NOM – 035 aims to identify, analyze and prevent psychosocial risk factors in the workplace, promoting a favorable organizational environment and preventing workplace violence.
Who must comply with NOM-035?
All workplaces in Mexico must comply with NOM-035. Depending on the number of workers, there are different obligations:
Employer obligations
Work centers with up to 15 workers:
- Implement and disseminate a psychosocial risk prevention policy.
- Prevent psychosocial risk factors and workplace violence.
- Channel workers affected by severe traumatic events.
- Inform and sensitize workers about these risks.
Work centers with 16 to 50 workers:
- In addition to the above, they must:
- Identify and analyze psychosocial risk factors.
- Implement control measures when required by the analysis.
- Conduct medical examinations and psychological evaluations when necessary.
- Keep records on analyses, evaluations and actions taken.
Work centers with more than 50 workers:
- In addition to the above, they must:
- Evaluate the organizational environment.
- Keep a detailed control of psychosocial risk records, evaluations and implemented measures.
Obligations of employees
- Apply prevention and control measures to reduce psychosocial risks and promote a healthy work environment.
- Attend medical examinations and psychological evaluations when required.
- Attend informational events organized by the employer.
- Report in writing if they have witnessed or suffered a severe traumatic event.
- Report harmful practices to the organizational environment and denounce workplace violence.
- Collaborate in the detection of psychosocial risks and in the evaluation of the work environment.
- Avoid behaviors that affect the organizational environment or encourage workplace violence.
Obligations according to the size of the company:
Less than 15 workers: Implement prevention measures, identify traumatic events and have reporting mechanisms in place.
Between 15 and 50 workers: In addition to the above, apply Guide II to analyze psychosocial risks, implement control measures and keep records.
More than 50 workers: Apply Guide III to evaluate the organizational environment and reinforce control measures.
General requirements:
- Psychosocial risk prevention policy (establish, implement and disseminate).
- Identification and analysis of psychosocial risks, according to the number of workers.
- Adoption of preventive and control measures to mitigate risks.
- Attention to workers exposed to traumatic events through medical and psychological evaluations.
- Training and information for workers on the standard.
- Documentary record of measures implemented and evaluations performed.
Reference Guides:
Guide I: Applicable to all workers to identify traumatic events.
Guide II: To analyze psychosocial risk factors in companies with 15-50 workers.
Guide III: To evaluate the organizational environment in companies with more than 50 workers.
Guide V: Collection of optional demographic data.
Prevention and control measures:
- Prevention: Promoting a favorable organizational environment, safe reporting mechanisms and fostering a sense of belonging.
- Control: Implementation of specific actions to reduce risks when medium, high or very high risk levels are identified in the analysis.
Prevention and Control Measures
The standard contemplates two types of measures: prevention and control, which each work center must define in order to reduce psychosocial risk factors and promote a healthy environment.
Prevention Measures
These are the actions to be carried out in all work centers, regardless of the level of risk identified in the assessments.
Areas to be covered:
- Leadership and relationships at work.
- Workloads.
- Work control.
- Social support.
- Work-life balance.
Key actions:
- Promote social support, information dissemination and training.
- Implement secure and confidential mechanisms for complaints.
- Foster a sense of belonging and clearly define responsibilities.
- Promote effective communication and adequate distribution of workloads.
- Evaluate and recognize performance.
Recommendations: Many companies already have measures in place that comply with the standard; it is key to document them and communicate them to employees to give them due importance.
Control Measures
They should be implemented according to the risk levels identified in the assessments.
- They apply when the results show medium, high or very high risk levels in any domain.
- They must be communicated to employees.
- A file must be kept with evidence of its application.
Identification and Channeling of Severe Traumatic Events (STIs)
Reference Guide I should be applied to all workers to identify possible ATS and refer them to a physician or occupational psychologist if necessary.
What are HTMs?
Events occurring at work that represent a real danger to the physical or emotional integrity of a person, such as:
- Explosions, landslides, serious fires.
- Serious or fatal accidents.
- Assaults with violence, kidnappings, homicides.
Which ATSs are considered?
Only those occurring at or because of the workplace. Example: an assault on the way to work is considered an HTM; an incident in a shopping mall is not.
Dissemination and Documentary Registration
It is essential to keep a documentary control of all the actions carried out, since the STPS will request it in inspections.
What should be documented?
- Psychosocial risk prevention policy.
- Measures adopted to combat workplace violence.
- Results of psychosocial risk factor assessments.
- Mechanisms for filing complaints and denunciations.
- Records of workers evaluated and with confirmed diagnoses.
Broadcast
It is recommended that the information be posted in visible places so that workers are aware of it and adopt it.
Workers’ Obligations
While penalties fall on the employer, employees also have responsibilities:
- Know and respect preventive measures.
- Avoid practices that affect the organizational environment.
- Participate in the identification and notification of risks.
- Reporting incidents or witnessing improper events.
- Undergo medical or psychological studies when necessary.
Conclusion: NOM-035 is key to improving the quality of work life and preventing psychosocial risks. Its correct application benefits both workers and the company, generating a healthier and more productive environment.
Source https://www.dof.gob.mx/normasOficiales/7415/stps2a11_C/stps2a11_C.html
