construction
Los Barriles and the surrounding East Cape corridor have seen a steady increase in residential construction as more foreign buyers build homes in the area. Property owners who hire contractors bear legal responsibility for ensuring those contractors comply with labor law, including IMSS enrollment for all workers on site.
When a worker is injured without IMSS coverage, the employer or property owner can be held financially responsible for all medical costs and lost wages. Criminal liability is also possible if prosecutors determine negligence.
The absence of a full-service hospital in the East Cape means that serious injuries routinely require transfers to San José del Cabo or La Paz, adding time and risk. The nearest hospitals with CT scanners and trauma surgeons are in San José del Cabo, roughly an hour’s drive from Los Barriles under normal conditions.
The incident was first reported by Colectivo Pericú.